General Guidelines of Chemical Safety

By following a few simple guidelines, the risks related with handling and storage of material within the laboratory can be decreased significantly.

• Workers should date containers with the day, month and year they are first opened and first received. This is essential for materials that have possible to form organic peroxides and recommended for all other materials.
• Laboratories should minimalize chemical storage to only those chemicals which will be actively used. Laboratory doors should remain closed at all times.
• Workers should not use chemicals if they have not been trained to do so. Workers as well as management employees of such chemical industries should have taken

Chemical Safety Awareness Training which helps to gain knowledge and understanding of all facets impacts of Chemical safety, including chemical accidents prevention, chemical handling, and manufacture guidelines as well as legal requirements and chemical protection systems, as well as knowledge of Chemical hazards found at workplaces, which can reason major Chemical accidents leading to widespread damage to lives and properties in industries.

Use the following chemical storage guidelines for precise chemical hazards:

Acids:

• Store large bottles of acids on down shelves or on trays in acid cabinets or a cabinet marked "corrosives".
• Separate oxidizing acids from organic acids, flammable and combustible materials.
• Separate acids from bases, active metals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other unsuited materials.
• Use bottle carters or a cart to transporting acid bottles.
• Have spill control pillows or acid neutralizers available in the occasion of a spill. Do not use bases to neutralize acid spill.

Bases:

• Separate bases from acids and other unsuited materials.
• Store large bottles of liquid bases on trays in a cabinet marked Bases.
• Store solutions of mineral hydroxides in polyethylene containers.
• Have spill control caustic neutralizers available for caustic spills. Do not use acids to neutralize base spills.

Flammables:

• Only store flammable liquids in a particularly equipped flammable-safe refrigerator or in a flammable’s cabinet.
• Keep away from sources of ignition.
• Keep fire extinguishing and spill control equipment readily available.
• For flammable metals, have a Class-D fire extinguisher available.

Oxidizers:

• Store in a cool, dry area.
• Store away from flammable and combustible materials, such as paper, wood, etc.

Peroxide-Forming Chemicals:

• Date the container when received and when unlocked.
• Store in airtight containers in a dark, cool, dry area.
• Check container for creation of peroxides, as required, using suitable indicator strips.
• Position of peroxide forming chemicals on or before expiration date or one year after opening, whichever is first.

Compressed Gases:

• Store in a safe and standing position.
• Chain cylinders individually, 2/3 to 3/4 from the floor.
• Specify the status of the cylinder is Full or In Use or Empty.
• When not in use, change the valve cap.
• To transport compressed gases, use a cylinder cart.

Remove all manifolds and regulators, secure the valve cap, and chain the cylinder to the cart before moving.

Ian Colin has published many articles regarding ISO Certification. Ian has rich experience as a online publisher and prepared various Certification documents as per ISO guideline since large amount of years in his professional career.