Oil Service Stations

[Ehendrix]

Trying to find some clear code and direction about protection oil change service pits. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Eric Hendrix, SET
NICET Certified
Design Manager

 

[cdafd]

Class III B liquid??

Any ventilation provided

 

[Ehendrix]

Let me check the drawings, I was digging NFPA 30 but didn't see much.

Eric Hendrix, SET
NICET Certified
Design Manager

 

[LCREP]

What would happen if they work on a gasoline tank and or fuel lines. Most pits I have inspected were all ex electric with low point ventilation and 2 means of egress.

 

[cdafd]

Cannot design for stupid


Cannot design beyond the scope of what the business says it is going to do.

 

[LCREP]

See NFPA 30A: Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages 2015 Ed

See sections 4.2.3, 7.4.5 and 8.3.2 they all refer to pits in garages regarding electric classification, ventilation and egress.


This is from the 2012 30A handbook, they actually show a picture of a Jiffy Lube facility as a reference.

7.4.5 Pits, Belowgrade Work Areas, and Subfloor Work Areas.

Comments from the handbook
Subsection 7.4.5 addresses the lower-level work areas of “quick-lube” service stations and similar facilities. Due to the number of vehicles capable of being serviced on a daily basis by these facilities, servicing the vehicles from the lower-level area is more efficient and actually safer than raising the vehicle on a lift. Service pits, subfloor work areas, and belowgrade work areas are below the level of the surface on which the vehicle to be serviced is located.
The difference between a service pit or subfloor work area and a belowgrade work area is that the service pit or subfloor work area is generally much smaller, usually extending only under the vehicle being serviced, while the latter tends to be the same size as the building’s footprint. The belowgrade work area, in addition to being larger, usually is subject to the same building code requirements as would a floor or story of a building, including fixed lighting, ventilation, minimum headroom, and alternate means of egress. See Exhibit II.7.3.

7.4.5.1 Pits, belowgrade work areas, and subfloor work areas used for lubrication, inspection, and minor automotive maintenance work shall comply with the provisions of this chapter, in addition to other applicable requirements of this code.

 

[cdafd]

Cannot find the study years ago, showing some testing showed it was Class III B.

Maybe stookey has it

 

[stookeyfpe]

I don't understand the question. Is this an automatic sprinkler question, a hazardous (classified) location question, a building code question, or is this a homework problem and you want us to solve it?

 

[Ehendrix]

Stookeyfpe,

With that attitude neither.

Eric Hendrix, SET
NICET Certified
Design Manager

 

[chicopee]

We had a dozen or so service pits for our construction trucks using diesel fuel and occasionally our car maintenance and none of these pits had automatic fire extinguishing equipment but we did have hand held portable fire extinguishers available. OSHA inspectors have made numerous inspections of our maintenance garage and never required automatic systems for the pits but did check the hand held units. The maintenance garage however was protected with a wet sprinkler system. To the best of my knowledge there is no requirement other than fall protection when the pits have no vehicles and electrical wiring appropriate for the location if deemed a listed area.