Chemicals Safe Storage and training

Safe Storage Management

Do you know how to store your hazardous materials?

Are you able to recognize incompatibility? Do you know how to separate your chemicals? We have safe storage training that will help you have a safe warehouse that complies with the Building Safety Code and the National Fire Code of Canada (NFCC).

To have safe storage, it must also comply with the provisions of the Health and Safety Act (OHSA) of its province and its regulations, such as the ROHS (particularly section X) in Quebec.

Depending on the situation, the Building chapter of the Safety Code, the National Fire Code of Canada (NFCC) and the NFPA may also apply.

From the law on occupational health and safety also comes the Regulation on information concerning hazardous products (RIPD), it stipulates that your employees must be trained in the storage of hazardous materials.

According to article 72 of the Quebec ROHS, the storage and handling of hazardous materials must be carried out in such a way as to prevent their spillage or accidental ignition.

To this end, it is necessary to separate or isolate hazardous materials which, by mixing with other materials, are likely to cause a fire or an explosion, or to release flammable or toxic gases.

To properly separate your products, it is imperative first, to have a list of all your well-classified products. Once the classification is done, all the products must be correctly segregated according to the standards and regulations in force.

 

In summary, these are the 5 steps required to achieve safe storage:

• The inventory
• The classification
• Identification (labelling)
• Validation of incompatibilities
• The layout of your workplace

 

Need help? Our software can provide you with a complete assessment of your situation and suggests a totally safe layout from a chemical point of view.

 

Looking for a training in chemical storage?

Register now to ensure your organization's security and compliance.

1 - Summary and objectives of the training

 

Chemical storage, a must for the health and safety of Workers

The safe storage of hazardous materials is part of a comprehensive risk management approach. Ignorance of storage rules can lead to serious consequences, such as: 

• Violent reactions that can cause serious injury (explosion or splashes on the skin or in the eyes, falls from the same level, etc.) 
• Emission of toxic or flammable gases
• Fires
• Explosions
• Spill that may impact the environment

 

Why is the regulation of chemical storage complex?

Several ambiguities, even contradictions, are present through the regulations in force in North America and elsewhere. There are several chemical incompatibility charts that are part of the transport’s regulation: in the IMDG (Table 7.2.4 of the IMDG Code), in the CFR 49 (US transport of dangerous goods) and even in WHMIS. The ROHS also contains several articles of legislation specifically for this purpose (Division X sections 70 to 100).

 

To address this issue, experts have tried to develop some tools. We have developed a table of incompatibility that includes both TDG, 49 CFR, CCCR, WHMIS and IMDG in the most comprehensive form possible. However, the various tools developed to overcome regulatory ambiguities do not allow for the inclusion of all exceptions. An update through continuous training therefore becomes a must to keep workplaces safe.

 

Develop Professional Judgment to Ensure the Safety

The regulation of hazardous materials was developed from the chemical classes of the compounds of a product. Therefore, safe storage of chemicals requires minimal knowledge of the different classes of chemicals. With the increasing complexity of products available on the market, it is increasingly difficult to correctly identify the chemical classes of a product. An error at this level leads to poor risk assessment and storage of potentially incompatible compounds, which represents a risk to the health and safety of environmental workers. Therefore, keeping one’s skills up to date is a way to preserve one’s ability to assess/judge chemical hazards. The approach provided by this training is purely practical and, inevitably, is intended to compensate for regulatory deficiencies using professional judgment.

 

 Who is this training for?

The complexity of storage regulations and lack of knowledge can put some workplaces at risk of accidents. This training is intended for professionals who are involved/supervise the management and storage of chemicals or who wish to update their knowledge of chemical product classification in a storage context. The aim is to better assess chemical incompatibilities and better judge accident risks. With the growth and complexity of chemicals on the market, this training finds its place in a multitude of environments, such as laboratory workers, manufacturing workers, food products, pharmaceuticals, OHS managers, or any other worker who wants to make workplaces more efficient and safer.

Let’s not forget that hazard assessment starts with knowing the risks associated with a hazardous product.

• What do I do with corrosive and flammable products in storage?
• Can glacial acetic acid be stored with nitric acid?
• Is it safe to store 64% nitric acid (non-oxidizing according to WHMIS and TDGR) with glacial acetic acid, ascorbic acid and hydrochloric acid?

 

Overall Training Objectives

This training allows you to review the various regulations applicable to storage. Its main purpose is to develop professional judgment related to the storage of chemicals. Chemists and biochemists act as experts in the workplace, and they are the first line of safety intervention. They have an ethical and deontological obligation to ensure the safety of workplaces regarding chemical risks.   The general objectives of the training are to update the professional’s knowledge for safe storage of products in the workplace and develop the professional judgment of the chemist or biochemist to overcome current regulatory gaps.

 

To achieve these overall objectives, these elements will be addressed:

• Know the classification of chemicals in a storage context
• Recognizing chemical incompatibilities through different labelling systems
• Be able to assess the risks according to the chemical class of the product, Know the risk management principles related to the storage of chemicals, and be familiar with the main storage rules
• Know information resources for chemical storage

 

2 - Training outline

 

Module 1: Introduction (WHMIS Brief, Risk Management Principle)

Module objectives:

Be able to:

• Analyze the potential of H and P phrases and WHMIS pictograms in storage
• Assess the limitations of the current labelling system
• Distinguish the risks in storage not covered by WHMIS
• Understand the different labelling systems in Canada, WHMIS, TDG, CCPR, PMRA etc.
• Align TDGR pictograms to address WHMIS gaps
• Understand the need for comprehensive classification.

Sub-objectives

1.1 Risk management principle and primary objective of training
1.2 WHMIS and HPR labelling recall
1.2.1 H and P phrases
1.2.2 Incompatibilities under the same WHMIS pictogram
1.2.3 Example of missing information

 

Module 2: Storage of flammables, oxidizers, aerosols and gases

Module objectives:

Be able to:

• Judge the applicability of the WHMIS segregation table
• Align TDGR pictograms to fill WHMIS gaps
• Analyze situations where flammable storage may be problematic

Sub-objectives

2.1 Physical hazards under the flammable pictogram
2.2 Imminent risks of incompatible storage under WHMIS
2.3 Using TDGR to address WHMIS gaps
2.4 Ignition Source Management
2.5 Oxidant Management

 

Module 3: Storage of Corrosive and Toxic

Module objectives:

Be able to:

• Judge the real incompatibilities of corrosives and flammables
• Judge the level of incompatibility between acids and bases
• Distinguish acids and bases with uncommon names

Sub-objectives

3.1 Difference Between Acid and Base Burn
3.2 Obligations to have eyewash stations and body washers
3.3 Acid-base distinction
3.4 Toxics and other health hazards

 

Module 4: General rule of storage

Module objectives:

Be able to:

• Know the principles of incompatibilities
• Know how to recognize certain regulatory incongruences
• Familiarize yourself with certain storage rules

Sub-objectives

4.1 Principle with 4 variables of incompatibilities
4.2 Storage example
4.3 Actual vs. WHMIS incompatibility (regulatory inconsistency)
4.4 Broadening the definitions of oxidant, acid, base and flammable
4.5 Special rule: acidic water reagent, basic.
4.6 Storage of products with specific incompatibility (cyanide, azide, sulphides)

 

Module 5: Handling and Storage of Hydrofluoric Acid (HF)

Module objectives:

Be able to:

• Preventing serious incidents involving HF

Sub-objectives

5.1 Properties of hydrofluoric acid
5.2 Exposure procedures
5.3 Recommendation of pick-up procedure

 

Module 6: Use of External Information Resources

Module objectives:

Be able to:

• Prevent rust from forming in cabinets
• Confirm the accuracy of the information conveyed on a product

Sub-objectives

6.1 Corrosion management in cabinets
6.2 Using External Resources