The Calor cylinder cages enable cylinders to be both stored securely and safely outdoors at a wide variety of retail outlets including shops, superstores, warehouses, garden centres and garage forecourts. The information given is applicable to cages storing cylinders of net weight between 15kg and 400kg of LPG at such retail premises providing the maximum size of a cylinder does not exceed 20kg (net) weight.

The cylinder cage and instructions for its use are designed to enable storage to conform with the guidance contained in LPGA Code of Practice No 7.

This Code of Practice updates and merges three earlier documents all of which are now superseded:

• H&SE publication CS4 “The Keeping of LPG in Cylinders and Similar Containers”
• H&SE publication CS8 “Small Scale Storage and Display of LPG at Retail Premises”
• 1986 edition of the Code of Practice 7

Users are strongly recommended to obtain a copy of this Code of Practice from the LP Gas Association. (Please call 01425 461612 for more information).

• The cylinder cage should be positioned in the open air (figure 1) on level concrete or compact ground and must be at least 1m from a site boundary, buildings or source of ignition etc., unless fire resisting separation is provided.
• Smoking, or other sources of ignition, including motor vehicles, should not be permitted within 1m of the cylinder cage.
• Only vehicles delivering or collecting LPG should be allowed to park within 3 m of the cylinder cage. When necessary, the cylinder cage should be protected from vehicle impact by positioning or the erection of suitable barriers.
• No electrical apparatus should be installed either in or on the cage or within 1 m from it in any direction.
• No opening into buildings, cellars or pits should be within 2m of the cylinder cage. Where a gulley or drain is unavoidable within this distance, the opening should be securely covered or fitted with a suitable water seal.
• No flammable liquids, combustible, corrosive or oxidising materials should be stored within 3m of the cylinder cage area unless they are separated from the area by a structure of 30 minutes’ fire resisting construction. Oxidising materials include compressed oxygen, organic peroxides and sodium chlorate.
• The area within 1m of the cylinder cage should be kept clear of weeds, rubbish and other combustible materials.

NOTE: Sodium Chlorate weed killers must not be used.

• Effective ventilation will ensure that any small leaks will disperse and be safely diluted to well below the flammable concentration within a short distance of the source.
• Care should be taken with the handling and stocking of cylinders within the cage to avoid both injury and cylinder damage.
• Cylinders within the cage should be inspected daily to ensure the stocks are stable and that there are no damaged or leaking cylinders.
• In no circumstances should cylinders be placed on the top shelf of the cage unless
  the bottom shelf Is full.

• The cylinder cage should not hinder or endanger the means of escape from the premises or adjoining premises.
• The outlet valve of every cylinder should be kept closed while the cylinder is in store or on display. Plastic caps or plugs must be fitted to cylinders even when they are regarded as empty.
• Cylinders must be stored or displayed with their valves uppermost. This ensures that if there is a leak from the valve area, vapour and not liquid will escape.
• At least one 9kg dry powder fire extinguisher must be provided in the vicinity of the cylinder cage and regularly serviced.
• No other materials should be stored within the cylinder cage.
• The cylinder cage should be kept locked and under direct supervision.
• The cylinder cage should be located In a well ventilated position, in the open air.

Storage Between Two Walls

• Where necessary, cylinder cages may be located next to a boundary wall (with the wall owners permission), provided that the following conditions are met:
• The wall is not less than 2m high, of not less than 30 minutes’ fire resisting construction and imperforate on either side of the cylinder cage within 1 m of a boundary, 2m of any building, gully or drain and 3m of other flammable combustible, corrosive or oxidlsing materials.
• The height of the cylinder cage does not exceed the height of the wall (Figure 2).
• If the wall against which the cylinder cage is located is that of a building, any part of that facade - including any overhanging roof - up to a height of 9m and extending horizontally for a distance of
  2m on either side of the cylinder cage, should be of 30 minutes’ fire resisting construction and
  imperforate.
• Where part of the building is used for residential accommodation, the facade against which the cylinder cage is located - including any overhanging roof - should be of 60 minutes’ fire resisting construction and imperforate (Figure 3).
• Passageways or yards enclosed by two or three walls and less than 3m wide by 5m long are generally unsuitable as areas in which to locate cylinder cages.
• The cylinder cage may be stored in the angle between two walls, e.g. in the corner of a yard (Figure 4).
• Where the cylinder cage is surrounded by three walls, at least one wall should be no higher than
  3m.
• It may sometimes be convenient to locate the cylinder cage in a bay between two wing walls (Figure 5). If such wing walls are less than 2m high.
• They should be disregarded for separation purposes and the area should be treated as if the cylinder cage were located against a single wall as in Figure 2. If the wing walls are 2m or more high, separation distances may be calculated by measuring along and around the perimeter of the wing walls, (Figure 5).

NOTE: To enable doors to be located closer to the cylinder cage the wing walls should not extend outwards more than 1m beyond the cylinder cage, this also ensures that ventilation is not impeded.

Where more than one cage is used they shall not be located together but there shall be at least 2m separation distance between the cages.

The above illustrations have been taken from LPGA cop7 which should be referred to for more advice.

The Petroleum Officer or Local Authority must be consulted before a garage is considered suitable for the storage of LPG cylinders in cages as this will affect the garage’s existing Petroleum Licence.

When cylinder cages are used on garage forecourts, a separation distance of 4.3m from petrol pumps and petrol storage tank manlids must be observed, as recommended in HS/(G) 41.

The Petroleum Officer has the right to prohibit the inclusion of LPG on any licensed site or can insist on any other safety precautions deemed necessary.

Notes

• It is the responsibility of the petroleum licensee to apply for LPG to be included in his licence.
• The Petroleum Officer/Authority can be identified from the existing licence for the premises.

Inspection

The cage shall be regularly inspected and any defects, including missing signage and padlocks as well as damage shall be reported to Calor Gas Limited, Customer Support Centre as soon as possible.

Basic Rules

• Site cylinder cage correctly and safely.
• Protect cylinder cage from fire.
• Deny unauthorised access to cylinders.
• Protect cylinder cage from vehicle impact.
• Display warning notices and provide dry powder fire extinguishers.
• Train employees.
• Keep cylinder cage locked and under direct supervision.