As you look around your laboratory, what do you see? You likely see various lab stations, other lab personnel, and scientists like yourself. You might see empty beakers or a few beakers filled with chemicals ready for an experiment.
Your lab might have limited space, or areas for storage are few and far between. Most importantly, where do you store your chemicals? Or another question you might ask yourself: where should I not store chemicals?
Where NOT to Store Chemicals
The chemicals you work with daily might range from mildly to highly toxic depending on the day (or maybe even the hour!).
1. Why Can’t I Store Chemicals Inside a Fume Hood?
Fume Hoods were never created to be chemical storage cabinets. This will result in hazardous results.
a.)Fume Hoods do not have appropriately designated homes for the various types of chemicals.
b.)There is a high potential for fire, explosion, or other safety hazards.
c.)The shelves were not designed to contain spills; if a chemical were to spill- the entire fume hood would be contaminated.
2. Why Can’t I Store Chemicals in the Open?
Another significant safety hazard is storing chemicals out in the open. It’s important to store chemicals in a filtered storage cabinet to capture all chemicals, toxic fumes, and vapors.
a.)Storing noxious chemicals out in the open would create an unsafe working environment for those in the lab.
b.)By not having a designated and filtered enclosure to store chemicals in, more spills are likely to result, leading to detrimental outcomes such as fires, toxic fumes, or even explosions.
c.)It’s also important to note: NEVER store large containers above shoulder height- to prevent spills.
What Makes ChemSafe™ Stand Out from the Crowd?
While the ChemSafe™ itself is made of polypropylene, the locking door is created from clear polycarbonate, so the technician can see whatever chemicals your lab is storing. And no need to worry, the internal chamber of the cabinet contains LED lights so that you will have a clear view of all items. Essentially, the chemical storage cabinet acts like a ductless fume hood in terms of providing constant negative airflow. This allows impurities to be captured by the particulate or gas phase filter.
Safety should be a top priority in any work environment, but especially in facilities that are in the business of handling chemicals. Our biggest priority is to keep your lab personnel safe. Check out two essential features of our filtered chemical storage cabinet…
1.Bonded Carbon Filtration
a.)The chamber has an installed multi-purpose bonded gas phase carbon filter that effectively captures a wide range of chemicals, fumes, and vapors. The bonded carbon filter works with organics, inorganics, and amine compounds.
2.Airsafe ®Automatic Safety Controller
a.)What does AirSafe® do? This safety controller monitors the filters and assists the technician in using the cabinet properly. It’s standard on every ChemSafe Filtered Storage Cabinet.
What happens if you find yourself needing more space in your cabinet? Maybe you have tall bottles that need to be stored, or you simply do not need the other shelves at the moment. If this is the case, you can merely remove whatever shelves you do not need. This also makes for a more straightforward cleaning process. Another plus is that each shelf has a secondary spill containment lip to prevent the spill from going to other cabinet parts that may contain off-limit chemicals.
Why is Polypropylene Ideal when Storing Acidic Chemicals, and Why Should You Care?
Polypropylene is a superior material with unique chemical resistance properties and no moisture absorption. Weak bases and acids don’t react with the polypropylene. It is also considered a “tough” material, which translates to its resistance to breaking.
Deciding on what type of cabinet your lab needs can be tricky. Still, you can make it easier by asking one simple question: Am I placing corrosive or flammable chemicals in my storage cabinet? If the answer is yes, then you should consider a polypropylene cabinet. A metal cabinet will suffice if you store less acidic chemicals or organic acids. However, if you store both, you will likely need a polypropylene cabinet, like the ChemSafe™.
Following proper regulations may seem daunting. At AirClean Systems, we want to make your job easier (and safer). Check out our ChemSafe™ Filtered Chemical Storage Cabinet today, or fill out an application worksheet to get approved for your brand new storage cabinet.