OSHA Regulations Regarding Chemical Storage Area

In association with the United States Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was founded with an aim to avoid and control work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths in the 1970s. This organization develops and enforces standards for safety and health in offices. In order to avoid potential exposure to harmful chemical exposure and injuries, OSHA has laid several regulations.

Location

Several regulations are there about the location to set chemical storage cabinet and wall storage cabinet. Make sure the location is not supposed to flood where you have to store chemical. Make sure to have about 100 feet of distance from area of chemical storage and surface water. Related to usual prevailing winds, make sure it can be downwind in the area. Don’t store chemicals in hallway or stairway.

Temperature Lights and Ventilation

Workers need proper amount of artificial or natural lighting in order to have proper storage safety and work safety. Make sure to have the light of 20 foot-candles in all the areas. Set up the ventilation in a way to avoid all contaminations in the atmosphere. Or they should be less than 25% below the permissible exposure levels (PEL) and lower explosive limit (LEL). Make sure to have temperature moderate enough that chemicals cannot freeze.

Material Safety Datasheets

The Material Safety Datasheets or MSDS require chemicals to be stored in the area as per the properties set in it. It also includes division of chemicals which are likely to cause reaction when they stored in near proximity. Each chemical should have legible MSDS and have unidentifiable chemical which is likely to break various government regulations. Hence, chemicals are required to be stored in containers of their own, instead of other containers like containers for orange juice or other potable liquids. 

Chemical Levels

Don’t store chemicals larger than eye level. Don’t store chemicals on top shelf. Make sure to avoid cluttering in chemical shelves and island bench. OSHA doesn’t permit storing chemicals on floor. Also don’t place chemicals in the area which can be exposed to direct sunlight as it can cause damage to chemicals.

How Fume Hoods and Laboratory Hoods Used?

For safe operations in industrial plants and laboratories, laboratory hoods are important components along with anti vibration tables and laboratory table. Due to their box-like figure, the outside air can be kept away from the area where workers and researchers are doing experiments. According to the specific requisites, you can find fume hoods with various features.

Fume Control

This is one of the most common applications of fume hoods. With an activated carbon filter, it re-circulates the air within cabinet. Fume hoods are used to keep workers and scientists away from hazardous chemical vapors and avoid the discharge of pollutants on the atmosphere. According to contamination levels, you can adjust the specific composition of filter. At the entrance of cabinet, you can use the down-flow of air as a preventive measure in order to avoid the contaminated air.

Dust prevention

Laboratory hoods and fume hood also play a vital role to discharge proper amount of fine dust, even when it is non-toxic, on industrial processes. Even in minute concentrations, prolonged exposure to dust may lead to potter’s rot (silicosis) because lungs cannot filter tiny particles. Fume hoods can easily capture the down-flow of air and such particles.

Contention with Radioisotopes 

Special measures are required to be taken while working with radio-chemical agents. While performing your duties with radioisotopes, fume hoods are used for proper protection as they are literally lined with stainless steel and facilitate decontamination and prevent absorption. In order to handle the weight of shielding agents like lead bricks, fume hoods are also reinforced.

Biological Safety

Fume hoods’ close relative, bio-safety cabinets are used to have containment in labs where workers and scientists use infectious agents. The Class-I bio-safety cabinets actually use inflow of air in order to avoid contaminations from infectious material. In order to prevent external contamination and to control it from extremely infectious materials, most laboratories use Class III cabinets.

Explosions Prevention

 
Fume hoods are also used to prevent the accidental explosions in order to protect both users and people around. Usually, 5 out of 6 sides are closed in fume hoods. While providing a view to experiment, the sixth side is designed to protect the face of the user.