Some warehouses in the United States have been given the assignment to store chemicals that can be considered hazardous if not properly handled. This includes chemicals that are nonthreatening, but have the potential to become hazardous under specific conditions.
Obviously, warehouse personnel should take steps to assure that these materials are stored properly, that they do not spill or leak from containers, and that they are warehoused in areas where worker exposure is minimized.
Hazardous materials fall under the authority of the Environmental protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets regulations concerning their handling, and the U.S. Department of Transportation sets rules concerning how this material is transported.
Warehouses that store these materials should take steps to:
· Minimize Exposure.
· Assure that the risk related with each is judged and understood and that information concerning the chemicals is communicated to employees.
· Be certain that control measures are in place. This includes how to eliminate the hazard through engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and administrative procedures.
· Assure that employees are trained on how to handle the material and have knowledge of all regulatory requirements.
Warehouses are expected to:
· Periodically perform an inventory of the chemicals.
· Label all containers of hazardous chemicals
· Provide Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to workers.
· Offer employee chemical hazard training and documentation.
· Review and update programs concerning the handling hazardous chemicals periodically.
Certain procedures concerning the storage of the materials are also expected including:
· Not storing chemicals on floors or benches so that they can’t be knocked over.
· Having lips or restraining devices to assure that hazardous chemicals are stored securely.
· Segregation of chemicals in accordance to chemical class and compatibility before creating a more convenient method of storage.
· Proper storage of flammable and combustible materials in accordance to regulations.
· Segregating toxic chemicals from other chemicals and store in closed cabinets. The cabinets should be labeled: “TOXIC CHEMICALS”
· Maintaining chemicals in accordance to manufacturer’s requirements.
· Labeling containers in accordance to OSHA standards.
· Keeping containers closed.
· The use of secondary containment when transporting liquid chemicals short distances.
· Designing rooms in which chemicals are to be stored to include equipment including construction materials, lighting, ventilation, fire extinguishers, and housekeeping procedures.
Warehouses that store compressed gas should do so in accordance to the Compressed Gas Association Pamphlets. This includes:
· Properly labeling cylinders
· Storing the cylinders upright and away from heat sources.
· Securing cylinders to assure that they can’t fall.
· Not blocking exits, aisles, or egresses with cylinders.
· Separating cylinders based on their content.
· Separating incompatible materials like oxygen and propane, chlorine and helium, etc.
· Labeling full, partially full, and empty cylinders as to their status.
Keep in mind that there is a difference between “hazardous materials” and “hazardous waste.”
Hazardous materials are raw materials or products purchased from suppliers that are stored and used at facilities.
Hazardous waste is a legal term defining certain materials that have been generated as waste from processing performed at a facility.