Chemical warehousing mitigates onsite hazards while enhancing inventory controls and protecting employees. Chemical warehouses commonly house flammable, corrosives, toxic chemicals, oxidizers, and explosive materials. Specialized hazardous materials storage should only contain compatible chemicals in a designated location away from operations and employees. Proper warehousing segregates hazard classifications while ensuring container compatibility and inventory organization. Chemical warehousing is a misleading term. These facilities and services can be as small as a portable non-sparking storage cabinet or as large as a refinished Connex trailer. Although larger industrial manufacturers house significant chemical quantities in gargantuan clear-span buildings, smaller chemical storage lockers offer the same protection with scaled-down costs. A chemical warehouse is any structure that specializes in handling dangerous chemicals that comply with federal regulations.
Negligent chemical storage outside a predetermined hazmat locker results in fires, leaks, pollution, and employee injuries. Failure to secure congruent chemical storage also leads to hefty civil penalties and irreparable reputational damage. While some companies might dodge OSHA inspectors for years, a chemical incident from improper storage inevitably incurs a federal investigation of the company. Not all warehouses meet federal criteria for chemical storage. The US Department of Labor fined a Georgia biolab $61,473 Monday for dangerous storage practices that forced the evacuation of 17,000 people. The incident originated from materials stored in a warehouse that generated heat, leading to product decomposition and a toxic vapor release and fire. Our onsite hazmat locker leases provide readily available, rapidly deployable buildings that can safeguard any payload. Optional fire suppression and climate control upgrades preclude inadvertent hazmat incidents and unwanted federal oversight.
What are the Different Types of Chemical Warehouses?
A chemical warehouse is any designated storage building that facilitates compliant hazmat storage. Companies needing turnkey chemical storage should seek buildings with strong steel panels and superior welds for maximum protection. OSHA dictates that companies store no more than 25 gallons of flammable and toxic chemicals. Chemical warehouses include fire-rated and non-fire-rated options, depending on chemical classification. Always consult the corresponding materials safety data sheet for chemical storage guidelines. Customized hazmat lockers can provide single, double, and multitiered configurations for storing and stacking drums and IBC totes. We offer customizable fire-rated and non-fire-rated storage solutions. Furthermore, we fabricate each hazmat locker to your specifications while guiding compliant storage practices. Each US Hazmat Rentals chemical warehouse has a bottom-affixed sump to collect accidental spills and leaks. We engineer each building with roll-up or wide-swinging doors for streamlined storage and timely retrieval with a hand truck or forklift.
Not every chemical storage dilemma warrants a permanent solution. Frequently relocating companies, like construction and oil drilling operations, need a timely storage solution that doesn’t drain your operating accounts. Our hazmat warehouse leases provide customizable, economical onsite storage for every workflow and industry at a fraction of a purchased locker. We fabricate each locker to your unique jobsite conditions before shipping it on a flatbed truck to your jobsite. Temporary onsite chemical storage engenders confidence and poise within a protected workforce while wowing potential clients with your organizational prowess. Moreover, chemical storage rentals preclude buyer’s remorse by giving you the guidance and information necessary to make an informed decision that stays within your budget. Why risk buying a hazmat building that falls short of expectations and inventory when a malleable steel solution is only a phone call or click away?
What are the Requirements for a Chemical Warehouse?
Chemical warehouses allow for the safe and secured storage of dangerous chemicals. Workers should always store chemicals below eye level on stable shelves or floors. Companies should secure hazmat buildings with fire-resistant building materials, welded seams, and reinforced doors with proper ventilation. OSHA requires no more than 60 gallons of flammable liquid (flashpoint below 140 degrees F) or 120 gallons of combustible (flashpoint at or above 140 degrees F) can be stored in a single chemical storage container or warehouse. OSHA, citing the NFPA, caps any combination of Class IB, IC, or IIIA liquids in metal tanks or metal IBC containers – each not exceeding 793 gallons – at 1,585 total liquid gallons. Our chemical storage lockers comply with all NFPA 30 and OSHA Standard 1926.152 for compliant locker construction. Our chemical warehouses meet all federal requirements for compliant hazmat storage. Contact us today for a free quote and consultation.
