Know all About Chemical Storage Groupings 

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Read on to know more about how the chemicals are grouped generally into nine categories with different storage requirements. 

• Flammables and Combustibles: They are liquids with flashpoints below 100 degrees F. the chief storage challenge would be the prevention of fire. They should be kept in a cabinet that is designed for flammables or a freezer designed to keep them below their flashpoints. 

• Volatile Poisons: It includes toxins and suspected carcinogens that have a greater evaporation ratio. It means that they evaporate into the air at a faster rate than butyl acetate which is the standard. The chief storage challenge is that they are a volatile poison when airborne and consequently inhaled. It should be stored in specially designed cabinets.  

• Oxidizing Acids: These require careful handling as all of them react robustly with one another as well as most other substances. The storage challenge is keeping them isolated to prevent the corrosion of the substance they inadvertently contact. They should be stored in purpose-built safety cabinets and each must be double-contained. 

• Organic and Mineral Acids: The main challenge for storing the substances is preventing contact and consequent reaction with oxidising acids and bases that corrode with any substance they inadvertently contact. They should be stored in purpose-built safety cabinets. It could be stored in the same compartment with organic acids if the oxidizing acids are stored below them. Acetic anhydride and trichloroacetic anhydride are very reactive and should not be stored with organic and mineral acids.  

• Liquid Bases: The chief storage challenge for liquid bases prevents contact and consequent reaction with acids. Like acids, they could be stored in purpose-built safety cabinets. Unlike acids, they could be stored in tubs or trays in a regular cabinet.  

• Liquid Oxidisers: These chemicals are usually dangerous as they react with everything. Inadvertent contact would corrode surfaces and could even cause explosions. The chief storage challenge is to keep them separated from all other substances. Excess quantities must be kept in cabinet housing but smaller quantities could be double-contained and stored near other chemicals.  

• Non-volatile Poisons: A substance is deemed non-volatile if it doesn't evaporate into a gas. Nonetheless, they could be highly toxic and include known and suspected carcinogens and mutagens. The chief challenge for storage is preventing contact and consequent reaction between them and other substances. They should be stored in enclosed containers in a cabinet or refrigerator not to open shelves in a cold room or a lab.  

• Metal Hydrides: Metal hydrides would react aggressively when they come in contact with water. Some might be pyrophoric which would get ignited spontaneously in the air. Hence, they pose a significant storage challenge and should be isolated from all liquids and in some cases kept in a vacuum. They require storage in secure, double-containment, waterproof and must be isolated from other storage groups. 

 

·         Dry Solids: These include all powders whether they are hazardous or not. The hazardous ones should be prominently labelled and probably segregated. The chief storage challenge is to keep them dry. Flammable cabinet, Australia Cabinets are recommended and open shelves are acceptable but they should be stored above liquids.