What is a Maximum Allowable Quantity? Why are they important?
Maximum allowable quantities (MAQs) are the maximum amount of hazardous materials allowed to be stored or used within a control area in a building. These limits are established by the California Fire Code (CFC) and are broken down by hazard class and state of matter (solid, liquid, or gas).
Adhering to these limits is essential for ensuring that occupants can safely evacuate and first responders can safely enter a building during an emergency.
The California Fire Code (CFC) regulates hazardous materials that pose physical or acute health hazards. Materials are classified according to their CFC definitions for MAQ and regulatory purposes. These definitions are not always in alignment with OSHA definitions, which are based on the United Nation’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).
Per CFC, chemical mixtures shall be classified with hazards of the mixture as a whole. Mixtures of hazardous materials shall be classified in accordance with nationally recognized reference standards; by an approved qualified organization, individual, or Safety Data Sheet (SDS); or by other approved methods.
California Fire Code Physical hazards include
| California Fire Code Health hazards include
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A control area is a space within a building where hazardous materials are stored, dispensed, used or handled. Control areas are constructed with features like fire rated walls that prevent the spread of fire to and from other areas in the building, allowing for safe evacuation and fire department response.
Determining MAQs is complex and relies on several structural and operational factors.
The most common factors that determine MAQs at UCLA are:
► on which floor your lab is located (see table below)
► whether a fire sprinkler system is installed throughout the building
► use of approved storage cabinets
As emergency response and evacuation become increasingly difficult with building height, the quantity of hazardous materials that can be safely used and stored decreases. For example, the MAQs on floors 9th and above are 5% of those allowed on the 1st floor. Conversely, if the entire building is equipped with a sprinkler system and approved storage cabinets are used, the MAQs a specific floor can increase by as much as 400%.
MAQ Table by Floor
Story | % of Max per Area | # of Control Areas per Floor | |
Above Grade Plane | 10+ | 5 | 1 |
7-9 | 5 | 2 | |
6 | 12.5 | 2 | |
5 | 12.5 | 2 | |
4 | 12.5 | 2 | |
3 | 50 | 2 | |
2 | 75 | 3 | |
1 | 100 | 4 | |
Below Grade Plane | 1 | 75 | 3 |
2 | 50 | 2 | |
3+ | 0 | 0 | |
Following the management of hazardous chemicals guidelines issued by the University of California Office of President in 2023, EH&S is implementing the directives outlined in the UC Chemical Storage MAQ Task Force Report. MAQs have always been enforced at UCLA, but the process was lengthy and expensive given the tools that have been available. UCLA has spent several years implementing a new chemical inventory software (RSS Chemicals) that, when fully deployed, will allow us to see MAQ compliance in real time, identify overages, and recommend corrective actions in a timely manner.
Strategies to reduce the chemicals you store include:
- Purchase smaller quantities of chemicals (i.e 500g instead of 1kg)
- If possible, share chemicals (click here to see how to share a container using RSS Chemicals)
- Confirm that your chemical inventory is accurate to avoid purchasing duplicate chemicals
- Dispose of any expired or unneeded chemicals and update your inventory accordingly
Since MAQs are largely determined by building construction it can be very costly to increase the limit. Due to their complexity, MAQ increases must be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
For Assistance Contact:
What is “Approved Storage”?
Storing chemicals in approved storage cabinets, day boxes, gas cabinets, gas rooms, exhausted enclosures or in listed safety cans may increase MAQs for certain hazard categories. In addition, highly toxic gases are not permitted in any quantity unless they are stored within approved gas cabinets or exhausted enclosures.
Approved Storage per California Fire Code (CFC) would include one of the following, specific to the type of material being stored:
Note: Per CFC, cabinets must be self-closing and self-latching. There are many cabinets out there which close manually and are not considered approved.
Examples and Information about Specific Storage
These are suitable for flammable and combustible liquids.
Design and Construction. Shall be in accordance with the following:
Materials. Cabinets shall be listed in accordance with UL 1275, or constructed of approved wood or metal in accordance with the following:
- Unlisted metal cabinets shall be constructed of steel having a thickness of not less than 0.044 inch (1.12 mm) (18 gage). The cabinet, including the door, shall be double walled with 1 ½-inch (38 mm) airspace between thew walls. Joints shall be riveted or welded and shall be tight fitting.
- Unlisted wooden cabinets, including doors, shall be constructed of not less than 1-inch (25 mm) exterior grade plywood. Joints shall be rabbeted and shall be fastened in two directions with wood screws. Door hinges shall be of steel or brass. Cabinets shall be painted with an intumescent-type paint.
Labeling. Cabinets shall be provided with a conspicuous label in red letters on contrasting background that reads: “FLAMMABLE – KEEP FIRE AWAY.”
Doors. Doors shall be well fitted, self-closing and equipped with a three-point latch.
Bottom. The bottom of the cabinet shall be liquid tight to a height of 2 inches (51 mm).
Capacity. The combined total quantity of flammable and combustible liquids in a cabinet shall not exceed 120 gallons (454 L).
These are suitable for gases (inert, flammable, oxidizing, reactive, pyrophoric, toxic, highly toxic, or corrosive). They are not designed for cryogenic fluids.
Construction. Gas cabinets shall be constructed with the following:
Ventilation. Gas cabinets shall be provided with an exhaust ventilation system. The ventilation system for gas cabinets shall be designed to operate at a negative pressure in relation to the surrounding area. Ventilation system shall be installed in accordance with the California Mechanical Code. Ventilation systems used for highly toxic and toxic gases shall also comply with the following:
1. The average ventilation velocity at the face of gas cabinet access ports or windows shall be not less than 200 feet per minute (1.02 m/s) with not less than 150 feet per minute (0.76 m/s) at any point of the access port of window.
2. Gas cabinets shall be connected to an exhaust system.
3. Gas cabinets shall not be used as the sole means of exhaust for any room or area.
Maximum number of cylinders per gas cabinet. The number of cylinders contained in a single gas cabinet shall not exceed three. (Note: for toxic and highly toxic gases, there is an exception for cabinets containing cylinders not exceeding one pound (0.454 kg) where net contents are allowed to contain up to 100 cylinders).
These are suitable for most solid and liquid hazardous materials, with the exception of gases and flammable liquids.
Construction. The interior of the cabinets shall be treated, coated or constructed of materials that are nonreactive with the hazardous materials stored. Such treatment, coating or construction shall include the entire interior of the cabinet. Cabinets shall either be listed in accordance with UL 1275 as suitable for the intended storage or constructed in accordance with the following:
1. Cabinets shall be of steel having a thickness of not less than 0.0478 inch (1.2 mm) (No. 18 gage). The cabinet, including the door, shall be double walled with a 1 ½ inch (38 mm) airspace between the walls. Joints shall be riveted or welded and shall be tight fitting. Doors shall be well fitted, self-closing and equipped with a self-latching device.
2. The bottoms of cabinets utilized for the storage of liquids shall be liquid tight to a minimum height of 2 inches (51 mm).
Warning markings. Cabinets shall be clearly identified in an approved manner with red letters on a contrasting background to read: HAZARDOUS – KEEP FIRE AWAY
These are suitable for gases (inert, flammable, oxidizing, reactive, pyrophoric, toxic, highly toxic, or corrosive). They are not designed for cryogenic fluids. These may be suitable for highly toxic solids and liquids in Group H-8 occupancies (prior to 2007).
Construction. Exhausted enclosures shall be of noncombustible construction.
Ventilation. Exhausted enclosures shall be provided with an exhaust ventilation system. The ventilation system for exhausted enclosures shall be designed to operate at a negative pressure in relation to the surrounding area. Ventilation system shall be installed in accordance with the California Mechanical Code. Ventilation systems used for highly toxic and toxic gases shall also comply with the following:
1. The average ventilation velocity at the face of the enclosure shall be not less than 200 feet per minute (1.02 m/s).
2. Exhausted enclosures shall be connected to an exhaust system.
3. Exhausted enclosures shall not be used as the sole means of exhaust for any room or area.
Fire-extinguishing system. Exhausted enclosures where flammable materials are used shall be protected by an approved fire-extinguishing system.
