LPG storage rules for businesses
Thresholds for signs, extinguishers, emergency plans and certificates, and indoor limits.
Hazardous substances certification, what the rules ask of your site
Answers to the questions we're asked most. They summarise WorkSafe's guidance; for anything specific to your site, ring us.
Guides to the regulations
Useful linksDiesel and petrol tanks on farms
When a farm tank needs certifying, and the distance, sign and extinguisher rules.
Emergency response plans
When you need one, what it must contain, and how often to test it.
Inventory and safety data sheets
The record every workplace with hazardous substances must keep.
Hazardous substances signs
When signs are required, where they go and what they must say.
Secondary containment
Bunds, spill trays and double-skin tanks, and how big they must be.
Not sure which rules apply to you?
The deciding factor is the total quantity at one location. WorkSafe's calculator works it out from what you store, or ring us and we'll talk it through.
The questions we get most often
Kelvin has always done our certificates. What changes?
Kelvin stays on as our authorised compliance certifier, and Rosanna continues to carry out audits. Matt Johnson took over as owner and director in November 2026 and now handles bookings, quotes and accounts. Your certificates, renewal dates and site records carry across unchanged.
WorkSafe has visited and says our site isn't compliant. What now?
Ring us. It's a call we get often, sometimes after a new tank has gone in. We inspect, give you a written list of what needs to change, and certify the site once it meets the requirements.
If the problem is a stationary tank or container system, there is no conditional certificate, so the fixes have to be done before the system can be certified. See tank certification.
Our certificate has run out. What do we do?
Ring us and we'll book an inspection as soon as we can. Above the threshold quantities, the regulations require a location compliance certificate, and for flammable substances such as LPG, petrol and diesel it is issued for one year, so once it expires the site isn't covered until a certifier inspects it and issues a new one.
If you hold LPG, a lapsed certificate can also hold up your gas. WorkSafe's guidance for LPG suppliers says that at a site holding 100 to 300 kg they must check for a current certificate or a valid compliance plaque before delivering, and must not deliver to a site that isn't compliant.
To avoid a gap next time, tell us your expiry date and we'll remind you before it falls due.
We've cut back what we store. Do we still need a certificate?
Possibly not. The deciding factor is the total quantity at one location, so an LPG site that drops from four cylinders to two can fall below the threshold. Check your new quantities with WorkSafe's calculator, or ring us and we'll talk it through.
Do I need a location compliance certificate?
You need one if you store or use explosive, flammable, oxidising, toxic or corrosive substances above the thresholds in the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017. WorkSafe's example quantities are on our location certificates page.
Use WorkSafe's calculator to check your own quantities, or call us.
How long does a certificate last?
Usually a year. A location certificate for flammable substances is issued for one year, and a tank certificate is valid for one year unless a standard or WorkSafe's rules set a different term. The location certificates and tank certification pages explain the exceptions.
What happens if my site doesn't pass?
You get a written list of what needs to change, and we re-inspect once it's done. For stationary tanks and container systems there is no conditional certificate: if the system doesn't meet the requirements, the certifier must refuse the certificate and notify both you and WorkSafe.
A pre-inspection check finds problems before the certifier arrives.
Is my certificate recorded anywhere?
Yes. Compliance certifiers must record the certificates they issue on WorkSafe's register, and we do that for every certificate we issue. We also keep a PDF of every audit report on your client file, and you keep the certificate itself for your own records.
I'm setting up a new site. What do I need to do?
WorkSafe must be notified before a new hazardous substance location is commissioned: at least 30 working days beforehand, or 5 working days for an LPG location. The location then needs inspecting and certifying before you start using it at those quantities. Talk to us at the planning stage and we'll help you get the layout and quantities right first time.
Who can issue a compliance certificate?
Only a compliance certifier authorised by WorkSafe, and only for the substances and limits in their authorisation. You can look any certifier up on WorkSafe's compliance certifier register. Our certifier's authorisation number is TST100252.
Do you work outside Christchurch?
Yes. We're based in Christchurch and work across New Zealand, from the West Coast and Timaru to Auckland. Grouping visits by region keeps travel costs down, so tell us your location when you get in touch.