Flammable Storage Cabinets: OSHA and NFPA 30 Compliant
Double-wall steel flammable cabinets from 4-gallon countertop units to 90-gallon floor models, with self-closing doors, grounding lugs and under-counter and under-fume-hood options. Shop online or get a quote.
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Justrite Sure-Grip EX flammable safety cabinets from the Labs USA store. Request a quote for self-closing doors, under-fume-hood sizes, 90-gallon models, colors and installation.
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Flammable Storage Cabinets for Laboratories
Flammable storage cabinets are required by OSHA (29 CFR 1910.106) and NFPA 30 when flammable and combustible liquids are stored in a lab outside a flammable storage room. Their double-wall steel construction, liquid-tight sill, three-point latch and grounding lug keep a fire outside from reaching the liquids inside long enough for people to get out.
Labs USA supplies flammable cabinets from 4-gallon countertop units to 90-gallon floor models, including under-counter models that fit lab casework and fume hood bases. They are the most common of our laboratory safety cabinets.
FM-approved and UL-listed cabinets add third-party certification on top of the OSHA and NFPA construction rules, and many insurers, fire marshals and university EHS offices ask for them.
OSHA Flammable Storage Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | OSHA / NFPA rule | What it means for your cabinet |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity per cabinet | OSHA 1910.106(d)(3)(i); NFPA 30 | Max 60 gal of Category 1, 2 or 3 liquids, or 120 gal of Category 4 |
| Construction | OSHA 1910.106(d)(3)(ii) | 18-gauge double-wall steel, 1.5 in. air space, riveted or welded joints |
| Door latch and sill | OSHA 1910.106(d)(3)(ii) | Three-point latch; sill raised at least 2 in. |
| Label | OSHA 1910.106(d)(3)(ii) | “Flammable – Keep Fire Away” |
| Cabinets per fire area | NFPA 30 | Generally no more than three, unless code exceptions apply |
| Self-closing doors | International Fire Code | Expected by many fire marshals for lab cabinets |
| Grounding when dispensing | OSHA 1910.106(e)(6)(ii); NFPA 77 | Bond and ground when transferring Class I liquids |
Read the regulation itself at OSHA 29 CFR 1910.106, or our safety cabinet compliance guide for how OSHA, NFPA 30, NFPA 45 and the fire code fit together. Your fire marshal has the final word on local limits.
What Should Be Stored in a Flammable Storage Cabinet?
Store flammable and combustible liquids: anything with a GHS flame pictogram or a flash point that makes it a Category 1 to 4 flammable liquid. Common lab examples:
- Alcohols: ethanol, methanol, isopropanol
- Ketones and esters: acetone, ethyl acetate
- Hydrocarbons: hexane, heptane, toluene, xylene
- Ethers: diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran
- Fuels, flammable paints, adhesives and aerosol cans
Do not store in a flammable cabinet
- Acids and bases: they corrode the steel; use an acid and corrosive cabinet.
- Oxidizers such as nitrates, peroxides and perchlorates.
- Water-reactive or pyrophoric materials unless your EHS plan says otherwise.
- Paper, cardboard, rags and other combustibles that add fuel.
- Compressed gas cylinders.
How Flammable Cabinets Are Built
- Double-wall steel: 18-gauge steel with a 1.5-inch insulating air space.
- Leak-proof sill: a raised 2-inch sill turns the cabinet floor into a spill sump.
- Three-point latch: keeps doors closed if the cabinet heats and warps.
- Self-closing doors (optional): a fusible link lets doors close automatically in a fire.
- Flame-arrested vents with bung caps, and a grounding lug.
- Adjustable shelves with a lip to contain small drips.
Yellow is the usual color for flammables; red is often used for paints and inks, and white or gray to match casework. Color is a convention, but the warning label is required.
Flammable Storage Cabinet Grounding Requirements
Static electricity can ignite flammable vapors when liquid is poured between metal containers. OSHA 1910.106(e)(6)(ii) and NFPA 77 require bonding and grounding when Class I liquids are transferred, so every flammable cabinet includes a grounding lug.
- Connect the cabinet lug to a verified building ground wherever dispensing takes place in or near the cabinet.
- Bond the dispensing and receiving containers to each other and to ground before pouring.
- Grounding a cabinet that only stores closed containers is not always required, but many EHS programs ground every cabinet as standard practice.
Should a Flammable Cabinet Be Vented?
NFPA 30 does not require flammable cabinets to be vented, and venting can reduce the cabinet’s fire performance. If the cabinet is not vented, keep both factory bung caps in place. If your local code or EHS team requires venting (for example to control odors), duct it to the outdoors with a dedicated exhaust using rigid steel duct, and never vent into a fume hood or ordinary room exhaust. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the vent kit and flame arrestor.
Sizes and Capacities
| Size class | Capacity | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Countertop | 4 to 16 gal | Manual or self-closing doors; sits on a bench |
| Under-counter | 22 to 35 gal | Fits under 36 in. casework and fume hoods; often self-closing |
| Standard | 30 to 45 gal | 1 or 2 doors; most common lab size |
| Large | 60 to 90 gal | 2 doors, 2 adjustable shelves; stockrooms and plant labs |
See exact width, depth and height for each capacity in our table of flammable cabinet sizes on the main safety cabinets page.
Under-counter and under-fume-hood cabinets keep daily-use solvents at the bench without using floor space. Labs USA coordinates flammable base cabinets with fume hood specifications during design. Some common sizes are in stock at select manufacturers, subject to confirmation.
Where to Place Flammable Cabinets
- Keep cabinets out of exits, stairways and corridors, and away from the main exit door.
- Keep ignition sources such as hot plates, ovens and open flames well away.
- Place cabinets close to where solvents are used to limit carrying.
- Leave eyewash stations, showers and fire extinguishers unobstructed.
- Anchor cabinets in seismic regions and level them so doors self-close properly.
Planning a whole lab? Add acid and corrosive cabinets for acids and bases, chemical storage cabinets for everything else, and see the safety cabinet cost guide for budgets. For capacity limits, locks, sills, labels and inspections, read our guide to chemical storage cabinet requirements for labs.
Get a quote on flammable storage cabinets
Send your solvent inventory and floor plan. We will size each cabinet to the OSHA limits, pick door types your fire marshal expects and quote delivery and installation.
Flammable Storage Cabinet FAQs
Do I need FM-approved flammable cabinets?
What are the OSHA requirements for flammable storage cabinets?
What should be stored in a flammable storage cabinet?
Do flammable storage cabinets need to be grounded?
Can flammable cabinets be placed under fume hoods?
How many gallons of flammables can I store in my lab?
Do flammable cabinets need self-closing doors?
Should flammable storage cabinets be vented?
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OSHA and NFPA 30 compliant flammable cabinets sized to your solvents and installed by Labs USA.