Chemical Storage

Location or Placement of a Chemical Storage Area

Most food products are not hazardous, but chemicals related to food preparation must be used and stored safely. Chemicals are not just liquids in containers. Chemicals can come in many forms - liquids, solids, gases, vapours, fumes and mists - and may or may not be "contained."

1. Keep all chemicals locked safely away from children.

2. Substances should be in the original containers to prevent mix ups or accidental poisoning.

3. Substances should be kept at the proper temperatures and in clearly-marked containers.

4. Toxic substances should be kept away from food.

If there is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the product, as there would be in a commercial Food Preparation facility, Section 7 of the SDS will outline correct storage and handling. Companies will have a Chemical Safety Program indicating, in detail, how all the chemicals they use must be stored.

However, at home, there will not be Safety Data Sheets for reference. All chemicals should be properly labeled by the supplier and the label will provide a great deal of information on appropriate storage and handling. When possible, keep chemicals in their original, labeled container.

A supplier label is one that is attached to the product by the supplier of the hazardous product. Supplier labels will appear on all hazardous products at any workplace in Canada. If a hazardous product is always used in its original container with a supplier label, no other label is required.

As an example, the label on a bottle of bleach is shown in the picture. Notice that, in bold print and all capital letters, it states to "KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND PETS." Thus, this product needs to be stored where it could not be accessed by children or by family pets, preferably in a high cupboard. It also states products that should not be mixed with bleach like toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers and acids, so storing bleach away from these other items is important in case there is a spill or leak.

Chemical Safety Program

Here are six components of a Chemical Safety Program.

1. Chemical List - Compile a complete list of all cleaning chemicals used in the facility.
   This documentation should include details such as:

   1. • • how much is stored

        • where they are stored

        • potential hazards of and necessary precautions for each specific chemical (eg. whether or not a chemical needs to be kept away from heat).

2. Safety Data Sheets - for each chemical used or stored.

3. Original Containers - Keep all chemicals in their original containers and never mix chemicals, even if they are are the same "type" of chemical.

4. Chemical Storage - Store chemicals in well-ventilated areas away from building intake vents so that fumes don't spread to other areas of the facility.

5. Safety Signage - Use the WHMIS 2015 pictograms that quickly convey possible dangers and precautions related to the chemicals.

6. Signal Words - Know the two signal words: Danger and Warning

   1. • • Warning - the product is moderately toxic

        • Danger - the product is highly toxic and may cause permanent damage

7. Properly dispose of chemicals that have not been used for a long period of time (a year).

Other Considerations for Storage of Chemicals

Several principles should be observed with respect to the storage of hazardous chemicals. These may seem odd concerns for you in your kitchen, but they apply to household kitchens and to industrial facilities such as bakeries.

1. Care should be taken to segregate incompatible chemicals. This includes such dangerous combinations as:

   1. 1. • Acids + Bases

         • Flammables + Oxidizers

         • Water Reactives + Aqueous Solutions

For this reason, use special care when using alphabetical storage. This might be convenient, but such a method could bring incompatibles together.

2. Store chemicals in proper facilities such as acid cabinets or flammable solvent cabinets. These cabinets may be ventilated to prevent the buildup of harmful amounts of vapours.

3. Some chemicals must be kept cold; therefore, they must be refrigerated. Refrigerators used for such purpose should be of an explosion-proof design if flammable vapors are an issue. Refrigerators used for chemical storage must never be used for food.

4. Sometimes fume hoods are used for the storage of chemicals that emit noxious vapours. Hoods used for this purpose should be dedicated to this use and not used for conducting chemical reactions. Also, ensure that materials being stored in the hood do not interfere with the operation of the fume hood.

5. Keep only the minimum required amounts of chemical on site. That way, if there is ever a fire or chemical incident, less material will be involved

6. Some chemicals are unstable over time. For example, many ethers form explosive peroxides during prolonged storage. Chemical containers should be dated when they are opened, and any material beyond its safe retention period should be discarded properly.

7. Gas cylinders not in active use should be stored with the valve caps in place. Cylinders should be secured safely with a strap or mounting bracket.

8. Dangerous chemicals such as corrosives should not be stored on high shelves above eye level. A falling bottle could cause harm to persons in the vicinity.