Storing Hazardous Chemicals with Incompatibilities

Discover the considerations essential when storing hazardous chemicals that may be incompatible at your workplace.

When incompatible hazardous chemicals come into contact, they can potentially react, leading to fire, explosions, or the release of toxic, flammable, or corrosive vapors.

Workplaces dealing with hazardous chemicals must establish systems and procedures, as per section 354 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (WHS Regulation), to prevent the interaction of incompatible materials. In addition, when handling spills, it is crucial to consider incompatibilities (refer to section 357 of the WHS Regulation).

Managing Storage

If you are a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) responsible for managing the storage of incompatible goods, you must:

1. Identify each hazardous chemical used, stored, or handled at the workplace.
2. Recognize goods or materials that are incompatible.
3. Implement appropriate measures to prevent the interaction of incompatible goods.

The segregation tool for dangerous goods serves as a helpful resource for determining the compatibility of different hazardous chemicals.

When identifying incompatible goods, reviewing the storage and handling information provided in the safety data sheet (SDS) for each hazardous chemical is essential. After reviewing SDS information, list each incompatible hazardous chemical or material and take necessary measures to keep them separated.

Note that the segregation tool is a guide and is not intended to replace an SDS or a risk assessment.

Determining Incompatible Chemicals

Several complex factors influence compatibility, and the following issues should be considered:

1. The potential for a violent reaction (fire or explosion) between highly reactive chemicals.
2. The release of flammable, toxic, or corrosive vapors or gases when two or more spilled goods react.
3. The deterioration, contamination, or destruction of packaging materials when goods are released or spilled.
4. The possibility of flammable goods causing fires that lead to the rapid dispersal of toxic or corrosive materials.
5. The risk of flammable materials catching fire and causing flame impingement on nearby products, such as gas cylinders.
6. The compatibility of fire suppression media with hazardous chemicals stored in the same area.

Storage Measures

After identifying incompatible goods, the next step is to determine the most effective approach to keep them separated. Control measures should be tailored to the hazardous properties and the level of risk associated with each scenario.