General industry and construction, side by side
The same question has two answers because OSHA writes two sets of rules. A shop, plant, warehouse or office follows 29 CFR part 1910. A construction jobsite follows 29 CFR part 1926.
| Topic | General industry (29 CFR 1910) | Construction (29 CFR 1926) |
|---|---|---|
| How much a cabinet holds | Not more than 60 gallons of Category 1, 2 or 3 flammable liquids, nor more than 120 gallons of Category 4 flammable liquids, may be stored in a storage cabinet.29 CFR 1910.106(d)(3)(i) | Not more than 60 gallons of Category 1, 2 or 3 flammable liquids or 120 gallons of Category 4 shall be stored in any one cabinet, and not more than three such cabinets may be located in a single storage area. Larger quantities go in an inside storage room.29 CFR 1926.152(b)(3) |
| What the cabinet says on the door | Cabinets shall be labeled in conspicuous lettering with the words “Flammable” and “Keep Fire Away.”29 CFR 1910.106(d)(3)(ii) | Cabinets shall be labeled in conspicuous lettering with the words “Flammable” and “Keep Away from Open Flames.”29 CFR 1926.152(b)(2)(iii) |
| Outside a cabinet | Container sizes follow Table H-12. For a Category 1 liquid, for example, the table allows 1 pint in glass or approved plastic and 1 gallon in a metal container.29 CFR 1910.106(d)(2)(iii), Table H-12 | No more than 25 gallons of flammable liquids shall be stored in a room outside of an approved storage cabinet. Quantities over 25 gallons shall be stored in an acceptable or approved cabinet.29 CFR 1926.152(b)(1) |
| Containers | Only approved containers and portable tanks shall be used. Metal containers and portable tanks meeting the Department of Transportation rules in 49 CFR are deemed acceptable.29 CFR 1910.106(d)(2)(i) | Only approved containers and portable tanks shall be used for storage and handling, and approved safety cans or DOT approved containers shall be used for handling and use in quantities of 5 gallons or less, with an exception for highly viscid materials.29 CFR 1926.152(a)(1) |
| Pouring from one container to another | Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F, shall not be dispensed into containers unless the nozzle and container are electrically interconnected.29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6)(ii) | Transfer of Category 1, 2 or 3 flammable liquids from one container to another shall be done only when the containers are electrically interconnected (bonded).29 CFR 1926.152(e)(2) |
| Exits and stairways | Exit routes shall be free and unobstructed, and no materials or equipment may be placed within them, permanently or temporarily.29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3) | Flammable liquids shall not be stored in areas used for exits, stairways, or normally used for the safe passage of people.29 CFR 1926.152(a)(2) |
What is OSHA's rule and what is not
| Level | What it says |
|---|---|
| OSHA requirement | The cabinet paragraphs set the capacity, the fire test and the label. They do not ask for a cabinet to be grounded. The bonding rule applies when liquid is poured from one container into another.29 CFR 1910.106(d)(3)(ii) and 29 CFR 1926.152(b)(2) |
| Recommended practice | Keeping a running quantity for each cabinet and sorting shelves by category helps you stay under the limits. A written log is recommended, not required, by the cabinet paragraphs.29 CFR 1910.106(d)(3)(i) and 29 CFR 1926.152(b)(3) |
Does your state do it differently?
Some states run their own State Plan and write their own text, so the federal paragraphs above describe federal OSHA states. Look up your state on the State Plans page and read its rule before you rely on the federal wording.
What OSHA cited most under these standards in FY2025
| Paragraph | What it covers | FY2025 citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1910.106(e)(6)(ii) | Interconnect nozzle and container when dispensing | 67 |
| 1910.106(d)(2)(i) | Only approved containers and portable tanks | 31 |
| 1910.106(g)(3)(iv)(D) | 31 | |
| 1910.106(e)(9)(iii) | 30 | |
| 1910.106(b)(6) | 29 | |
| 1910.106(e)(6)(i) | 24 | |
| 1926.152(e)(4) | Dispensing units protected from collision | 20 |
| 1926.152(a)(1) | Approved containers and safety cans | 13 |
| 1926.152(f)(3) | 7 | |
| 1926.152(d)(2) | 3 | |
| 1926.152(b)(5) | 1 | |
| 1926.152(i)(6) | 1 |
1910.106: 476 citations in FY2025 at 344 inspections, 60 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). 1926.152: 48 citations in FY2025 at 47 inspections, 48 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). Citation items issued Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025, counted by HazComFast on U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data (extracted Oct 13, 2026). Inspected establishments, not the whole industry.
Mistakes that turn up in inspections
- Mixing up the two limits. The 60-gallon figure is for Category 1, 2 and 3 liquids and the 120-gallon figure is for Category 4, so the category of each product on the shelf decides which one counts.29 CFR 1910.106(d)(3)(i) and 29 CFR 1926.152(b)(3)
- Putting a general industry label on a jobsite cabinet, or the reverse. The two paragraphs word the label differently.29 CFR 1910.106(d)(3)(ii) and 29 CFR 1926.152(b)(2)(iii)
- Treating cabinet grounding as the bonding rule. The paragraph that asks for electrical interconnection is about dispensing from one container into another.29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6)(ii) and 29 CFR 1926.152(e)(2)
- Stacking cans in a stairwell on a jobsite because the cabinet is full. Flammable liquids are not stored in exits, stairways or passageways.29 CFR 1926.152(a)(2)
Free tool
The limits depend on the category. Enter the flash point and boiling point from section 9 of the SDS and get the GHS category, signal word and pictogram.