A common question our EHS department receives from professors is what size containers they can use to store flammable liquids in the lab, ethanol being the primary one. According to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.106(d)(2)(iii), the size of a glass container for a Category 2 flammable liquid is 1 qt. How then can laboratory researchers order and store 4 L glass bottles of ethanol from chemical suppliers? Is there a loophole I am missing? Are research labs allowed to store flammable liquids in larger size containers (say a 2 gallon carboy) if they use it on a day-to-day basis?

Best,

Mariah Woodroof, PhD