Logan Voss
Industrial complexes and retail stores alike store items that could pose a threat. Pressurized gas tanks and toxic cleaning chemicals can damage property and people without proper handling. Here are a few helpful storage tips for hazardous materials.
Signs and Alerts
In any storage situation, you’ll want labels for everything on the shelves and floor. This is especially important for hazardous materials—even one uninformed person could make a disastrous mistake. You must put up signs and alerts pertinent to the materials in storage. Suppose you run an industrial gas operation. You should have signs that alert workers to the presence of a calibration gas cylinder in storage. You should also identify the gases in the tank. Otherwise, someone could knock over a dangerous mix of flammable gases.
Separate Location
Hazardous materials are hazardous for a reason—they cause adverse reactions in humans or lead to environmental harm. That’s why you must keep them in a separate location. No one should have a locker of hazardous materials hanging around in the middle of their industrial operating area. You should avoid high foot traffic areas and places where people don’t wear protective equipment.
Security
If you want to promote hazardous material security, you should have a secure area for storage. However, you can take this designated area one step further by using locks and passcodes. Once you have the measures in place, you must decide who has access. Security for secure areas begins with a simple list of managers and direct workers who require access to the materials for their work. For example, a radiologist and stock manager should only have access to the radiological materials in a hospital. This ensures that only those with the skills to handle the items have access.
Utilize these storage tips for hazardous materials so you can maximize the safety of your employees and your facility.
