You are here: Home >> News Items >> The handling and storage of chemicals in laboratories
|
| The handling and storage of chemicals in laboratories |
| |
| Many local authority regulations have specific requirements that affect the handling and storage of chemicals in laboratories. |
| |
| General Considerations |
| |
| In general, store materials and equipment in cabinets and on shelving provided for such storage. |
| |
 |
Avoid storing materials and equipment on top of cabinets. If you must place things there, however, you must maintain a clearance of at least 18 inches from the sprinkler heads or (if no sprinkler heads are present) 24 inches from the ceiling. |
|
|
Be sure that the weight of the chemicals does not exceed the load capacity of the shelf or cabinet. Some incidents where shelving or a cabinet collapsed due to overload are described in Anecdotes. |
|
|
Wall-mounted shelving must have heavy-duty brackets and standards. This type of shelving is not recommended for chemical storage. |
|
|
Cabinets for chemical storage must be of solid, sturdy construction, preferably hardwood or metal. |
|
|
Do not store materials on top of high cabinets where they will be hard to see or reach. |
|
|
Do not store corrosive liquids above eye level. |
|
|
Provide a specific storage location for each type of chemical, and return the chemicals to those locations after each use. |
|
|
Avoid storing chemicals in the workspace within a laboratory hood, except for those chemicals currently in use. |
|
|
If a chemical does not require a ventilated cabinet, store it inside a closable cabinet or on a shelf that has a lip to prevent containers from sliding off in the event of an accident or fire. |
|
|
Do not expose chemicals to heat or direct sunlight. |
|
|
Observe all precautions regarding the storage of incompatible chemicals. |
|
|
Use corrosion resistant storage trays or secondary containers to collect materials if the primary container breaks or leaks. |
|
|
Distinguish between refrigerators used for chemical storage and refrigerators used for food storage. |
|
|
Do not store flammable liquids in a refrigerator unless it is approved for such storage. Such refrigerators are designed with non-sparking components to avoid an explosion. |
|
|
Chemical storage cabinets located outside the laboratory (e.g., in hallways) should be labeled with the name of the laboratory group that owns and uses it. |
|
| |
| |
| |
| Reproduced courtesy of web.princeton.edu |
| |
| |
| |
