Requirements for Process Chemical Storage in a Warehouse

[Randy]

I think you are referring to a record. OSHA requires retention of MSDS 30 years after the last use of the chemical at the facility. So that once the chemical is not used there, the MSDS is retained as a record of the type of chemical used at the facility.

No I'm not, I'm talking about the MSDS itself. Unless there has been a change in the chemical or something else an MSDS 30 years old can be valid and in date.

 

[HSSE Auditor]

No I'm not, I'm talking about the MSDS itself. Unless there has been a change in the chemical or something else an MSDS 30 years old can be valid and in date.

An MSDS is good for infinite years as long as, as you say, there is no change in the chemical. Once the chemical is changed or not used anymore, the MSDS becomes a record and is required by OSHA to be kept for 30 years as a record of us of the chemical use at the facility..

 

[Jim Wynne]

No I'm not, I'm talking about the MSDS itself. Unless there has been a change in the chemical or something else an MSDS 30 years old can be valid and in date.

Although I'm not sure that the distinction is really germane to the discussion, I think the HSSE's point was that an MSDS for a substance in current use has a different system status from one that's maintained (under the rules) after a substance is no longer used. The information in the MSDS might be "current" 100 years after it's issued, but it might not have the same "right to know" status as one for a currrently used substance. Or something like that.

 

[Ajit Basrur]

According to http://www.ilpi.com/msds/osha/I19871001.html ,employers may discard a material safety data sheet for a mixture, if the new data sheet includes the same hazardous chemicals as the original formulation. If the formulation is different then the employer must maintain both data sheets for at least 30 years. OSHA standard, 29 CFR 1910.1020, Access to employee Exposure and Medical Records defines "employee exposure records" to include material safety data sheets. The standard requires all employee exposure records to be maintained for at least 30 years.

An alternative to keeping both data sheets, however, is provided for in 29 CFR 1910.1020. Under paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(B) of this standard employers may discard material safety data sheets if some record identifying the substances used, where it was used and when it was used is retained for at least 30 years. Therefore, an employer may discard the original data sheet and retain only the new data sheet if a record on the original formulation is maintained.

 

[Bill Pflanz]

MSDS has been around for a long time now and most chemicals have been around a long time also. Although new information can be discovered about chemical safety, they do not change much anymore and probably not in a significant way. The only issue could be a new chemical not previously available for industrial use but its use would include sending of an MSDS.

Regardless, the original question was how the chemicals should be stored in a warehouse. Except for some flammable and explosive warnings, the MSDS would generally not address the storage of a specific chemical with other chemicals. There have already been suggestions on fire prevention, leaking containers etc. which are good business practices in handling chemicals. I would bet you are using basic commodity chemicals and their handling requirements are well known. Since it does not sound like there are many chemicals in question and you have probably been safely handling them, the only additional precaution that could be made is to contact the suppliers and ask some questions. Don't be surprised if the suppliers provide only common sense instructions.

Bill Pflanz
BS Chemical Engineering

 

[Randy]

Whatever...this should have been an up-front and not after-the-fact exercise anyway.

Randy Daily
BS Occupational Health & Safety
Certified Utility Safety Administrator

 

[Dr. L. Ramakrishnan]

MSDS is not a "static" document; it is dynamic for quite a few substances. As more and more information becomes available they get added to the MSDS. One of the major points that I always check is the TLV (or an equivalent National standard like MAC..values vary from country to country in quite a few cases)- at least I have seen the TLV (TWA) values changing for trichloroethylene, mercury etc., in the last twenty years. Another case in point is CFCs (Ozone depletion..disposal aspects). If one is maintaining an ISO-14001, I would suggest a review of the MSDS relevant to the organization at least once a year (one can, then, be ahead of legislation with respect to issues arising out of theses substances). No doubt, most of the times one would not add any new data to the MSDS. But to ensure that there has been no change in the data (or identifying a change well in advance) is an aspect of risk reduction covered under ISO-14001 (or any other appropriate management system).

Ramakrishnan

 

[clara]

Apart from the good reference thread provided above, you may want to look at some good practices such as - ventilation, possibility of chemicals reacting with each other, etc upon spilling.

Therefore, you need to note that not all chemicals can simply be stored together. There has to be some systems such as separate area for incompatible chemicals, between liquid and other forms such as powder.

Hi everybody,
Thank you for your reply.
We are constructing a new warehouse for chemicals.
Please advice me if there are any regulations or requirements for this facility, eg : the thickness of the walls, the material of the door, location of exhaust fans and switches ...
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
Clara

 

[harry]

Hi everybody,
Thank you for your reply.
We are constructing a new warehouse for chemicals.
Please advice me if there are any regulations or requirements for this facility, eg : the thickness of the walls, the material of the door, location of exhaust fans and switches ...
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
Clara

To the best of my knowledge, there isn't such regulations in my country, unless you are storing highly explosive chemical. Things could be different in other advance countries.

We pretty much follow common sense and use/adapt the relevant EPA (US) documents as guidelines. For chemical that need to be stored in isolation or separately, we compartmentalized part of the storage area. For containment purposes, we play around with floor levels and built bunds where necessary.

This link should give you a general idea (although it's meant for a lab).

 

[Mustang]

Hi everybody,
Thank you for your reply.
We are constructing a new warehouse for chemicals.
Please advice me if there are any regulations or requirements for this facility, eg : the thickness of the walls, the material of the door, location of exhaust fans and switches ...
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
Clara

Clara, A good resource will be your local building department and fire department. They will have any regulations that may apply in your area.