Hello all,

I am looking for some advice. This is in relation to a bonded spirit maturation warehouse storing spirits in wooden casks.

The warehouse is comprised of multiple compartments, though work is required to make them compliant.

There are 2 sets of requirements in relation to fire compartmentation, from SBS Technical handbook, for a Storage Facility Class 1:

- Compartments must be a maximum of 1000 sq m

- Compartments must have 120min fire resistance

However, DSEAR requires adequate ventilation. HSG51 suggests natural ventilation by way of air bricks at high and low levels to a total of 1% of the wall & ceiling surface area. 

However in several of the compartments, 3 of the walls are adjacent to ather compartments, and could not vent directly to open air. Additionally, if vents were to be put in between compartments, that would negate the 120min fire compartment which has been created? 

Advice and help appreciated,

Grant

Hi Grant

I wonder whether these might be warehouse buildings which have been around for decades. Often with asbestos cement roofs and walls. Plenty such in Scotland.

May be the Scotch Whisky Association has guidance specific to such sites.

Health & Safety in the Scotch Whisky industry

While DSEAR doesn’t mandate ventilation outright, it does take ventilation levels into account when determining the appropriate Zone classification.

For a flammable storage room with 'normal' ventilation—typically classified as medium dilution with fair availability—a Zone 2 designation is usually appropriate, provided containers remain sealed. However, if ventilation is restricted or unreliable, the Zone classification may be elevated to Zone 1 or even Zone 0. This escalation imposes more stringent requirements for controlling potential ignition sources, particularly regarding the necessary EX-rating for any electrical equipment within or entering the room.

Additionally, limited ventilation runs counter to established good practice and the guidance in HSG51.

Steve,

Why the sarcasm? 

Both para 169 & 186 of HSG51 state "Adequate ventilation is required in buildings/rooms used for storing flammable liquids to ensure the safe dispersal of flammable vapours". As you say HSG51  does allow for alternatives, and these were included in my original post. These are the ones HSG51 itself states as suitable.

At no point do I say any of the options are required, just these are possible ways to achieve the guidance provided by the HSE.

The title for the post "Compartmentation vs Ventilation' suggests a question of which is more important, but in reality, the question should be 'Compartmentation AND Ventilation' as both are required.

Hopefully, we can let this drop now.