What You Need to Know About Corrosive Storage Cabinets

Corrosive storage cabinets are essential in any facility that handles corrosive chemicals, providing safety for everyone on the premises and helping businesses run with integrity and compliance.

Metal corrosive storage cabinets utilize double steel wall construction with thermal air barriers for heat protection in case of workplace fire. Furthermore, these units use an automated door closing system with stainless steel pins to maintain strength and reliability.

Acid-Resistant Materials

A corrosive storage cabinet is specifically designed for the safe storage of sulfuric, hydrochloric and nitric acids, typically in their acid forms of sulfuric, hydrochloric or nitric acids. Often made out of non-corrosive material or equipped with corrosion-resistant coating or linings to resist corrosion-related chemical vapor release if breached or ruptured; Eagle corrosive storage cabinets feature self-indexing/latching doors as well as fully ventilated ventilation capabilities so as to reduce potential explosion or fire risks (check with Authorities having Jurisdiction for local requirements regarding ventilation requirements).

When handling containers or substances containing corrosive chemicals, it’s vital that personal protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection and lab coats be worn in order to safeguard hands, eyes, eyes and prevent exposure to hazardous fumes. In addition, class 8 corrosives must be stored appropriately; such substances have the capability of damaging metals, living tissue and other materials requiring strict segregation in all workplace environments.

Ventilation

Ventilation systems are vital in cabinets storing chemicals that produce volatile vapors that could potentially attack cabinet materials, thus necessitating corrosion-resistant materials to draw and disperse these vapors, as well as an air inlet designed to avoid condensation build-up.

If you need to store compounds that are both corrosive and combustible, such as glacial acetic acid, it would be prudent to store it separately from oxidizing acids like nitric acid in two distinct chemical storage cabinets. Storing incompatible substances together could result in explosion, so following proper chemical segregation guidelines is paramount to avoid such incidents.

When purchasing a safety cabinet for your workplace, be sure to adhere to all legal storage standards set out by Australian dangerous goods codes of practice and regulations. If your worksite is located near a population, ventilation systems must also be installed on any flammable safety cabinets in order to keep their concentration below the maximum allowable concentration specified in workplace exposure standards.

Safety Features

Corrosive storage cabinets require several key safety features for maximum protection. These include double steel walls, thermic air barriers and self-closing doors to avoid accidental opening. Furthermore, cabinets must come equipped with spill containment trays and top sump to minimise chemical reactions that could arise in storage environments.

Utilizing a hazardous goods segregation chart when selecting cabinets is essential to protecting against chemical reactions and contamination, as storing incompatible classes together increases the risk of chemical reaction and contamination. Furthermore, proper spacing should be maintained between cabinets containing acids or alkalis which might react.

To create a safer and more streamlined work environment, opt for a metal or poly corrosive storage cabinet with dual compartment cabins, adjustable poly shelves, door storage for small containers in their doors, internal and top sump capacities and lockable doors. Both types can also come equipped with grounding lugs to ensure electrical safety; depending on the results of your workplace exposure risk assessment you may require mechanical ventilation in the cabinet to prevent build-up of harmful vapours.

Signage

Labeled cabinets will enable your team to quickly identify and store chemicals correctly, while meeting local safety codes. Signs will help your team adhere to established protocols for chemical storage and handling in order to minimise risks of chemical accidents that could harm employees, damage equipment or impact the environment.

Flammable safety cabinets should feature double steel walls for ventilation purposes while non-flammable corrosive storage cabinets can be made of polyethylene which doesn’t interfere with chemicals stored within and offers long chemical durability. Fusible links may also be installed within flammable cabinets to automatically close doors in case of fire and reduce risks from escaping fumes.

Self-closing doors take away the human error factor associated with forgetting to shut the door and are the preferred choice for safe corrosive storage cabinets. Properly sized cabinets will help avoid overfilling which could result in explosions and leaks, while providing easier cleanup should there be any spillage.