Keeping chemicals stored safety

Uncontrolled risks in a chemical warehouse environment could lead to a catastrophe, such as a fire or an explosion breaking out – from which it would be near impossible to recover.

Sometimes, all it takes is a seemingly innocent spillage or failure to carry out an inspection to lead to a disaster. Other times, storing certain chemicals together that absolutely shouldn’t or not having proper pallets that can support containers’ weight is the cause.

If employers and employees comply with COSHH, undergo the right level of training, and educate themselves about storage requirements, they will be able to safely store chemicals in their warehouse without needing to worry about worst-case scenarios.

Suitable steps for reducing risks:

A) Know what you are storing – determine the properties and specific requirements of the chemicals in your warehouse.

• What type of chemicals are on site? They could be toxic, oxidising, explosive, flammable, dangerous for the environment, water reactive, or corrosive
• Understand the qualities of each, i.e. their reactivity, volatility, flashpoint, corrosiveness, and electrical conductivity
• Read material safety data sheets – these must be provided alongside chemicals by the supplier. They describe the types of hazards posed by the chemical and give information on handling, storage, and emergency measures
• Have an appropriate chemical inventory management system – you need to have a system of recording exactly what materials are present in your warehouse, e.g. software
• Your chemical inventory management system should be kept up-to-date and contain information such as product types, trade names, UN numbers, COSHH regulations data, volumes, and locations on site
• Chemicals should be appropriately labelled in accordance with the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulations (CLP).

B) Know safe storage methods – there are various requirements for storing chemicals in a low-risk manner.

• The racks and pallets on which containers are stored should be constructed by a competent person who has sufficient expertise and knowledge
• Containers should be stacked safely and facilitate handling operations
• Containers should be made of an appropriate UN performance-tested type
• Containers should be have well-fitting lids or tops to resist spillage
• Containers should be protected from external heat sources and risk of impact from vehicles
• Stacked containers should not obstruct ventilation openings or fire routes and exits
• Stacks should be at least 0.5m below electrical lights
• Drums or IBC containers (for bulk packaging) should be stored in secondary containment systems designed to catch leaks or spills
• 205-litre metal drums and similar containers should be stacked on pallets and no more than four high
• Suitable chocks should be used to prevent drums that are stored on their sides from moving
• Any cylinders of liquefied gases should be stored upright so that any leaks will be of a vapour or gas rather than a liquid
• Any cylinders kept upright must be secured to prevent them from toppling
• Compressed gas cylinders should be stored horizontally or secured to prevent toppling
• Relevant chemical storage signs should be displayed in storage areas
• You need to be aware of what chemicals can’t be stored together. The HSE emphasises that segregation is one of the most important risk-control measures in storage. If the correct storage conditions cannot be met, the chemical must not be permitted on the site.

C) Ventilation – safely dispersing dangerous fumes that may emit from chemical stores is an absolute must.

• Chemical storage cabinets should be in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight and any heat or ignition sources
• The ventilation systems used for chemicals storage cabinets should expel fumes to the outside atmosphere, away from ignition sources or where people may be present, without entering the room in which the cabinet is located.
• Flammable vapours are denser than air and may accumulate at floor level. Therefore, extraction systems should also effectively extract vapours at low levels
• Ventilation ducting used for flammables cabinets should have the same level of fire protection as the cabinet walls
• Circular vents installed in the sides of cabinets should be kept securely closed and measures should be taken to ensure they are not breached by pressure that may build up
• The breathing zone around a toxic chemicals cabinet should have as low a concentration of toxic substances as possible
• Mechanical fans used for ventilating cabinets where corrosive chemicals are stored should be made of corrosive-resistant blades and shrouds and the ducting from a corrosive-resistant material.

Following these steps, as well as those covered by the COSHH Regulations, will guarantee that the hazards present in your chemical warehouse environment are as minimal as possible.