When we are talking about the storage of flammable, combustible and corrosive chemicals, the safety of workplace and warehouse is always the priority. Sometimes our clients got confused about the solution, they do not know if it is safe to store the chemicals indoor, meanwhile the cost of outdoor storage proposal is much higher.
The answer is quite straight:Check your volume of storage and follow the local regulation.
Of course there are safety risks like fires, explosions, besides it the deviation against the local regulation would lead to large penalties charged by government, in order to follow the regulations, you would have to store your chemicals in approved containers, cabinets or lockers.
First let us take a review of the regulation:
The chemical storage regulations are based on the danger level of chemical.
The NFPA and OSHA defined the grade of chemicals by their physical and chemical characteristics. The chemical with higher grade would take greater restrictions on usage and storage.
Small volumes do not need outdoor storage, according to OSHA 1910.106(e)(2)(ii)[b], the limit of liquids for storage would be:
Category 1: 25 gallons
Category 2,3 or 4: 120 gallons
Category 2,3 or 4 in single portable tank: 660 gallons
To hold strong chemicals indoor there are specified cabinets to be used:
Flammable chemical storage cabinets are designed to provide heat resistance and protect chemicals inside from fires. The air gap between walls would insulate fire and the self latching device would make sure the cabinet is closed when fire starts out.
Those cabinets are located in work places, nearby the location of usage and hold enough chemical supplies for daily use. But, there are volume limits according to the local regulation.
About the local regulation, please always remember:
it is differently specified about the chemical category, volume of storage between cities, states and countries
Let us take one example here, for facilities like school, labs, small sized companies or work place, the total volume of chemical storage is requested not to exceed the limit:
.
Please pay attention to the numbers shown in the table above, it is taken from the local regulation of Beijing, China, which means in the capital city of China, it is the limit of your chemical storage, no matter it is indoor or outdoor.
And for the limit of MAQ (maximum allowable quantities) of chemicals to stay indoor, it might be differ per local fire codes and regulations.So the most important thing is to consult Bureau of Safety Supervision (or Authority having_jurisdiction) for final determination of your storage.
When storing margin quantities of flammable, combustible or corrosive chemicals, the MAQ would limit the volume of chemical to stay indoor, but cost of new building is always high, not even mention the limit of boundary, construction plan, etc. And that is why our customers choose to buy outdoor storage container, it is anti explosive, fire resist and comply with the local regulations. It saves your time, money and also gets you less trouble. Customization is valid for different needs and budgets.
Indoor or outdoor, it is not only an option, we need to maximum the storage volume and fit in the local regulations, if you have questions about it still, you are always welcomed to contact us through mail at info@huanawell.com.
Or visit our website at:www.fmsafetycabinet.com
