Chemical Management: Maximum Allowable Quantities (MAQs)

Senior Leadership at The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) convened the Maximum Allowable Quantities (MAQ) Chemical Task Force to evaluate the current MAQ status at each location, develop solutions and pathways to compliance, and create educational resources. Guidance provided here exists as draft material that your campus or location can access, edit, and repurpose for your educational and training needs. This webpage will be updated as more resources become available.   

Overview

Maximum allowable quantities (MAQs) per control area. The maximum amount of hazardous material allowed to be stored or used within a control area inside a building or an outdoor control area. The California Fire Code (CFC) and California Building Code (CBC) establish these limits, which are broken down by hazard class and physical state (solid, liquid, or gas). Compliance with Fire Code hazardous materials regulations ensures that the minimum level of fire and life safety is met for building occupants and first responders. 

Determining MAQs relies on many factors, including:

• Quantities of hazardous materials
• Types of hazardous materials
• Physical state of hazardous materials
• Method of storage and use
• Occupancy type
• Building and construction attributes
• Building ventilation and automatic fire suppression system (sprinklers)