[Dale M.]

Originally Posted by Kalera

I would assume that your welding shop is correctly vented for heavier-than-air flammable gases, which is something the fire chief would have looked for. That makes a huge difference. Areas which are not correctly vented allow any leaking gas to pool, which creates the risk of explosion, against which the firewall is no protection whatsoever. (A 5-lb propane tank will take down a house, and a few neighboring houses, if it explodes.) Propane tanks leak very frequently, which makes correct venting a necessity in a welding shop. There are codes that govern this, which is what the fire chief ascertained when he inspected your shop.

I'm only saying this so that people who are unfamiliar with the reasons your shop passed inspection don't think "Well, the fire chief says it's OK for Nicker to have her tank inside a building, so it must be safe for me too!" without looking into the specific conditions which make it safe in your shop.

Let me also add, in most welding shops ACETYLENE is used as a fuel. It is a lighter than air gas and will float off (upwards) and not pool like propane...But that does not negate the need for good ventilation.

Dale