A weekend trip to Bunnings is an integral part of Australian culture. And wandering those big long aisles it’s quite easy to think you could buy just about anything from their well-stocked shelves. And you probably can — except if you happen to need a chemical storage cabinet. This blog looks at the key considerations when sourcing safety cabinets for your chemicals, because a chemical storage cabinet is never an off-the-shelf purchase. We always recommend conducting a chemical risk assessment before making a purchase.
REMEMBER: . Your safety cabinet should be manufactured to Australian Safety Standards and match the hazard class of the substances you need to store.
Your first consideration will be identifying the hazard class of the chemicals you need to store. The hazard class should be clearly marked on the label, but you always refer to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that was issued by the supplier. The SDS will provide essential information about storage conditions (eg, store in a dry place) as well as any incompatibilities (eg, incompatible with strong oxidising agents).
You’ll need to refer to the Australian Safety Standards that match each of the hazard classes (eg, flammable liquids, compressed gases in cylinders, toxic substances, corrosives) for essential requirements like:
IMPORTANT: Incompatibility is one of the biggest issues when storing hazardous chemicals so even though you want a cabinet that fits into a convenient space it must be strategically placed to satisfy segregation requirements.
Your second consideration will be the quantities of chemicals you are keeping and the size of the containers. The maximum allowable quantities according to Australian Safety Standards will determine the size of the cabinet you buy and how many you need. Examples include:
Your third consideration will be whether the chemicals will be stored indoors or outside. According to Australian Standards each chemical hazard class will have different considerations (eg, compressed gases should be stored outside wherever possible). The cabinets themselves have specific construction requirements, so you cannot just move an indoor safety cabinet outside. It won’t be compliant.
Where you decide to store your chemicals (indoors vs outdoors) will determine the type of cabinet or chemical store you will need to use. Your decision will need to consider:
IMPORTANT: indoor and outdoors chemical safety cabinets have different manufacturing specifications, they cannot be interchanged.
We love Bunnings as much as you do. They have a great range of hardware and industrial products but remember, they don’t sell chemical storage cabinets. If you’re looking at purchasing a chemical storage cabinet, we invite you to get in touch with our Dangerous Goods specialists who can help you carry out a risk assessment on the hazardous chemicals you carry. For more information on how to choose the right chemical storage cabinet for your flammable liquids, download our free ebook Essential Considerations When Storing Flammable Liquids Indoors.