Los Altos Municipal Code Ch. 2 Definitions

Chapter 2 of the 2025 California Fire Code and 2024 International Fire Code is amended to include the following definitions:

CORROSIVE LIQUID. Corrosive liquid is:

any liquid which, when in contact with living tissue, will cause destruction or irreversible alteration of such tissue by chemical action; or

any liquid having a pH of two or less or 12.5 or more; or

any liquid classified as corrosive by the U.S. Department of Transportation; or any material exhibiting the characteristics of corrosivity in accordance with Title 22, California Code of Regulations §66261.22.

HEALTH HAZARD - OTHER. A hazardous material which affects target organs of the body, including but not limited to, those materials which produce liver damage, kidney damage, damage to the nervous system, act on the blood to decrease hemoglobin function, deprive the body tissue of oxygen or affect reproductive capabilities, including mutations (chromosomal damage), sensitizers or teratogens (effect on fetuses).

LARGE-SCALE FIRE TESTING. Testing a representative energy storage system that induces a significant fire into the device under test and evaluates whether the fire will spread to adjacent energy storage system units, surrounding equipment, or through an adjacent fire-resistance-rated barrier.

MODERATELY TOXIC GAS. A chemical or substance that has a median lethal concentration (LC50) in air more than 2000 parts per million but not more than 5000 parts per million by volume of gas or vapor, when administered by continuous inhalation for an hour, or less if death occurs within one hour, to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.

WORKSTATION. A defined space or an independent principal piece of equipment using flammable or unstable (Class 3 or 4 as ranked by NFPA 704) hazardous materials where a specific function, laboratory procedure or research activity occurs. Approved or listed hazardous materials storage cabinets, flammable liquid storage cabinets or gas cabinets serving a workstation are included as part of the workstation. A workstation is allowed to contain ventilation equipment, fire protection devices, detection devices, electrical devices and other processing and scientific equipment.

HEALTH HAZARD - OTHER. A hazardous material which affects target organs of the body, including but not limited to, those materials which produce liver damage, kidney damage, damage to the nervous system, act on the blood to decrease hemoglobin function, deprive the body tissue of oxygen or affect reproductive capabilities, including mutations (chromosomal damage), sensitizers or teratogens (effect on fetuses).

SPILL CONTROL. That level of containment that is external to and separate from the primary containment and is capable of safely and securely containing the contents of the largest container and prevents the

materials from spreading to other parts of the room.

SECONDARY CONTAINMENT. Secondary containment is that level of containment that is external to and separate from primary containment and is capable of safely and securely containing the material, without discharge, for a period of time reasonably necessary to ensure detection and remedy of the primary containment failure.