CSA B401.1:21

This is the first edition of CSA B401.1, Natural gas vehicle (NGV) maintenance facilities code. It supersedes previous edition published in 2018 as CSA B401 under the title Vehicle maintenance facilities code.

The following are the major changes to this edition:

a) addition of coverage to address maintenance facilities for propane vehicles. This led the creation of separate codes to address different fuel types: CSA B401.1 for natural gas and CSA B401.2 for propane;

b) addition of Annex D for private enclosed parking structures;

c) information in Annex D from the 2018 edition relocated to new Annex E; and

d) addition of Annex E, a commentary, to provide additional guidance to users of this Code.

CSA Group acknowledges that the development of this Code was made possible, in part, by the financial support of Natural Resources Canada.

This Code has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.

Scope:

Note: See Annex E for explanatory material.

1.1 Inclusions

1.1.1 Vehicle maintenance

This Code applies to the portions of a motor vehicle maintenance facility where natural-gas-fuelled vehicles are maintained, repaired, or stored during maintenance or repair, including areas and systems ancillary thereto.

Note: See Annex E for explanatory material.

1.1.2 Vehicle parking

This Code also contains information on private parking structures where natural gas fuelled vehicles are parked or stored, including areas and systems ancillary thereto. See Annex D.

1.1.3 Parking structure requirements

For purposes of this Code, private parking structures have the same requirements as minor repair areas.

1.2 Exclusions

The scope of this Code does not include

a) indoor or outdoor refuelling operations;

b) open parking structures;

c) public parking structures of any construction; or

d) other fuels used for vehicles.

1.3 Purpose

The purpose of this Code is to provide reasonable means to manage the risks associated with the maintenance and repair of vehicles fuelled with compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) inside motor vehicle maintenance facilities.

Note: See Annex E for explanatory material.

1.4 Terminology

The terms “fuelling” and “refuelling” are used interchangeably in this Code. The terms “park” and “store” and all derivatives thereof are used interchangeably in this Code.

1.5 Units of record

The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Code. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only.

Notes:

1) IEEE/ASTM SI 10 or ISO 80000-1 can be used as a guide when converting Imperial units to metric units.

2) Less than 1 m will be shown in mm.

3) 1 m or more will be shown in m to the nearest 0.1 m.

4) Ft/in conversions will be rounded to the nearest full inch using traditional rounding conventions.

5) Pressures will be rounded to the nearest whole value using traditional rounding conventions.

6) Where the word “gallon” is used in this Code, it indicates a U.S. gallon equivalent to 3.785 L water capacity.

1.6 Gauge pressure

All references to pressure throughout this Code are to be considered gauge pressures, unless otherwise specified.

1.7 Mandatory language

In this Code, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Code; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Code. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

Note: See Annex E for explanatory material.