On April 8, 2005, two students accepted delivery of chemical supplies and placed them in storage at a university lab in Ohio State University. They packed 10 to 12 bottles of hexane in a solvent storage cabinet. The shelf collapsed. A bottle of hexane smashed and one student suffered cuts on his arm. The students immediately vacated the area due to the overpowering hexane vapors.
Transporting and dispensing flammable liquids are high risk activities. Flammable liquids release vapors. Mixing these vapors with oxygen creates a potential fire risk. Safety cans meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) criteria and keep flammable liquids safe in volumes up to 5 gallons (19 liters).
The best way to deal with a spill is to stop it before it even happens. If that’s not possible, provide spill containment at the source, so that it cannot spread into the environment. Spills of oil and hazardous chemicals spread quickly, especially when they reach water. Even a small amount of oil will cover a large water surface area.
Companies transport, store and dispense many different flammable liquids using 55-gallon drums. Any one of these routine activities has the potential to create an explosive situation.
In 2014, a work crew at a Virginia flooring company parked their van in the company warehouse and left for the evening. By 9:12 p.m., disaster struck and fire crews were calling for backup to control the blaze. It took more than an hour to extinguish the fire, which caused damage to multiple vehicles, the warehouse and the company offices. What happened?
Safety storage cabinets provide peace of mind by protecting hazardous and flammable chemicals from fire. They also control access to authorized users. Important considerations when selecting a chemical storage cabinet include...
