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Flammable and Combustible Liquid Storage

 The storage of flammable and combustible liquids in a laboratory, shop, or building area must be kept to the minimum needed for research and operations.  Flammable liquids have a flash point below 100^oF.  If more than 5 gallons of flammable liquids are stored outside safety cans per 100 square feet of area, a flammable-liquids storage cabinet is needed.  Flammable-liquids storage cabinets are not intended for storage of anything other than flammable liquids. 

The total quantity of flammable liquids permitted to be stored in a laboratory is 10 gallons per 100 square feet of laboratory space. 

The maximum quantities of flammable liquids and flammable gases listed above will be reduced on a case-by-case basis if in the opinion of the Health and Safety Officer, a hazard is created by having such a volume of flammable liquids present. 

Flammable Liquids Storage in a Cabinet 

1.  No more than 60 gallons of Class I flammable liquids (flash point below 100EF) or Class II combustible liquids (flash point between 100E to 140EF) may be stored in a flammable-liquids storage cabinet. 

2.  No more than 120 gallons of a Class III combustible liquid (flash point between 140EF and 200EF) may be stored in a flammable-liquids storage cabinet. 

3.  Storage cabinets shall be designed and constructed to limit the internal temperature to not more than 325EF when subjected to a 10-minute fire test using the standard time temperature chart set forth in NFPA 251. 

4.  All flammable-liquids cabinets shall be labeled in conspicuous letters "FLAMMABLE."

5.  Storage cabinets shall be constructed of at least No. 18 gauge sheet iron and shall be double walled with 1-1/2 inch air space.  Joints shall be riveted, welded, or made tight by some equally effective means.  The door shall be provided with a three-point lock, and the door sill shall be raised at lease 2 inches above the bottom of the cabinet. 

6.  All flammable liquid storage cabinets must be grounded.  A ground cable of 3/8" copper brain or a 12 gauge copper conductor can be used. 

The ground must be tested and resistance to ground cannot exceed one mega ohm.  The grounding cable must be connected to a building structural member or an electrical building ground.  Due to increased use of plastic piping, (which breaks the ground) water pipes must not be used for grounding. 

7.  The NFPA Technical Committee on General Storage of Flammable Liquids considers that providing vents to storage cabinets reduces the limited fire protection provided by such cabinets because a single walled duct will transmit heat faster than a double-walled cabinet.  Ventilation of storage cabinets is recommended only when highly odoriferous conditions exist.  Ventilation requires a steel duct and an appropriate exhaust fan discharging to an appropriate location outside the building. 

8.  All chemical storage in cabinets must be compatible. 

Flammable Liquids Storage Outside of a Cabinet 

Storage of flammable liquids outside of a storage cabinet should be avoided when possible.  Flammable liquids that are not in use should be stored in an appropriate cabinet. 

1.  The maximum quantity of flammable liquids allowed in a laboratory outside of a storage cabinet and not stored in a safety can is 5 gallons per 100 square feet of laboratory space. 

Transportation of Hazardous Chemicals 

The transportation of hazardous chemicals in laboratory buildings provides the greatest potential for chemical exposure to the building occupants.  Spills occurring outside storerooms and laboratories may lead to hazardous concentrations of vapors and gases being distributed throughout the building. 

The following guidelines should be observed when transporting chemicals outside the laboratory: 

1.  Elevators 

a.  Freight elevators shall be used where available to transport hazardous materials.  Under no circumstances are passenger elevators to be used for the transportation of hazardous materials if freight elevators are available. 

2.  Flammable Liquids 

a.  Flammable liquids shall be transported in rugged pressure-resistant safety cans. 

b.  Original containers of flammable liquids shall be placed in an outside container or acid-carrying bucket. 

c.  No more than 5 gallons of flammable liquids in glass containers shall be transported on the freight elevator unless the original shipping carton (box) is used and the materials are on an appropriate cart. 

3.  Corrosive or Oxidizing Materials 

a.  Original glass shipping containers holding liquids acids and bases must be placed in an outside container or acid-carrying bucket. 

b.  Incompatible chemicals, for example chromic acid (oxidizing acid) and ethyl acetate (flammable liquid), should not be transported on the same cart unless they are in original shipping cartons and physically separated. 

4.  Water Reactive Chemicals 

a.  Wherever possible, use the original outside shipping containers (packaging) when transporting water reactive chemicals. 

b.  Once opened, water reactive chemicals must be placed in a rigid outside container or acid carrying bucket for transporting. 

5.  Pyrophoric (spontaneously igniting) Substances 

a.  Whenever possible, the original outside shipping container (packaging) must be used to transport pyrophoric substances. 

b.  Once opened, pyrophoric substances must be placed in a rigid outside container or acid carrying bucket for transporting. 

6.  Acutely Toxic Compounds (See list Appendix B) 

a.  Whenever possible, the original outside shipping container (packaging) must be used to transport acutely toxic compounds. 

7. General 

a.  Chemical, substances and research materials must be clearly labeled with the correct chemical name when transported.  Legible hand-printed labels are acceptable; chemical formulas and structural formulas alone are not acceptable. 

b.  Carts used for chemical transport must have sides, on each shelf, that are high enough to retain the containers.  Cart wheels must be large enough to prevent the carts from being caught in floor cracks, and door and elevator thresholds. 

c.  Personnel transporting chemicals must (at a minimum) wear chemical resistant gloves and safety glasses. 

Questions concerning hazardous chemicals should be addressed to OHS at -3775.

 General Considerations for Chemical Storage 

Carefully read the label before storing a hazardous chemical.  The MSDS will also provide any special storage information and incompatibilities.

Do NOT store unsegregated chemicals in alphabetical order or incompatible chemicals in close proximity to each other. 

Chemicals should be separately stored by chemical class as follows: 

solids

• oxidizing solids

• flammable solids

• water reactive solids

• all other solids

liquids

• acid liquids

• caustic liquids

• oxidizing liquids

• perchloric acid solutions

• flammable or combustible liquids

gases

• toxic gases

• flammable gases

• oxidizing and inert gases

(Once separated into hazard classes, chemicals may be stored alphabetically). 

Use approved storage containers and safety cans for flammable liquids.  Use spill trays under containers of strong corrosive reagents.  Do not store liquids above eye level. 

Ensure that all containers are properly labeled.  For more information on chemical storage, contact your supervisor, Lead Instructor, Principal Investigator, or OHS. 

Chemical Stability

Stability refers to the susceptibility of the chemical to dangerous decomposition.  Ethers and olefins form peroxides on exposure to air and light.  Since these chemicals are packaged in an air atmosphere, peroxides can form even though the containers have not been opened.  Write the date received and date opened on all containers of ether 

Unless the manufacturer added an inhibitor, closed containers of ether should be discarded after 1 year. 

Open containers of ether should be discarded within 6 months of opening.  In the Science Careers labs, refilled ether cans should be so labeled. 

The label and MSDS will indicate if a chemical is unstable. 

The following are examples of materials that may form explosive peroxides: 

Acetal	Cyclohexane
Decahydronaphthalene	Diacetylene
Dicyclopentadiene	Diethyl ether
Diethylene glycol	Dimethyl ether
Dioxane	Divinyl acetylene
Ethyl ether	Terahydronaphthalene
Isopropyl ether	Methyl acetylene
Tetrahydrofuran	Vinylidene chloride
Vinyl ether	Ethylene glycol-dimethylether

For additional information on chemical stability, contact your Laboratory Supervisor, Lead Instructor or OHS. 

Shock Sensitive Chemicals

“Shock sensitive” refers to the susceptibility of a chemical to rapidly decompose or explode when struck, vibrated or otherwise agitated.   

Some chemicals become increasingly shock sensitive with age.  Write the date received and date opened on all containers of shock sensitive chemicals.  Unless an inhibitor was added by the manufacturer, closed containers of shock sensitive materials should be discarded after one year.  Open containers of shock sensitive materials should be discarded within six months of opening.   Table 2 lists materials that can be shock sensitive.

Table 2

Shock Sensitive Chemicals*

 

 

*NOTE: This list is NOT all-inclusive.  Review the Material Safety Data Sheet for reactivity information concerning the chemicals you use.