Use of liquefied petroleum gas in industrial forklift trucks solely at McCormick Place Complex.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 15-26-545
in effect15-26-545 Use of liquefied petroleum gas in industrial forklift trucks solely at McCormick Place Complex.
The fire commissioner may authorize the use of liquefied petroleum gas-fueled industrial forklift trucks in connection with events at McCormick Place and its adjacent grounds ("McCormick Place Complex"), subject to the following:
(1) Storage of all full and spare liquefied petroleum gas ("L.P.G.") cylinders, whether empty, full or partially full, will occur only in secured, vented and placarded, open metal cages marked with 12-inch-high lettering marked "Flammable Gas". Such open metal cages shall be located in designated locations as mutually agreed to by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority ("M.P.E.A.") and the fire commissioner. Information related to these locations shall be forwarded to the fire commissioner prior to the delivery of any L.P.G. to the McCormick Place Complex.
(2) Subject to the approval of the M.P.E.A.'s Assistant Director of Fire Safety or his/her designee, each Official Service Contractor ("contractor") will appoint a Refueling Safety Officer ("R.S.O.") for each event where L.P.G. may be used in industrial forklift trucks. The R.S.O. will be responsible for overseeing all contractor personnel, including licensed fireguards, assigned to the changing, handling and storage of L.P.G. cylinders for the period from the initial installation to the final dismantling of the event. The loading and handling of all propane cylinders shall be performed by licensed fireguards, at least one fireguard being a trained professional firefighter or retired professionally trained firefighter. The R.S.O. will be in cellular telephone and radio contact at all times throughout this period with the M.P.E.A. Security Control Center.
(3) All full and spare L.P.G. cylinders shall be transported by a specially assigned transport vehicle marked with 12-inch-high lettering marked "Flammable Gas".
(4) Changing of L.P.G. cylinders shall only occur outside of McCormick Place Complex buildings and be performed by a licensed fireguard. Industrial forklift trucks which are disabled because all of the L.P.G. in their fuel cylinders has been exhausted shall be towed to the tank change area by an independent service provider engaged by the M.P.E.A.
(5) Changeover procedures shall include the process of engine idling until all L.P.G. is exhausted from the fuel system line while the cylinder is turned off. The ignition switch shall be in the "off" position prior to the removal of any L.P.G. cylinder.
(6) Immediately after a full cylinder of L.P.G. has been installed on an industrial forklift truck, a licensed fireguard shall inspect the fittings using an approved / listed leak detection solution and / or approved / listed leak detection meter. While on duty, the R.S.O. shall have in his / her possession at least one approved / listed L.P.G. leak detector.
(7) Subject to the fire commissioner's review and approval, the M.P.E.A. will develop written procedures for L.P.G. cylinder off-loading, handling, transportation, changing, inspecting and storage. The M.P.E.A. will not be responsible for the actual training of certified fireguards.
(8) The contractor will be responsible for training the certified fireguards in accordance with the M.P.E.A.'s written procedures. These procedures must be based upon National Fire Protection Association ("NFPA") Standards 58 and 505. Documentation shall be established and kept on file by the contractor and M.P.E.A. sufficient to show a fireguard's knowledge and understanding of said standards. This documentation shall be made available to the fire commissioner upon request.
(9) "Care and Use" precautions will include the observance of manufacturer specifications with regard to the affixing of L.P.G. cylinders to the industrial forklift trucks. These L.P.G. cylinders will be securely mounted to prevent jarring, slipping or rotating loose. If the fire commissioner, M.P.E.A., R.S.O., or any person operating an industrial forklift truck or changing a L.P.G. cylinder finds that any L.P.G.-fueled industrial forklift truck is unsafe, then such forklift truck will be taken out of service and towed to a designated location outside the building for repairs. Designated locations shall be mutually agreed to by the M.P.E.A. and the fire commissioner.
(10) Industrial forklift trucks utilizing L.P.G. will not be parked, stored or otherwise left unattended near any source of excessive heat, open flame, or other source of ignition or near any emergency exit, fire hose cabinet, fire extinguisher cabinet, open pit, underground entrance or elevator shaft. In addition, no industrial forklift trucks will be permitted to be used, parked or left unattended in areas occupied by the public.
(11) Upon the discovery of an abandoned industrial forklift truck inside of any building within the McCormick Place Complex, the M.P.E.A. will notify the contractor, R.S.O., or other responsible party. If such industrial forklift truck is not removed within one hour of notification, then the industrial forklift truck will be towed out of the building by an independent service provider engaged by the M.P.E.A.
(12) Smoking shall be permitted only in exterior designated smoking areas in accordance with restrictions imposed by this Code and by State law, and in no circumstances shall any such area fall within 300 feet of the active L.P.G. cylinder industrial forklift truck operator or storage areas.
(13) L.P.G.-powered industrial forklift trucks shall be stored in designated locations outside of buildings within the McCormick Place Complex. In no case shall industrial forklift trucks be left unattended in areas of excessive heat or near sources of ignition.
(14) Fire extinguishers containing appropriate dry chemical agent will be readily available at each L.P.G. cylinder changing location.
(15) The L.P.G.-powered industrial forklift trucks shall only be used for move in and take down of the events contemplated by this section.
(16) The contractor and its employees and agents will be responsible for strictly complying with these procedures and policies. The Contractor will discipline any person found to be in violation of these procedures and policies.
(17) The contractor will be responsible for all L.P.G.'s cylinders and industrial forklift trucks, whether they are in use or stored at the McCormick Place Complex. Any cylinder found to be leaking or otherwise damaged, as well as any other industrial forklift truck or other equipment found to be leaking any L.P.G. will be removed at once by the contractor.
(18) It will be the responsibility of the contractor to have a qualified person inspect each industrial forklift truck for any potential safety problems prior to arrival and when a L.P.G. cylinder is being changed pursuant to the above provisions of this section at the McCormick Place Complex. It shall be the duty of M.P.E.A. to maintain a written record of the above inspections and provide copies to the fire commissioner upon request.
(19) The Chicago Fire Department may conduct periodic, unscheduled inspections of the McCormick Place Complex to insure the proper use and handling of L.P.G. and approved L.P.G. containers.
(20) M.P.E.A. is hereby authorized pursuant to this section to employ L.P.G. and L.P.G. containers for the purpose of (i) heating such tents as may be temporarily constructed on the adjacent grounds and parking lots solely at the McCormick Place Complex and (ii) powering "insect control devices" for outdoor activities at the McCormick Place Complex. However, no such heated tents or insect control devices shall, be located beneath the cantilevered roofing system of any M.P.E.A.-owned building within the McCormick Place Complex, nor shall any L.P.G. cylinders be placed less than 10 feet from the exterior wall of any tent. Prior to the installation of any tent, M.P.E.A. must obtain, or cause to be obtained by the licensee of the show or event requiring the use of such tent, all necessary permits.
(21) Any substantial or repeated deviation from the above-enumerated safety guidelines, as so determined by the fire commissioner, shall constitute a violation of this section. Any person, owner, agent, employee, tenant, licensee, contractor or occupant of the McCormick Place Complex violating any of the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than $200.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
(22) The fire commissioner shall coordinate meetings with the M.P.E.A.'s Assistant Director of Fire Safety or his or her designee, as may be required to insure compliance with these procedures and policies.
(Added Coun. J. 1-9-08, p. 18935, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 151)
Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2679275Fetched: 10/24/2026