Chemical Storage Guidelines

Chemicals on Shelf Improper storage of hazardous chemicals may result in degradation of chemical quality, deterioration of container labels, release of toxic gases, fire, or even explosion. As a result, local and state regulations require that chemicals be stored according to hazard class and compatibility. This may require a significant amount of thought, planning, and research on the hazards associated with the chemicals being stored; especially in the research laboratory environment. The fact that most laboratory chemicals have multiple hazards makes proper storage segregation a particularly difficult task.

The following hazard class hierarchy (based on the U.S Department Of Transportation Regulations) is provided as a guide for prioritizing which hazard classes pose the greatest risks during storage (e.g., flammability is usually a more important consideration than toxicity).

Radioactive > Pyrophoric Explosive > Flammable Liquid > Corrosive Acid/Base > Water Reactive > Flammable Solid > Oxidizer > Combustibility > Toxicity

The table below is a general reference for identifying chemical hazard classes that should be kept separated. Note that the manufacturer hazard codes (i.e. Fisher Code) are not always a good indicator of chemical hazard class for segregation purposes (i.e., all corrosives, code white, are not compatible and therefore should not be stored together).

Storage Hazard Classes Examples Definitions
Discussion		 Fisher Code

RADIOACTIVE

 Tritium; Phosphorus-32; Iodine-125; Carbon-14 All radioactive materials should be stored in accordance with license and use restrictions. Contact the Campus Radiation Safety Officer for specific information; x3542 None

REACTIVES:

 Water Reactives, Air Reactives, Shock Sensitive Organic Peroxides Not all reactives are compatible. Segregate according to specific hazard. Yellow
Pyrophoric Materials Phosphorus; Titanium Dichloride; Tributylaluminum; Lithium Hydride; Sodium Liquids or solids that spontaneously ignite in air. Yellow
Explosives TNT (Trinitrotoluene); dry Picric Acid; Nitroglycerin; Lead Azide; Mercury Fulminate Explosives are chemical compounds, usually containing nitrogen, that may detonate from shock or heat. Yellow
Organic Peroxides Benzoyl Peroxide; old Ethers (e.g., Ethyl, Methyl; Isopropyl); Tetrahydrofuran; Dioxane All peroxidizable compounds should be dated and handled in accordance with campus policy; Liquids generally are very flammable and should be stored in flammable storage cabinets Yellow
Red

FLAMMABLES:

 Red
Flammable and Combustible Liquids Acetone, Ethyl Ether, Petroleum Ether, Ethyl Acetate As a general rule it is acceptable to store organic acids and non-flammable halogenated solvents with flammable and combustible liquids (flash point > 200F) Red
Flammable Solids Picric Acid powder; Sodium; Calcium Carbide Many flammable solids are also Reactives; Give careful thought on storage location. Red
Yellow

CORROSIVES:

 Separate acids from bases and organic acids from mineral and oxidizing acids White
Inorganic Acids Hydrochloric, Perchloric, Sulfuric, Phosphoric, Nitric, Hydrofluoric Oxidizing and Mineral acids (pH is usually 2)

(DOES NOT include organic acids). Perchloric acid should be stored inside a glass or porcelain secondary container.

 White
Organic Acids Glacial Acetic Acid, Acetic Acid, Formic Acid, May be stored with flammable and combustible liquids. DO NOT store with oxidizers or mineral and oxidizing acids White
Bases Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Ammonium Hydroxide Caustic liquids and solids with pH 12.5 White

OXIDIZERS

 Nitrates, Nitrites, Permangenates, Perchlorates, Chlorates, Chlorites Keep away from organics Yellow

HIGHLY TOXIC

 Teratogens, Carcinogens, Cyanides, Formaldehyde, Methyl-nitrosourea, Acrylamide, May be included in other storage classes but kept separate from low hazard materials. These materials should be easy to identify as highly toxic. Included in this class are chemicals on the "Select Carcinogen List" and those with specific regulatory requirements Blue
Red
Yellow

LOW TOXIC

 Agars, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Glycerine, Amino Acids Materials commonly used with no special hazards Gray

For additional information about Industrial Hygiene please contact Buddy Morris or Brent Cooley.