Chemical Hygiene Plan - Queensborough Community College ...

flammability. One chemical/ biological storage room under the supervision of a qualified person
is essential for each school. The storage room should have adequate security. Safety facilities
must include the following:
• Fire extinguishers of the approved type, including sand and soda positioned near an
escape route
• Spill control and cleanup materials
• Master control shutoff valves for gas, water, and electricity
• Approved eye/face wash
• Shower
• Smoke detector
• Forced ventilation from floor to ceiling with exhaust above roof level
• Lip edged shelving secured to wall with top shelf below eye level
• Safety cabinets for specific groups of compatible substances
• A communication system to the main office or emergency center
6.6 Flammable Storage in Refrigerators/Freezers
Flammable liquids must be stored only in specially designed flammable storage
refrigerators/freezers or explosion-proof refrigerators/freezers, as per NFPA 45 and article 501 in
NFPA 70. Do not store flammable liquids in standard (non-flammable rated)
refrigerators/freezers. Standard refrigerators are not electrically designed to store flammable
liquids. If flammable liquids are stored in a standard refrigerator, the buildup of flammable
vapors can ignite when the refrigerator’s compressor or light turns on, resulting in a fire or an
explosion.
Properly rated flammable liquid storage refrigerators/freezers have protected internal electrical
components and are designed for the storage of flammable liquids. Explosion-proof
refrigerators/freezers have both the internal and external electrical components properly
protected and are designed for the storage of flammable liquids. Refrigerators and freezers rated
for the storage of flammable materials will be clearly identified as such by the manufacturer. For
additional information, please refer to ANSI/UL 1203-1994 entitled, “Explosion-Proof and
Dust-Ignition-Proof Electrical Equipment for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations.”
For most laboratory applications, a flammable storage refrigerator/freezer is acceptable.
However, some operations may require an explosion-proof refrigerator/freezer. If a laboratory
cannot purchase a flammable storage refrigerator for the laboratory’s own use, departments and
laboratory groups on each floor are strongly encouraged to consider purchasing a communal
flammable storage refrigerator for the proper and safe storage of flammable liquids.
6.7 Flammable Storage Cabinets
The requirements for use of flammable storage cabinets are determined by the classification of
the flammable liquids, the quantities kept on hand, the building construction (fire wall ratings),
and the floor of the building the flammables are being stored on. As a general rule of thumb, if
you have more than 10 gallons of flammable liquids, including materials in use, then you should
store the flammable liquids in a properly rated flammable liquid storage cabinet. All flammable
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