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Seven-Step Plan to Clean Up Your Chemical Storage Area
For years you have wanted to clean up and organize your chemical storage area. But it’s such a huge job, where do you begin? Our seven-step plan will give the direction and guidance you need to get this job done safely, quickly, and efficiently.
Before we begin, some ground rules need to be established:
• Cleaning up the chemical storage area should be done in teams. This work should never be done alone.
• The best time to do this type of work is immediately after school gets out in the spring.
STEP 1: Take an Inventory
The most important step in cleaning up a chemical storage area is taking an accurate and complete inventory of every chemical in every chemical storage area and laboratory in the department. Without a complete inventory you will not be able to proceed to step #2. Don’t forget to check closets and drawers. Details on how to take an inventory can be found on pages 224–233. Please read these instructions carefully!
Critical information will be needed from your inventory. Most particularly, you will want to know: (1) the name of the chemical, (2) its shelf location, and (3) the approximate amount of chemical estimated to be in each container.
The shelf location of each chemical is important because it is likely that the same chemical will be found in several locations. Shelf location information will help you track down and consolidate these chemicals.
STEP 2: What Chemicals Do You Really Use?
It is fair to say that 40% of the chemicals you have in your chemical storage area have not been used in the last five years and probably won’t be used in the next five years. Now is the time to decide which chemicals are really used. Once the inventory is completed, review your laboratory manuals, textbooks and demonstrations to decide which chemicals are used and which chemicals are not.
As you review your inventory, you may discover an excessive amount of some chem- icals. Calculate what quantities of these chemicals you use every year and then decide to keep no more than a two- to five-year supply. Determining how much chemical to keep will be influenced by two factors: the chemical shelf life and the hazardous nature
of the chemical. The poorer the shelf life or the more hazardous the chemical, the less you will want to keep on hand. Shelf life and hazard information may be found in the Flinn Scientific Catalog/Reference Manual under each chemical listing.
If the chemical is not hazardous and has an indefinite shelf life, keep a four- to five- year supply. However, if the chemical is hazardous and the shelf life is poor, keep only a one-year supply on hand. Look care- fully at each bottle, try to determine which bottle looks the freshest or has the best shelf life and only keep the amount you really think you need. Let the shelf life and chemi- cal hazard information found in our Flinn Scientific Catalog/Reference Manual guide the way.
STEP 3: Organizing Your Chemical Storage Area
You now know which chemicals you use, which chemicals you want to keep, and which chemicals you would like to get rid of. Let’s now physically move all of the chemicals in the chemical storage area (and anywhere else you found chemicals) out into the laboratory area and onto the lab benches. (The laboratory next to the chemical stor- age area works best.) The right side of the laboratory will become an area for those chemicals which you either no longer use, or have excessive amounts of and would like to dispose of.
The left side of the laboratory will be those chemicals you want to keep. It’s impor- tant that only authorized people working on this project be allowed to enter this room. Administrators, maintenance people and others must not be allowed into this labora- tory area unless they are accompanied by faculty or staff involved in the cleanup proj- ect. This laboratory should be locked when not in use. If you discover chemicals which you feel uncomfortable moving or handling, please call Flinn Scientific for further advice.
STEP 4: Bag and Can Dangerous Chemicals or Practice “Devil Control”
There are certain chemicals found on school premises which Flinn Scientific considers to be “devils.” A “devil” is any chemical which has a severe hazard alert. Severely poisonous, severely toxic, severely flammable, severely corrosive, strong oxidizer, carcinogen or strong stench are all characteristics which
may qualify a chemical as a “devil.”
To practice “devil control,” purchase some clear, heavyweight plastic bags with twist ties, cat litter, and a selection of clean (empty) quart and gallon paint cans.
The first step in practicing “devil control” is to place each chemical container consid- ered to be a “devil” into a clear plastic bag. Secure the bag with a twist tie. Should the bottle break, the spill will be contained in the plastic bag.
Once the chemical bottle is in the plastic bag, spread a thin layer of cat litter in the bottom of a paint can, place the sealed bag with the chemical container into the paint can, and fill the remaining portion of the can with cat litter. Place the lid on the paint can and label the can clearly with the chemical name, chemical formula, and hazard risk. Your “devil” chemical is now well protected! The metal paint can may be dropped, kicked, or even involved in a fire and the chemical container inside will not break. Should a leak occur, the cat litter will absorb the chemical and the spill will be contained inside the can.
Most “devils” may only be used once or twice during the school year, yet you need to properly protect and store these chemicals when they are not being used. Bags and cans are a very effective, yet inexpensive way to protect these “devil” chemicals.
STEP 5: Improve the Chemical Storage Area Facility
Now that the chemicals have been moved out of the chemical storage area and into the laboratory, you have an opportunity to make some improvements to the chemical stor- age area. First of all, give the room a good cleaning. Make sure the shelves are firmly attached to the wall and are in good condi- tion. If the shelves are not in good condition, some type of repair or replacement should be made. Check the shelf clips carefully to make sure they are in good condition and not
SEVEN-STEP PLAN continued on next page.