Flammable liquid manufacturing covers products such as solvent-based coatings, adhesives and cleaning products where fire and explosion risk must be controlled throughout production and storage. This capability requires specific facilities and controls beyond standard chemical manufacturing.
Key points
- The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) require employers to assess and control risks where dangerous substances could cause fire, explosion or corrosion.
- HSE guidance document HSG140 covers the safe use and handling of flammable liquids specifically.
- DSEAR requires risks from flammable liquid storage to be controlled by elimination, minimising quantities held, or mitigating foreseeable incidents.
- Facilities producing flammable liquids at scale often also need ATEX-rated manufacturing capability where an explosive atmosphere could form.
What This Capability Involves
A manufacturer with flammable liquid manufacturing capability has facilities designed to control ignition sources, appropriate storage and quantity management for flammable stock, and documented DSEAR risk assessments covering their specific production processes.
When You Need This Capability
You need a manufacturer with this capability if your product or its raw materials are classified as flammable - common in coatings and paints, adhesives and sealants, and solvent-based production generally.
Regulatory Considerations
DSEAR requires employers to identify, assess and control risks where dangerous substances could cause fire, explosion or corrosion, eliminating the risk where possible or reducing it as far as reasonably practicable. HSE's HSG140 guidance covers the safe use and handling of flammable liquids specifically, including storage quantity limits in workrooms and process areas. Confirm with a prospective manufacturer how their facility and processes are designed around these requirements for your specific product.
What Makes a Site Capable
Handling flammable liquids safely requires an integrated set of measures rather than any single feature. Hazardous areas must be classified into zones according to how likely a flammable atmosphere is, with all equipment in those areas suitable for the zone. Static discharge must be controlled through earthing and bonding during transfer, since static is a common ignition source and one that is easily overlooked.
Beyond that, ventilation prevents vapour accumulating, storage must be appropriate and segregated, and fire detection and suppression need to be designed for the materials present. None of this can be arranged for a single batch, which is why flammables handling is a fixed capability rather than an operating decision - see ATEX and flammable atmospheres.
Establishing It Early
The determining property is flash point, both of your finished product and of the materials used to make it. A formulation whose finished flash point is high may still require flammables capability if it is made using a volatile solvent that is later removed.
This capability also affects downstream costs. Flammable products carry dangerous goods requirements in transport and storage, so if a reformulation could raise flash point above a relevant threshold, it may reduce distribution cost enough to justify the work - a question worth asking during development rather than after launch.
Questions to Ask a Manufacturer
- What DSEAR risk assessment do you have in place for flammable liquid production?
- How do you manage ignition source control and storage quantities in process areas?
- Do you hold ATEX/UKEX-rated equipment where required for our process?
- What experience do you have with our specific flammable formulation type?
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every flammable liquid need ATEX-rated equipment?
Not necessarily - ATEX/UKEX requirements apply specifically where an explosive atmosphere could form, which depends on the substance and process conditions. Confirm the specific risk assessment for your product rather than assuming either way.
Can a general chemical manufacturer produce flammable liquids without specific DSEAR provisions?
No - DSEAR compliance is a legal requirement wherever dangerous substances present a fire or explosion risk, so this isn't an optional extra a manufacturer can skip regardless of their general chemical manufacturing capability.
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Search the DirectoryLast reviewed: August 2026. Regulation and guidance change — verify anything you rely on against the primary source. Tell us if something here is out of date.