If your business uses flammable liquids, then you know how important it is to store these liquids in a way that reduces the risks these chemicals pose. While there are many risk control methods you can adopt, a flammable cabinet is key for storage. But if you aren’t sure if your class of liquids needs one flammable cabinet or multiple, this is the right place to be.
If you are interested in getting compliant flammable cabinets (once you know how many you need, of course) Spill Station is the leading distributor in Australia, and can even help you audit your workplace to help assess risk.
Here are some questions to ask yourself if you’re still wondering how many flammable liquid storage cabinets you need.
What Quantities of Flammable Liquids Do You Have?
The first thing you need to know is whether you carry flammable liquids that are classed as minor storage or do they exceed this amount.
The Australian Standard AS 1940-2017 states that you have to know the quantities of your chemicals before you start storing anything. This is because different quantities have different storage requirements.
Here’s what you need to know:
· If you store more than 10L of Packing Group 1 liquid on 50m2 of floor space, it’s no longer minor storage.
· If you store more than 25L of Packing Group 3 liquids on 25L per 50m2 of floor space, it’s no longer minor storage.
If you’re storing something that is not classed as minor storage, you should store your liquids in flammable cabinets.
What Ignition Sources are Nearby?
If there are any potential sources of ignition in your workplace, like abrasive sparks, open flames or hot objects, it is a good idea to keep all flammable liquids in a flammable storage cabinet. In this case, the cabinet acts as a barrier between the liquid and the ignition source, but that’s not enough.
The cabinet also has to be at least 3 metres away from possible sources of ignition. You must also ensure that the cabinet is properly installed in a location isolated from sources of ignition in your workplace, such as plugs or welding tools.
Are There Incompatible Substances Stored Nearby?
The main indication that your workplace needs a safety cabinet is if your flammable liquids are stored with or near other classes of incompatible hazardous materials.
When other hazardous substances are mixed with or come into contact with flammable liquids, they can increase the risk in your workplace. https://www.spillstation.com.au
To circumvent this hazard and keep your workplace, employees and facilities safe, a storage cabinet can be used to keep these materials apart from one another.
Is There a High Concentration of Flammable Vapours?
Another thing to check is the concentration of flammable vapours. High concentrations of flammable vapours can cause adverse health effects such as poisoning and suffocation if inhaled by unsuspecting workers, as well as explosions and the like. So, if there is a high concentration of flammable liquid storage, you should use a flammable storage cabinet.
To reduce these vapours you should store flammable liquids in a flammable safety cabinet that has a mechanical ventilation system. Your ventilation system should safely disperse hazardous vapours so your workplace air quality meets the legal airborne concentration limits within Australia.
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