Storing hazardous goods: general rules

When people hear "hazardous goods" many picture a drum in a chemical plant. In fact, an ordinary warehouse is rarely free of such stock either: paint, solvent, glue and gas cylinders at a building-materials depot, alcohol-based antiseptics at a pharmacy, perfume, aerosols and lithium batteries at an online shop, fertiliser at an agricultural store. They may be a small part of total stock, but if an incident happens, the damage reaches the whole warehouse. General rules are set out below; exact limits depend on the type of goods and on current legislation.

What counts as hazardous

The main kinds of hazard:

• flammable: solvent, varnish, paint, alcohol, aerosols;
• oxidising: some mineral fertilisers and chlorine tablets for swimming pools, which make other substances burn more fiercely;
• corrosive: strong acids and alkalis;
• under pressure: gas cylinders and aerosol cans;
• toxic: pesticides and similar chemicals;
• batteries: especially lithium ones, which can ignite if damaged or overheated.

The hazard of a product is shown by the symbols on its packaging (pictograms) and in its safety data sheet. Ask the supplier for the sheet and keep it in the warehouse where everyone can see it. Do not accept a chemical when it is unclear what it is and there is no data sheet.

Separation and compatibility

The main rule: hazardous goods are kept apart from ordinary ones, and goods that do not mix are kept away from each other. The following must not stand side by side:

• a flammable liquid and an oxidiser;
• an acid and an alkali, and also an acid and chlorine-based products (the reaction can release a toxic gas);
• flammable goods and an electrical panel, a socket or a heater.

Draw a compatibility chart on paper: groups of goods along the rows and columns, "allowed" or "not allowed" where they cross. Choose storage places by that chart. Physical separation calls for a separate room or a mesh enclosure, air exchange, a bottom level and a tray on the floor that holds spilled liquid: if a container on top falls, the liquid runs onto everything below. Packaging should be intact, lids closed and labels legible.

Storage conditions and quantities

The biggest enemy is heat. Aerosol cans and gas cylinders usually carry a temperature limit on the pack, and in summer it can be hotter inside a warehouse with a metal roof than outdoors. Keep such goods in a cool place protected from the sun. In winter water-based paint and glue freeze and lose their quality, so temperature has to be measured.

Limit the quantity. "I'll buy half a year's stock because it's cheaper" means, with hazardous goods, buying the risk as well: keep the working stock small and, if there is a shelf life, follow first in, first out. Heavy and large containers stand low, and gas cylinders stand upright and secured.

Records and documents

Keep a separate list for hazardous goods: name, type of hazard, location, quantity, batch, expiry date and whether a data sheet is on file. If you flag such goods in 1C or Excel, one click gives you a list of "how much flammable material is in the warehouse right now". That is the information needed first in an incident.

These goods should be counted more often than the rest: a drum that falls outside the records is not a loss but an uncontrolled hazard. Expired or damaged goods cannot be thrown away as ordinary rubbish; agree the removal procedure with the relevant service in advance. Transport often has special requirements too, so ask the carrier.

Staff and emergencies

Only people who have been briefed work with such goods. The workplace should have gloves, protective goggles and, where needed, a respirator, and eating and smoking are forbidden. When cleaning, do not mix different products: some mixtures give off a toxic gas.

Prepare a spill kit: absorbent material (sorbent or dry sand), gloves, a bag and a warning sign. The kit should stand next to the hazardous goods, otherwise you will have to search for it during a spill. Phone numbers (fire service 101, ambulance 103) and a note of who does what should hang in a visible place: a small spill is cleaned by a trained employee, while with a large one everybody evacuates and specialists are called.

Conclusion

Hazardous goods are stored safely when they are separated, recorded and the staff know what to do. During stock counts and audits, SkladKontrol helps mark the places where such goods stand separately and check whether they match the records; the official opinion on storage conditions remains with a qualified specialist.