The advice provided by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), and taking consideration of the information provided above, is that:
If you are storing up to 275 litres of petrol at any of these premises then you should be aware of the common storage requirements for these amounts, which are as follows:
- petrol is not stored in your living accommodation
- petrol is not dispensed (i.e. it is not pumped either manually or electrically from a storage tank) at your storage place
- if your storage place is not in the open air you need a direct exit to the open air and ventilation to this exit
- you should take all reasonable precautions in your storage place to prevent any sources of ignition or heat that would be able to ignite the petrol or its vapour
You should not use petrol in the storage place other than
- in the fuel tank of any internal combustion engine
- in quantities (not exceeding 150 millilitres at any one time), for cleaning or as a solvent for repair purposes
Where petrol is stored in a place attached to a building, e.g. an integral garage, if the fire resistance requirements in the previous legislation were met then these would be considered acceptable under the new regulations and storage can continue. For example, an older house with an integral garage (that has a room above it) that met the requirement for the ceiling to be 'constructed of material not readily flammable' would be considered as acceptable and would not have to meet the requirement in the new regulations that the ceiling of such a garage is fitted with 'fire-resistant internal linings'.
The content on this page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Please note that any images forming part of this advice article are for illustrative purposes only and may not be indicative of colours, labelling or markings relating to any country specific legislation, guidelines or standards. Written information and guidance relate to the United Kingdom and specifically to information provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other UK public sector bodies.
Information herein is primarily provided for the purposes of managing fire risk. However, in order to give the reader a more complete understanding of the storage and handling of toxic and flammable substances in drums and cylinders, we have provided additional information. If you need specific advice or information on matters not directly related to fire risk management, you should consult an expert with the appropriate knowledge and/or the supplier or manufacturer.
Disclaimer: INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE TREATED AS PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. ALWAYS CONSULT A FIRE PROFESSIONAL, OR OTHER RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL, FOR ADVICE ON YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND REQUIREMENTS.
Blackwood Fire began trading in 1983. We have an absolute belief in quality - it is the cornerstone of our company's culture. Our primary aim is to help you protect the lives and livelihoods of people and your organisation or business by ensuring that we only provide quality products that fully meet industry standards - also, by providing continuous training to our staff via recognised trade bodies, associations and the British Standards Institute (BSI). We strongly believe that promoting quality practices and dealing with everyone in a fair and honest manner adds value to organisations and businesses. Read more on our 
