Directive: Gas fired pottery kilns

This Directive is being issued by a provincial safety manager pursuant to section 30 of the Safety Standards Act. 

General details 

The CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code does not contain requirements for the installation of pottery kilns. In accordance with section 18(1) (b) of the Safety Standards Act, this directive prescribes the terms and conditions for an installation permit for a pottery kiln to ensure its safe installation and operation.

Specific details 

In accordance with section 18(1) (b) of the Safety Standards Act, it is hereby directed that the following terms and conditions are attached to installation permits issued for installations of gas-fired pottery kilns: 

1. a gas-fired kiln must not be installed within the living area of a residence;
2. where a gas-fired kiln is installed in a room adjacent to a work area, the kiln area must be partitioned or screened from the work area in a manner acceptable to the enforcing authority;
3. safety shut-off controls must be provided on indoor kilns for all burners which are not under constant supervision.  This requirement does not apply to kilns installed outdoors in an unoccupied building used solely to protect the kiln from the elements;
4. kilns having on-off automatic temperature controlled burners must be provided with safety shut-off controls on all burners;
5. the minimum clearance from the top, sides and rear of a kiln to combustible construction must be 48 inches (120 cm), except that this distance may be reduced when insulation acceptable to the BC Safety Authority is provided.  In no case must the clearance be less than 24 inches (60 cm);
6. when an updraft type kiln is vented by means of a canopy and single wall metal vent, the clearance from the vent to combustible construction must be a minimum of 18 inches (45 cm).  This clearance may be reduced when protection is provided in accordance with Table 4.1of the CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code;
7. where a gas kiln is installed in a building or in a room attached to an occupied building, the kiln area must be provided with a combustion air intake near floor level.  The openings must have 50 per cent greater area than calculated from the CSA B149.1 Code; 
8. an interior metal chimney from a gas-fired kiln must have a minimum clearance of thirty six inches (36") from combustible constructions, except that where a metal chimney passes through a combustible roof construction, the clearance may be reduced to 12 inches (30 cm) provided that the chimney is guarded by a metal thimble extending at least 9 inches (23 cm) above and below the roof construction.  Such thimble must have double walls with a ventilated space between the walls and between the metal chimney and thimble.  The clearance between the metal thimble and combustible material must not be less than 6 inches (15 cm). 

 

Brad Wyatt
Provincial Safety Manager, Gas 

 

 

References:
Safety Standards Act
Gas Safety Regulation
CSA B149.1 - Natural gas and propane installation code