Hi Steve, I previously worked on a site which stored several hundred pallets of aerosols and although not obligated under COMAH we were also asked by our insurers to cage this area off. How many pallets are a few? My end result was i ended up with a designated section of the warehouse in which was exclusive for aerosol storage. The racking was surrounded with 50x50x3mm weld mesh and i had installed access gates controlled by that warehouse Manager. I'm happy to talk to you directly about this if it will help you in any way. My email address you can get me on is comms-staffordshire@ioshnetworks.co.uk of which i will then reply with my works email and provide my phone number. Regards Mark...

Hi Steve. Is the warehouse sprinkler protected? If so, the insurer is correct to ask for cage protection of aerosols. They cook in a fire situation and then launch out of their pallet rack and travel some distance, taking the fire with them. Once this starts happening, you end up with multiple seats of fire and the sprinkler system is overwhelmed to the point where there is no longer sufficient water pressure to feed all the activated sprinkler heads. Also, if sprinkler protected, you will be receiving a premium discount of up to 65%. Insurers expect full LPC rules compliance (or pretty dam close) and a failure to cage aerosols will jeopardise that discount, e.g. to the point it is completely removed because the sprinklers cannot be relied upon. If the warehouse is unsprinklered then go back to the insurers and suggest the EML is likely to be 100% in any event so the presence or absence of aerosol cages is irrelevant. EML = Estimated Maximum Loss and is based on fire compartments, spread of fire and property protection systems such as sprinklers. For warehouse risks the EML is nearly always 100% because of the fire load and undivided floor area.

Have you spoken with the Local Fire & Rescue Authority? They may have ideas and guidance as well.