Management of flammable and explosive products

Purpose

This information is intended to provide advice and support to operations at KTH that handle, or plan to handle, flammable and explosive products, so that handling can take place safely and in accordance with current rules.

Scope

This information applies for the whole of KTH, although school-specific descriptions may occur and apply in addition to those set out here.

Definitions

• LBE - Swedish Act on Flammable and Explosive Products.
• FBE - Ordinance on Flammable and Explosive Products.
• LSO - Swedish Act on the Prevention of Accidents.
• Flammable products - flammable liquids, gases and fire-reactive products, which are substances or mixtures that can maintain, react violently to or result in a fire.
• Flashpoint – the temperature at which a liquid emits sufficient steam to form a combustible mixture with air.
• CLP Regulation – The Swedish Chemicals Agency’s rules for the classification, labelling and packaging of chemical products.
• SDS – safety data sheets with information about the properties and preparations of hazardous substances.
• Superintendent for flammable products – the person responsible with the specific task of ensuring that operations are conducted in accordance with statutory precautionary requirements and obligations.
• Deputy superintendent - replacement for the permanent superintendent in that person’s absence.
• Licensing authority – the government agency that issues permits for flammable and explosive products.
• Supervisory authority — the government agency that performs supervision in accordance with LBE.
• Supervision – The supervisory authority’s control of handling and storage, and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Internal supervision – follow-up of handling and storage based on KTH’s rules; coordinated by the VS security group.

Flammable, explosive and fire-reactive products

Flammable and explosive products refer to flammable gases, flammable liquids and fire-reactive products that are capable of maintaining fire, reacting violently to a fire or resulting in fire. Anyone handling flammable or explosive products has a responsibility to take the precautions and measures required in order to ensure safe handling.

Flammable gases

Flammable gases are gases that, when mixed with air, can ignite at 20°C. Examples of such gases are LPG, butane hydrogen and acetylene. Aerosols are viewed as flammable gases, regardless of whether it is liquid or gas that is flammable.

Flammable liquids

Flammable liquids are liquids with a flashpoint of up to 100°C. Flammable liquids are divided into classes, according to their flashpoint temperature, as shown in the table below:

Fire-reactive products

Fire-reactive products are substances and mixtures that can maintain fire, react violently in the event of a fire or that result in fire. These include substances with oxidising and self-reactive properties, as well as flammable solids such as hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxides, flammable cinema film and ammonium nitrate.

Permits

The handling of larger quantities of flammable products requires a permit in accordance with the Swedish Act on Flammable and Explosive Products (LBE). There are several permits at KTH in the form of KTH’s framework permit and school-specific permits. The President is the permit holder for KTH’s permits.

The permit obligation relates to storage, transport, handling, processing, use, disposal, maintenance, manufacturing, packaging, destruction, transfer or similar. Assume that all handling of flammable products requires a permit.

For operations at KTH, permits are required for aggregate volumes that exceed the following amounts and are handled.

Indoors:

• Flammable gases - 250 litres
• Extremely flammable or flammable aerosols - 500 litres
• Flammable liquids with a flashpoint of max. 60°C - 500 litres
• Flammable liquids with a flashpoint of higher than 60°C up to and including 100°C - 10,000 litres

Outdoors:

• Flammable gases - 1,000 litres
• Extremely flammable or flammable aerosols - 3,000 litres
• Flammable liquids with a flashpoint of max. 60°C - 3,000 litres
• Flammable liquids with a flashpoint of higher than 60°C up to and including 100°C - 50,000 litres

Risk assessment

In accordance with LBE, a risk assessment must be drawn up showing that the flammable products are being handled in a secure manner. The risk assessment must include information about the risks of fire and explosion that may arise and be assessed, and measures that have been taken.

When assessing whether an explosive atmosphere may occur during handling, an investigation must be set up in the form of explosion protection documentation with associated classification plans. Based on the risk assessment and classification plan, procedures and handling instructions must be drawn up for risk mitigation measures.

In connection with changes in operations that are significant or when expanding operations, or when it may otherwise be considered necessary, such as in connection with new working procedures, changes in premises or equipment, consideration must be given to a new risk assessment or a revision of the current one.

Training/knowledge

Operations at KTH that handle flammable products must have sufficient knowledge of legislation, the properties of the flammable products and the risks that handling them can give rise to. This requirement does not mean that an individual must have detailed knowledge, but the operation that requires a permit must possess the overall knowledge and ability required, which must be adapted for activities that are carried out.

The activities at KTH that involve the handling of flammable products requiring a permit must have one or more persons designated as superintendents. The superintendent must strive to ensure that staff receive the training and CPD they need. Find out more about the role of superintendents on the function page for superintendents.

Storage and handling

Conventional storage

The storage of flammable products, depending on quantity and class, must take place in a space separated for fire safety purposes and must be designed in such a way that flammable liquids cannot spread uncontrollably in the event of leakage or spillage. Fire-rated cabinets or adapted stores must be sufficiently well-ventilated to be able to disperse flammable vapours and prevent the occurrence of a ignitable mixture of steam and air. The most suitable form of ventilation is outdoors out into the open air. Refrigerators and freezers must be designed so that no sparks can form inside the cabinet caused by electrical equipment, e.g. a light bulb. The most appropriate choice is for cabinets with explosion protection (EX).

No storage is permitted in a fume cupboard or equivalent other than the quantity needed during the work process. The product must be returned to its designated storage space upon completion of the work. It is not permitted to store flammable products such as aerosols together with liquid; these must be stored separately. Highly flammable materials must not be stored together with flammable products.

The open handling of flammable products must ideally be performed in fume cupboards, fume benches or with local extraction.

Storage up to 50 litres

Smaller volumes of flammable liquid up to 50 litres can be stored in ventilated sheet metal cabinets and in a separate fire cell.

Loose gas cylinders

Loose gas cylinders must be positioned or secured against tipping over by means of fixing devices. Flammable gases should ideally be placed outdoors.

Classification and labelling

Information about the properties and classification of a product is provided in the form of labelling on the packaging and in a safety data sheet (SDS).

The SDS provides information about the product’s properties, any risks that may exist in connection with its use and measures to be taken to protect human health and the environment, such as fire classification, handling, storage and waste management.

When flammable products are stored, there must be signs with associated CLP pictograms such as warning and prohibition symbols, e.g. “flame”, “match”. Signage should inform those who handle the products at the workplace where they are located and warn other personnel such as emergency services. This may mean that signage might also be needed on doors in corridors that lead to the flammable products.

Stocktaking

In order to make sure that the quantity stored does not exceed the permitted quantity, stocktaking must be carried out for all permits for flammable products. Find out more about stocktaking and administrative support for this on the function page for stocktaking.

Supervision

KTH’s safety function is responsible for the administration of KTH’s framework permits, is the contact person to the permit issuer and takes part in supervision for all permits relating to flammable products.

External supervisory inspection (government agency supervision)

The supervisory inspection announced by the permit issuer is conducted in coordination with the permit issuer, the school’s operations and the safety function at KTH. The supervisory inspection consists of checking compliance with the Swedish Act on Flammable and Explosive Products, as well as regulations and decisions issued in connection with the Act.

In connection with the inspection, the fire service inspects, among other things, handling and storage, and also reviews procedures, documentation and signage, as well as the organisation.

Documentation, permits, lists and documents relating to the permit must be available and up-to-date.

Examples of documentation:

• List of superintendents/deputy superintendents.
• Instructions and reports for operations and maintenance.
• Permits, and documents and lists attached to the permit.
• Plant documentation (e.g. classification plans, risk analyses, control and inspection records, etc.).
• Action plan and reporting procedure for near-accidents and accidents.

Internal supervision

The supervisory inspection is conducted in a coordinated manner with the school’s operations and the safety function at KTH, and takes place annually. The superintendent and the fire safety officer must take part in the supervisory inspection. The purpose of this inspection is to follow up on procedures, documentation and delegations, as well as risk prevention work.

Local procedures/instructions

Anyone who handles flammable products must take the precautions and measures required by each individual situation in order to prevent and limit the risk of accidents. Those schools/operations that handle and store flammable and explosive products must set up local procedures and keep them relevant for the specific handling activities. Procedures can describe, for example:

• Management of emergencies
• Near-accident and incident management
• Drills and training
• Handling

Collaboration

Schools with their own permit, or schools within KTH’s framework permit, must systematically coordinate fire safety issues within the operation, as well as with external activities with which they share premises. Unless otherwise agreed, the permit holder or the person responsible for handling and storage is responsible for coordination.

Coordination must include risks in the operation, how these are prevented and managed, follow-up on incidents and near-accidents, as well as planning of training and drills.

Near-accident and incident management

Near-accident and incident management must be carried out in accordance with KTH’s regulations. Find out more on the function page for reporting near-accidents, risk and occupational injury.

According to FBE, accidents and near-accidents involving flammable and explosive products that have involved a risk of accidents must be reported to the supervisory authority. Reporting to the licensing authority takes place via KTH’s safety function.

In the event of an emergency when there has been a danger to life, property or the environment, such as a fire or discharge, the national emergency number 112 must then be contacted, followed by KTH’s emergency number 08 790 7700. Find out more on the function page for alarm instructions in the event of a special incident if there has been a danger to life, property or the environment.

Decision on superintendent
Stocktaking list