Chemical Hygiene Plan

Chemicals: storage

There are two main concerns when it comes to storing of chemicals.   As has been demonstrated by recent unfortunate events, it is important that we can keep the chemicals out of the hands of unauthorized personnel.   At the same time we must make sure that we address safety issues in storage to prevent accidental reactions.   Because of this it is required that all storage cabinets or areas have secured locks to prevent access by the general public.   These areas should not be kept unlocked for extended periods of time if it can be avoided.   Also is very important that as the chemicals are stored they have both proper segregation as well as proper conditions.   What we mean by segregation is related to the fact that some chemicals can react very poorly if they come in contact; for example, one would want to keep anything flammable well away from any oxidizing agents, that is to say chemicals that cause things to burn.  The chemical hygiene plan has an outline of how to segregate these chemicals.  However, chemical segregation is not always enough; if the storage area should never be unduly hot or cold; extremes in temperature can cause unwanted chemical reactions as well. What’s more, it is very important that any chemicals that are hygroscopic, or react violently with water, be stored accordingly. Chemicals should be disposed of regularly to ensure that they are not getting too old, which can also create unnecessary chemical hazards, and to keep chemical storage stockpiles to minimum.