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ARS Home Northeast Area Docs Safety, Health and Environmental Training







Chemical Storageheadline bar Dry chemical storageDry chemicals can be stored together. To ensure compatibility, keep organic and inorganic chemicals segregated. Color-coded labels used by manufacturers are a handy reminder of compatible groups.Liquid chemical storageThe first step is to determine the major storage groups such as acids, bases, flammables, oxidizers, and highly toxic chemicals.Acids. Acids should be stored in trays that will catch any spill and provide adequate segregation. Many labs store only mineral acids, including nitric acid, in the chemically resistant acid cabinets.Organic acids, organic bases, and flammables. Organic acids and organic bases may be stored with the flammables, but acid resistant plastic trays must carefully segregate them.Oxidizers. Oxidizers are highly reactive. They should be separated from other chemicals.A Table of Suggested Chemical Storage GroupsLarge volumes of chemicals and/or those stored in glass containers, should be grouped into the following hazard groups first before they are placed in alphabetical order:PhaseHazard GroupCommon Chemical ExamplesSolidexplosivepicric acid (dried), picratesoxidizerchlorates, dichromates, nitrates, perchlorates, permanganates, peroxidesvery reactive (w/ water or other chemicals)aluminum chloride (anhydrous), calcium, calcium carbide, lithium, phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus pentoxide, potassium, sodium, white phosphorusLiquidstrong acidhydrogen fluoride, hydrochloric acidstrong causticsodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxideflammableacetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetone, acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, allyl alcohol, n-amyl acetate, sec-amyl acetate, n-amyl alcohol, tert-amyl alcohol, benzene, 1-butanol, tert-butyl alcohol, carbon disulfide, chlorobenzene, cyclohexane, cyclohexene, 1,1- and 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1-and1,2-dimethylhydrazine, dioxane, ethanol, ethyl acrylate, ethylenediamine, ethyl formate, n-heptane, n-hexane, hydrazine, isoamyl alcohol, isobutanol, isobutyl alcohol, isopropyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, isopropylamine, methyl ethyl ketone, morpholine, nitromethane, 2-nitropropane, pentane, propylene oxide, pyridine, TEMED, toluene, triethylamine, vinyl acetate, xyleneoxidizeracid dichromate, chromic acid, chromium trioxide, hydrogen peroxide (>30%), nitric acid, sodium peroxide, sulfuric acidperchloric acid--very reactive/explosivechlorosulfuric acid, chlorates, organic peroxidesGasstrong acid/causticammonia, hydrogen chlorideflammableacetyleneoxidizerchlorine, nitrous oxide


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