At a propane bulk plant, the fire marshal usually asks to see three papers: your fire safety analysis, your written operating and maintenance procedures, and your training records. Which ones apply depends on your plant and the NFPA 58 edition your area adopted, not just on how much you store. Ask your fire official which edition applies.
By Bill Stomp · Last updated:
Propane Safety Pro (PSP) writes safety manuals and plans from the facts you send on our intake form.
Which papers does NFPA 58 put in front of the fire marshal?
| Document | NFPA 58 section | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Fire safety analysis | NFPA 58 (2024), §6.30.3; 2020: §§6.29.3.1–6.29.3.3 | A written look at your plant’s fire risks and fire protection. Ask your fire official whether the adopted edition and amendments require one for your plant, and who must get a copy. |
| Written operating and maintenance procedures | NFPA 58 (2024), §§15.2–15.5 (operating, as applicable) and §§15.6–15.7 (maintenance) | Written steps for running and maintaining your plant equipment. One state’s example: the North Carolina 2024 bulk-plant inspection checklist lists these sections. Ask your fire official which apply, and write them for your own plant. |
| Training documentation | NFPA 58 (2020), §§4.4.1–4.4.4 | Everyone whose work falls under NFPA 58 is trained for it and gets refresher training at least every three years. The training is documented (2020 edition). |
Section numbers shift between editions: fire protection moved from §6.29 (2020) to §6.30 (2024). Read NFPA 58 in plain English for the full map. The fire official may also inspect physical items, such as access roads and portable extinguishers, and review the related written documentation.
How do you prepare for a fire-marshal visit?
A gap you find first is easier to fix than one the inspector finds.
- Ask the fire official which NFPA 58 edition and fire code your location adopted.
- Find your fire safety analysis and check that it matches the tanks on the yard today.
- Check that the operating and maintenance procedures describe your actual plant equipment.
- Pull the training record for each person who transfers product at the plant.
What else should you know?
Does every propane company need a fire safety analysis?
Not always. Check the adopted NFPA 58 edition, local amendments and installation. The relevant provisions are §6.30.3 in the 2024 edition and §§6.29.3.1–6.29.3.3 in the 2020 edition. Ask your fire official how they apply before treating a capacity threshold as an exemption.
Is the O&M manual the same as a policies and procedures manual?
No. NFPA 58 (2024), §§15.2–15.5 and §§15.6–15.7 cover how you run and maintain the plant; ask your fire official which apply. A policies and procedures manual covers your wider company work.
Does the fire marshal enforce DOT rules?
Usually not. The fire marshal enforces the fire and propane codes your area adopted. The DOT hazmat security plan and driver files fall under DOT rules.
Can Propane Safety Pro write the fire safety analysis?
Yes. Send the facts about your plant on our intake form, and Propane Safety Pro writes the fire safety analysis for your installation. Your fire authority has the last word, and a purchased manual does not certify compliance.
Who built Propane Safety Pro?
Bill Stomp built Propane Safety Pro. He is a war veteran who ran over 87 propane branch offices across 12 states, and he has helped more than 200 propane companies improve their profits, sales, safety and operations.
How can you get started?
See the Fire Safety Analysis manual.
General information, not legal advice.