Proper storage of lubricating oil and solvents? (Have insurance inspection)

[Doozer]

He certainly has the right to offer his opinion, same as you. Why shouldn't he? I can judge whether on not to accept it. It's different than dropping a dime on your neighbor, which I've had happen too. Had a prick across the street who called the buildings dept every time he thought I was working without a permit. Even stupid stuff like changing out a water heater.

You're running a business in the basement of a multi-family dwelling, get you're sh*t straight.
....

Get your sh*t straight does not sound like offering an opinion to me.
But whatever.

-Doozer

[gellfex]

You agree that Reggie has the right to tell you how to conduct your personal business ?
Who is he, your daddy ???

-D

He certainly has the right to offer his opinion, same as you. Why shouldn't he? I can judge whether on not to accept it. It's different than dropping a dime on your neighbor, which I've had happen too. Had a prick across the street who called the buildings dept every time he thought I was working without a permit. Even stupid stuff like changing out a water heater.

[old mart]

At the museum, we keep paint and solvents in steel cupboards and keep the doors closed when they are not being accessed. This keeps the insurance company happy. If there was a fire, the spread would hopefully be slowed down and give the fire brigade more time.

[Doozer]

Sorry, but I agree with Reggie even as I push the rules. Something I taught my kids was that the 11th & 12th Commandments are "don't be an idiot" and "don't be an asshole". Part of that is understanding and complying with the spirit of the law if not the letter. My classic example is drinking in State campgrounds, usually forbidden. But the reason is they don't want loud drunken assholes disturbing the peace. If I am discreet and well behaved they don't care. So even if I'm not legally allowed to have a machine shop business in the basement of a multifamily house, I try and be safe. Plenty of fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, and common sense. I've often wondered if sprinklers would be a good idea, it's easy enough to do. But no doubt would bring a load of inspections and paperwork.

You agree that Reggie has the right to tell you how to conduct your personal business ?
Who is he, your daddy ???

-D

[doctor demo]

Well, at least it was not as bad as the factory to loft conversion in Hoboken where people were getting sick and they discovered literal POOLS of mercury under the floorboards! Turns out the factory once made fluorescent tubes. This is where @Doozer's Libertarian ideals crash and burn.

This situation pretty much sucked out on the left coast.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Ship_warehouse_fire

Absolutely no way anybody involved in this tragedy comes away from this and still sleeps at night.

Steve

[gellfex]

99 Hudson St. stank of ink and solvent when it was the printing building in Manhattan. The two freight elevators did a good job of distributing the vapors. When it was converted to loft living, I can't imagine how they got all the stink out of the concrete floors.

Well, at least it was not as bad as the factory to loft conversion in Hoboken where people were getting sick and they discovered literal POOLS of mercury under the floorboards! Turns out the factory once made fluorescent tubes. This is where @Doozer's Libertarian ideals crash and burn.

[reggie_obe]

Apparently I was just off the radar when I was in Tribeca. Hey, remember when that building on 21st st in Chelsea blew up about 20 years ago? They had drums of printing solvents just sitting around. I had a friend with her small business in that place and my biggest customer too. What a ****show. They had to rescue broadway costumes wearing hazmat suits.

What about oil based stain? I have perhaps 1/2 dozen quarts of oil stain and varnish. Hide or not? My paranoid brain says if they find nothing flammable at all they'll assume I cleaned up!

Maybe they will decide the lack of solvents and stain doesn't fit the appearance of the rest of the "stuff". Maybe not. Getting a flammables cabinet is the long term answer, I see them at most auctions.

99 Hudson St. stank of ink and solvent when it was the printing building in Manhattan. The two freight elevators did a good job of distributing the vapors. When it was converted to loft living, I can't imagine how they got all the stink out of the concrete floors.

[J Tiers]

No Jerry, it's all in your imagination and a fertile one at that. The Toluene comment, you're doing what Physiologists call mind reading, one of the signs of mental illness.
Might want to get that checked.

You mean just like your chemical dump comment? Hi there, Pot..... it's your neighbor, the Kettle.

We understand your Point, of course there should not be a solvent storage facility under an apartment. This situation does not appear to be that in any way, shape, or form. There are different ways to handle the situation..... One is to suggest a solution, another is to howl doom upon the poster. Still another is the old tired "you need to see a specialist in delusions" type "argument", which is classic ad-hominem technique.

Most people here have chosen the better path. The OP will do what he does, and as Doozer suggests, it is the OP's responsibility to do what needs to be done.

[gellfex]

Who am I? A person who minds his own business.

If I do not want a chemical waste dump on the property next to my own
the best strategy is to own the property.
I am responsible for my own actions.
Don't need someone getting into my business.
You were telling someone else how to conduct their business.
Wondering where you believe you acquired that authority.

-Doozer

Sorry, but I agree with Reggie even as I push the rules. Something I taught my kids was that the 11th & 12th Commandments are "don't be an idiot" and "don't be an asshole". Part of that is understanding and complying with the spirit of the law if not the letter. My classic example is drinking in State campgrounds, usually forbidden. But the reason is they don't want loud drunken assholes disturbing the peace. If I am discreet and well behaved they don't care. So even if I'm not legally allowed to have a machine shop business in the basement of a multifamily house, I try and be safe. Plenty of fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, and common sense. I've often wondered if sprinklers would be a good idea, it's easy enough to do. But no doubt would bring a load of inspections and paperwork.

[Doozer]

Who the heck are you Doozer?
What if someone started a chemical waste dump on a property adjacent to yours. Would you like that?

Be responsible for your actions and how they can affect or even kill others, especially true of a landlord.

Who am I? A person who minds his own business.

If I do not want a chemical waste dump on the property next to my own
the best strategy is to own the property.
I am responsible for my own actions.
Don't need someone getting into my business.
You were telling someone else how to conduct their business.
Wondering where you believe you acquired that authority.

-Doozer

[gellfex]

Business in LIC, NY was inspected annually by FDNY. Looking for oily waste. The garment shop on an upper floor got an annual ass pounding for piles of flammable fabric scrap and unsafe electrical.
Typical propellant in a spray can is flammable, more than a few should be in a flammables cabinet, even in a home shop.
Is the garage going to be insured? Many insurance companies will not allow you to exclude the garage, so they would want to examine it for construction type and obvious issues.

Apparently I was just off the radar when I was in Tribeca. Hey, remember when that building on 21st st in Chelsea blew up about 20 years ago? They had drums of printing solvents just sitting around. I had a friend with her small business in that place and my biggest customer too. What a ****show. They had to rescue broadway costumes wearing hazmat suits.

What about oil based stain? I have perhaps 1/2 dozen quarts of oil stain and varnish. Hide or not? My paranoid brain says if they find nothing flammable at all they'll assume I cleaned up!

[reggie_obe]

Apparently, perfectly acceptable ethics. Just look around you. But it was more a comment on NJ than a suggestion..... And if NJ was not that sort of place, you COULD NOT bribe the inspector, they would not take it.

So I see from your NEW explanation that you are not complaining about "a business", as you actually said, but rather about THAT business (if it IS a business). And you were apparently assuming that open cans of toluene are sitting overturned and leaking by the furnace (to adopt your own argument style), judging by the fact that you assume he will burn down the building.

People get away with unsafe practices and fail to blow up the place all the time. Not suggesting it is good, but proof disaster is not inevitable. I lived in an apartment (7 family building) that was not particularly safe. The furnace blew up one day, but there was no fire. Possibly because I lived above it, "happened to notice" the explosion, went down and turned off the furnace. Or not. It was not damaged that badly, but I was surely not leaving it on. The owner's attitude was "Maintenance? Schaintenance, we don't need that"

If he cleans up his act, and stores things properly, there will be no issues. If he moves anything he cannot deal with now , to the separate garage, the issues will be much less.

No need to freak out and run around with your hair on fire.....

No Jerry, it's all in your imagination and a fertile one at that. The Toluene comment, you're doing what Physiologists call mind reading, one of the signs of mental illness.
Might want to get that checked.

[reggie_obe]

Thanks all.

I have some shelves of catalogs and papers, and endless shelves of materials of various kinds, but no just 'middens' of crap. reggie_obe My NYC shop was in a properly zoned space, unlike this. And I really don't remember an FDNY inspection in the 11 years I was there. Why do you think they'll want to inspect the unattached garage? They did not mention it and it's easily seen on sat views or survey drawings. What's the deal with spray cans?

Business in LIC, NY was inspected annually by FDNY. Looking for oily waste. The garment shop on an upper floor got an annual ass pounding for piles of flammable fabric scrap and unsafe electrical.
Typical propellant in a spray can is flammable, more than a few should be in a flammables cabinet, even in a home shop.
Is the garage going to be insured? Many insurance companies will not allow you to exclude the garage, so they would want to examine it for construction type and obvious issues.

[J Tiers]

..............

Sounds like your suggesting he bribe the inspector. What kind of ethics are you displaying?
............

Apparently, perfectly acceptable ethics. Just look around you. But it was more a comment on NJ than a suggestion..... And if NJ was not that sort of place, you COULD NOT bribe the inspector, they would not take it.

So I see from your NEW explanation that you are not complaining about "a business", as you actually said, but rather about THAT business (if it IS a business). And you were apparently assuming that open cans of toluene are sitting overturned and leaking by the furnace (to adopt your own argument style), judging by the fact that you assume he will burn down the building.

People get away with unsafe practices and fail to blow up the place all the time. Not suggesting it is good, but proof disaster is not inevitable. I lived in an apartment (7 family building) that was not particularly safe. The furnace blew up one day, but there was no fire. Possibly because I lived above it, "happened to notice" the explosion, went down and turned off the furnace. Or not. It was not damaged that badly, but I was surely not leaving it on. The owner's attitude was "Maintenance? Schaintenance, we don't need that"

If he cleans up his act, and stores things properly, there will be no issues. If he moves anything he cannot deal with now , to the separate garage, the issues will be much less.

No need to freak out and run around with your hair on fire.....

[gellfex]

Thanks all.

I have some shelves of catalogs and papers, and endless shelves of materials of various kinds, but no just 'middens' of crap. reggie_obe My NYC shop was in a properly zoned space, unlike this. And I really don't remember an FDNY inspection in the 11 years I was there. Why do you think they'll want to inspect the unattached garage? They did not mention it and it's easily seen on sat views or survey drawings. What's the deal with spray cans?