Ventilation shall be provided for all repair garages, service stations, body shops, and all live storage garages, housing six or more vehicles driven by internal combustion engines. A live storage area is any area within a building used for the storage of fire trucks, tractors, automobiles, trucks, and other self-propelled vehicles driven in and out under their own power.
The ventilation system shall be capable of removing a volume of air not less than three-fourths cubic foot per minute per square foot of floor area in garages and not less than one-half cubic foot per minute per square foot of floor area in service stations. Exhaust ducts shall not be more than 18 inches from the floor, so placed as to remove carbon monoxide gas from the entire garage. An equal amount of tempered fresh supply air shall be provided.
In addition to general ventilation requirements, exhaust gases from the internal combustion engines being tested shall be discharged to the outdoors through a duct or flexible hose of noncombustible material of suitable size attached as an extension to the exhaust pipe. Repair stalls may be located adjacent to an outside wall so that ten feet or less of extension duct will reach the outdoors through openings not more than one foot above floor level. If repair stalls are not so located, each stall shall be provided with a suitable exhaust extension duct or flexible hose that is or can be connected to a mechanical exhaust system and to the exhaust pipe of the vehicle. The mechanical exhaust system shall have a capacity in accordance with the following table:
Engine Type | Engine Horsepower | cfm per Tailpipe | Minimum Flexible Duct Inside Diameter, Inches |
Gasoline | 200 and under | 100 | 3 |
Gasoline | over 200 | 200 | 4 |
Diesel | ------ | 400 | 4-1/2 |
Inspection and repair pits shall be provided with a ventilating system capable of assuring one complete air change every five minutes (12 air changes per hour). The exhaust air inlet opening or openings shall terminate in a grille that shall be perpendicular to the floor. The bottom of the ventilation openings shall extend to the floor at the lowest point or points of the pit.
Minn. R. agency 151, ch. 5205, VENTILATION FOR GARAGES, pt. 5205.0200
Statutory Authority: MS s 182.655; 182.657