Chemical Safety
Chemical Storage Guidelines
| CABINET TYPE | GENERAL | FLAMMABLE | VENTILATED | ACID | BASE | SECURITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAZARD CLASS | General Chemicals | Flammable Liquids, Organic Acids, and Organic Bases | Volatile Poisons, Smelly Chemicals and Lecture Bottles of Toxic Gases | Oxidizing and Inorganic Acids | Inorganic Bases | Non-Volatile Poisons and Shock Sensitive Chemicals |
| CABINET LABELS | Include hazard class specific information. | "Flammable" "Keep Fire Away!" | "Volatile Poisons and Smelly Chemicals" | "Acid - Corrosive" | "Base - Corrosive" | Include information useful only to users. |
| INSTRUCTIONS | Store each hazard class in a separate cabinet. Label cabinet clearly with contents. | If large amount, store in rated flammable liquid storage cabinets. | Regularly check vented cabinets to ensure they are negative to the room. | Cabinet should be constructed of acid resistant materials, and vented if possible. | No special cabinet requirements. | Do not draw attention to the cabinet. Label discreetly according to user needs. Store incompatibles separately. |
| EXAMPLES OF CHEMICAL HAZARDS | METAL HYDRIDES, PYROPHORIC & WATER REACTIVE MATERIALS (label "Keep Water Away!"): Sodium Borohydride, Sodium Hydride, Calcium Hydride, Ethyl Magnesium Bromide, Sodium & Lithium Aluminum Hydride, Boranes, Methyl Lithium, tert-butyl Lithium, Gallium, Calcium carbide, Phosphoropous pentachloride, Sodium metal, & Lithium metalALLERGENS & SENSITIZERS (label as such):Penicillin, Sulfonamides | FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS:Alcohols, Acetone, Acetaldehyde, Acetonitrile, Amyl Acetate, Benzene, Cyclohexane, Dioxane, Ether, Ethyl Acetate, Hexane, Hydrazine, Methyl Butane, Picolene, Piperidine, Propanol, Pyridine, Some Scintillation Liquids, All Silanes, Tetrahydrofuran, Toluene, & Xylene FLAMMABLE ORGANIC ACIDS: Trifluoroacetic Acid, Trichloroacetic Acid, Acetic Acid, Butyric, Formic, Glacial Acetic, Isobutyric, Mercaptoprorionic, & Propionic Acids FLAMMABLE ORGANIC BASES: Diethylamine, Triethylamine, & Hydrazine PROPANE, BUTANE CYLINDERS (low pressure) | VOLATILE POISONS & SMELLY CHEMICALS: Acrolein, Carbon Tetrachloride, Capsaicin, Chloroform, Dimethylformamide, Dimethyl Sulfate, Formamide, Formaldehyde, Halothane, Mercaptoethanol, Methylene Chloride, Thionyl Chloride, & Phenol LECTURE BOTTLES OF TOXIC GASES: Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Sulfide, Chlorine, Phosgene, Bromine, Arsine, & Phosphines | OXIDIZING & INORGANIC ACIDS: Chromic, Nitric, Periodic, Phosphoric & Sulfuric Hydrofluoric acid, Perchloric Acid, Gallium Perchlorate, etc. Each should be stored separately and in secondary containment. | INORGANIC BASES: Ammonium Hydroxide, Calcium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide, & Sodium Hydroxide | NON-VOLATILE POISONS: Arsenic Compounds, Cacodylic Acid, Cyanide Salts, Gallium Arsenate, Other Highly Toxic Metals SHOCK SENSITIVE CHEMICALS: Picric acid, Poly-nitrated aromatic compounds. |
Questions?
Contact the Division of Research Safety, Chemical Safety Section 333-2755 or via e-mail, or visit our web site: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/css/.
Other Chemical Safety Fact Sheets are available from the Chemical Safety Section at our web site: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/css/factsheets/.