Section 175.220  Unattended Self-Service Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Islands

Unattended self-service motor fuel dispensing facilities and islands shall comply with all of the requirements for attended motor fuel dispensing facilities and islands (see Section 175.210) with the additions and modifications provided in this Section. Requirements specific to control stations and attendants in Section 175.210 are not applicable to unattended facilities. If a motor fuel dispensing facility is to be operated as an unattended station during any portion of a day, it shall meet the standards for unattended operation.

a)         Minimum Signage. Signs shall be posted in all-weather materials by each actuator (or at the dispenser if the actuator is an integral part of the dispenser) and the lettering shall be not less than ⅞ inch high. The top of the signs shall be mounted no higher than 10 feet above grade, or at a height approved by OSFM, and shall include the following wording, at a minimum:

1)         "No smoking";

2)         "Turn off engine";

3)         "Containers for gasoline must be red";

4)         "Containers for kerosene must be blue";

5)         "It is dangerous and unlawful to fill unapproved containers with gasoline, diesel or kerosene";

6)         "In case of fire or spill use EMERGENCY STOP located at…" (owner must insert the locations of the emergency stops);

7)         "EMERGENCY STOP activation transmits a fire alarm to the fire department". 

b)         Easily accessible emergency stops must be provided at each dispensing island. Each emergency stop shall be identified by an approved sign on all-weather materials stating "EMERGENCY STOP" in 2 inch red capital letters.  Combinations of dispenser islands where a master and corresponding satellite dispenser are used to fuel saddle tanks on trucks and similar vehicles shall be considered as being on one island so long as the piping and electronics are one integral unit and the satellite unit is controlled by the master dispensing unit.  In addition, there shall be at least one emergency stop located at least 20 feet but not more than 100 feet from each dispenser.  When more than one emergency stop is provided, all devices shall be interconnected so that activation of one emergency stop activates all the emergency stops. Stations with only one island may elect to utilize a single emergency stop located at least 20 feet but not more than 100 feet from each dispenser, or at a location approved by OSFM.  A sign shall be placed at each emergency stop stating that activation of the emergency stop "transmits a fire alarm to the fire department". Resetting from an emergency stop activation shall require manual intervention by the owner or attendant and shall be accomplished only after the condition that caused the activation has been corrected.

c)         Fire Alarm Systems

1)         Activation of any emergency stop at the facility shall automatically transmit an alarm to local emergency fire services providers by sending a signal via one of the following mechanisms, which shall meet the requirements of NFPA 72:

A)        Auxiliary alarm system;

B)        Central station alarm connection;

C)        Proprietary alarm receiving facility or system; 

D)        Remote station alarm connection; or

E)        When the mechanisms in subsections (c)(1)(A) through (c)(1)(D) are not available, an alternate plan for notification of local emergency services meeting NFPA 70 and NFPA 72 and approved by OSFM in advance of the use.

2)         The fire alarm system shall be installed, tested and maintained according to NFPA 70 and NFPA 72.  The alarm system must also meet the alarm system requirements of subsections (h)(1)(C) and (h)(2)(D), including the requirement for an audible alarm when triggered.

d)         All emergency stops shall be tested, and all shear valves visually inspected, at least annually to ensure that they are functioning properly and that the dispenser is mounted properly. Documentation of annual emergency stop testing and shear valve inspection shall be kept at the motor fuel dispensing facility and available for examination by a representative of OSFM. If documentation of annual testing of emergency stops is not available, the facility shall be subject to demonstration of this equipment during inspection by OSFM. 

e)         Actuators may use currency, coins, keys, cards or electronic means to activate dispensers and pumps.

f)         Dispensing devices or actuators must limit the delivery of product in a manner that requires reactivation of the latch open (hold-open) device for any dispensing beyond the following amounts:

1)         Motor vehicle fuels (Class I, II and III)

A)        Class I liquids (gasoline, gasohol, ethanol, motor fuel blends) – maximum 100 gallons.

B)        Class II and III liquids (diesel fuel) − maximum 250 gallons.

2)         Kerosene (grade K-1 only) – 18 gallons.

3)         Other Class I, II and III liquids – 6 gallons.

g)         Except for farms, when kerosene is to be dispensed at unattended motor fuel dispensing facilities, only grade K-1 kerosene shall be dispensed.  

h)         All unattended motor fuel dispensing facilities shall have installed and maintained equipment and systems that meet the requirements of subsection (h)(1) or (h)(2), although local governments may require option (h)(1) or (h)(2):

1)         Unattended dispensing areas for Class I, II and III liquid motor fuels utilizing this option shall be protected by an automatic fire suppression systems meeting the standards of UL 1254 and NFPA 17.  If a fire suppression system meeting these requirements is installed, no fire extinguishers are required. In the event of a fire suppression system discharge, the fuel dispensing facility shall not be returned to service until the suppression system is recharged and fully operational in the area protected by the system.  The fire suppression system shall, when activated:

A)        Automatically activate an emergency stop that is equipped so that all fuel dispensing units and submersible pumps would be stopped by the activation.

B)        Sound a local alarm notification device that is audible throughout the dispensing area and meets the requirements of NFPA 72. 

C)        Automatically transmit an alarm, through a system installed, tested and maintained according to NFPA 70 and 72, to local emergency fire services providers by sending a signal via one of the following mechanisms, which shall meet the requirements of NFPA 72:

i)          Auxiliary alarm system;

ii)         Central station alarm connection;

iii)        Proprietary alarm receiving facility or system; 

iv)        Remote station alarm connection; or

v)         Where the mechanisms in subsections (h)(1)(C)(i) through (iv) are not available, an alternate plan for notification of local emergency services meeting NFPA 70 and NFPA 72 and approved by OSFM in advance of the use.

D)        Include extinguishing agent discharge nozzles mounted above dispensers and at or near ground level to discharge agent underneath vehicles being fueled.

2)         Unattended dispensing areas for Class I, II and III motor vehicle fuels electing this option shall be equipped with portable fire extinguishers and a fire detection system located under a weather enclosure canopy (unless written documentation is submitted verifying that the detection system will operate properly without a canopy).

A)        The system shall detect a fire in the dispensing area through the use of rate compensation, rate of rise or flame sensing detectors.  The installation must meet the requirements of NFPA 72.

B)        Activation of the system shall automatically activate an emergency stop that is equipped so that all fuel dispensing units and submersible pumps would be stopped by the activation.

C)        Activation of the system shall cause the sounding of a local alarm notification device audible throughout the dispensing area and meeting the requirements of NFPA 72.

D)        Activation of the system, which shall be installed, tested and maintained according to NFPA 70 and 72, shall automatically transmit an alarm to local emergency fire services providers by sending a signal via one of the following mechanisms, which shall meet the requirements of NFPA 72:

i)          Auxiliary alarm system;

ii)         Central station alarm connection;

iii)        Proprietary alarm receiving facility or system; 

iv)        Remote station alarm connection; or

v)         Where the mechanisms in subsections (h)(2)(D)(i) through (iv) are not available, an alternate plan for notification of local emergency services meeting NFPA 70 and NFPA 72 and approved by OSFM in advance of the use.

E)        Fire extinguishers meeting the requirements of 41 Ill. Adm. Code 174.350 shall be installed and maintained at each island and at the emergency stop.  Cabinets, or other enclosures for extinguishers, shall not require breaking of glass or other acts that could injure users attempting to access the extinguishers, though doors, panels and local alarm systems may be provided for these enclosures at the owner's option.

3)         The annual system testing required under NFPA 17 and NFPA 72 must be documented and the documents regarding this testing kept at the facility or available within 30 minutes or before OSFM completes its inspection, whichever is later.

4)         In meeting the requirements of subsections (c) and (h), facilities in existence as of September 1, 2010 shall have the option of complying with the editions of NFPA 17, NFPA 70 and NFPA 72 and UL 1254 incorporated by reference in 41 Ill. Adm. Code 174.210 or the OSFM alarm system and fire suppression and fire detection system requirements in effect at the time of their installation.

5)         Any changes to either fire suppression or fire detection systems and related alarms require that the facility notify OSFM in writing at least 60 days in advance of the change.

i)          At least once each year the facility shall verify that the alarm notification devices required under subsections (c) and (h) are working.  The facility shall record the verification date and results on a record kept along with the other facility records.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 6837, effective May 2, 2023)