How to Handle Hazardous Materials Safely & Prevent Warehouse Incidents

Across North America, many warehouses are used to store hazardous materials. From gas cylinders to liquid paint, warehouse facilities are among the most common sites of hazmat incidents. According to the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 75% of hazmat emergencies occur in storage facilities. Of these incidents, 36% involve storing incompatible chemicals, and 22% occur when using the wrong storage equipment. Accidents in a storage facility containing hazardous materials can be dangerous for all warehouse occupants. Hazards can cause short-term to long-term effects. There are two different types of hazards: physical and health-related (Figure 1). Safety precautions and procedures exist to limit the occurrence of such accidents, including the use of labels, frequent inspections of goods, proper storage, and other safety measures. In this article, we will cover methods for safeguarding warehouse personnel from potential hazards and preventive measures that can be implemented throughout the warehouse to promote a safer workplace.

Why Labeling Unsafe Substances Is Important

Labels are the easiest way to spot what kind of hazards you could be facing. Having the correct labels will not only help identify different substances that come into the warehouse but will also help when separating and organizing them. The table below shows the main labels and signs used to identify hazardous materials across North America:

CATEGORY	USA	CANADA
Explosives
Gases
Flammable & Combustible Liquids
Flammable Solids
Oxidizing Substances & Organic Peroxides
Toxic Infectious Substances
Radioactive Materials
Corrosives
Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods
Biohazardous Infectious Materials
Health Hazard
Environment (May cause damage to the aquatic environment)
Exclamation Mark (May have less serious health effects or damage the ozone)

There are many similarities between the Canadian and American labels. One key difference is the color coding. As shown in the table above, the labels for the U.S. are colored differently. This helps differentiate between the types of hazards that certain materials can have. The “Hazard Diamond” from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 704) shown in Figure 2 conveys health warning information for emergency response teams.

Figure 2. Hazard Diamond (Uline)

With labels, it is much easier to separate these hazardous substances. It is also important to keep incompatible materials at a distance from each other, such as:

• Acid + Bases
• Flammables + Oxidizers
• Water Reactive + Aqueous Solutions

Special Storage of Hazardous Materials in a Warehouse

Having an organized warehouse with labeled products and sectioned-off areas helps facilitate the storage of hazardous substances in a warehouse. In addition, key procedures can help improve warehouse safety for hazardous materials. They are as follows:

• Have an organized receiving area with information and paperwork for every substance received to properly identify what comes in and what goes out.
• Every individual material that is received should be accompanied by a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which provides:
  • Product information
  • Hazardous ingredients
  • Physical data
  • Fire and explosion hazard data
  • Reactivity data
  • Toxicological properties
  • Preventive measures
  • First-aid measures
  • Preparation information
• Check for damage when goods are received (holes, leaks, or any other damage that can increase the risk of spills).
• When storing hazardous materials in a warehouse, it is important to maintain proper ventilation and keep the areas away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
• Use chemical-resistant structural materials within the facility.
• Use chemically approved containers, cabinets, and refrigerating units.
• Store incoming materials by chemical compatibility, not alphabetically.
• Make sure the ventilation (supply and exhaust) systems comply with ASHRAE Standards 62.1 and 62.2 for hazardous materials.
• Make sure the sprinkler system (whether foam or water) complies with NFPA Chapters 16 and 17 on hazardous materials.
• When storing products in pallet racks, make sure you have updated LARCs (Load Application and Rack Configuration drawings). To learn more about why LARCs are so important, read this article. Regularly inspect the racks for damage, non-conforming issues to the rack design code, or discrepancies with LARCs (the original engineer-approved drawings).

Figure 3. Chemical storage cabinets (Barrier Holden, 2014)

Figure 4. Receipt of goods area (Health and Safety Executive, 2009)

Moving and Stacking Hazardous Materials on Pallets

When handling hazardous materials in a warehouse and storing them on pallet racks, several factors must be considered. Some treated wood pallets are highly toxic and unsafe for storing hazardous materials. Always look for the pallet stamp to ensure that you are using the right pallet with a safety pallet treatment. For additional information on the different types of pallets available in the industry, read this article.

Figure 5. Sample Pallet Stamp (Lovely Greens, 2013)

Figure 6. Types of treatment codes on pallet stamps (Eric Brennan, 2014)

Not only do the pallets you use matter when storing hazardous material, but so does the way you stack them. There are two main configurations to properly stack and secure the substances on the pallets:

• Interlinked stacking
• Strapping

Interlinked Stacking

Stack stability can be significantly influenced by the stacking method. Intermediate layers, e.g., laminated paper or corrugated cardboard, are bonded to the drums. With the interlinked stacking of boxes, the unburdened upper layer often must be held together. If the individual pieces (e.g., boxes) are very light, the layers should also be secured with shrink wrap.

Figure 7. Interlinked stacking for boxes and cylinders (Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie, 2013)

Strapping

Packaging on a pallet can be made more stable with vertical and/or horizontal strapping using textile, plastic, or steel lashing straps. With boxes made of corrugated cardboard, conical packaging, or soft packaging, attention must be paid to the tightness of the strap, as this can damage the packaging. To help prevent this, edge protectors are used to distribute the straps' clamping force.

Figure 8. Strapping for Boxes and Cylinders (Berufgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chmische Industrie, 2013)

Figure 9. Examples of strapping and interlinked stacking (Health and Safety Executive, 2009)

Hazardous Material Spill Prevention and Response

According to the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), there is always a risk of a spill or leak when storing and handling hazardous materials in a warehouse. The key is to be prepared with an efficient clean-up plan. Having the necessary tools and equipment can go a long way toward preventing spills from affecting workers' health and lives.

Below are three proactive steps you can take to be better prepared for a potential spill:

1. Purchase proper employee attire for safe handling of hazardous materials. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital for keeping your employees safe. At a minimum, workers must have eye protection, gloves, and boots. Most warehouse situations rarely require full hazmat suits, but proper coveralls are strongly recommended. Face shields are also recommended when handling corrosive materials.
2. Post signs and visual aids: Carry a full assortment of visual aids, such as preventive floor signs, floor safety tape, tool shadow tape, and aisle markings.
3. Install spill pallets: Install spill pallets (Figure 10) beneath the liquid storage containers to prevent the danger of leaks and spills. The container size will determine the pallet size. Drums containing 55 gallons or more must have a full coverage spill pallet to catch spills on all sides. The spill pallet must be designed to hold at least 35% of the drum's content.

Figure 10. Spill pallets (ENPAC Spill Pallets)

Beyond these preventive measures, there are best practices to follow in response to a spill. These include not touching the spilled material, containing it with an absorbent material, assessing how the spill occurred in the first place, and finally, planning how to prevent it from happening again. More comprehensive lists on how to properly respond to a spill are available on the websites of the United States Department of Labor and the Government of Canada.

Traffic Routes: The Safe Handling of Hazardous Materials in a Warehouse

Although there are no official guidelines for traffic routes when warehousing hazardous materials in North America, having ample space to maneuver pallets with lifts can reduce the impact of accidental damage that could lead to leaks and spills. Within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the United Kingdom, traffic routes for hazardous substances in warehouses must have a specific width. For worker traffic routes, they must be at least 2.5ft (0.75m) wide; for forklift traffic, the routes must be at least the width of the forklift plus at least 1.64ft (0.5m) on each side of the forklift.

Figure 11. Traffic routes for lifts and workers (Berufgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chmische Industrie, 2013)

Takeaway on Hazardous Materials Safety

Looking at each point presented, they all play a key role in protecting not only the materials being stored but also the employees from potential physical and health hazards. It is important to take these into consideration when operating a warehouse that stores hazardous material and take the necessary precautions, such as:

• Correctly reading the MSDS documentation when goods arrive
• Organizing the material and properly storing it
• Frequently inspecting the hazardous material for damage or any observable issues
• Supply warehouse workers with proper PPE and training to handle the material in case of a spill

For more information regarding these topics, you can refer to the most recent versions of the Codes and Standards below:

• NFPA Chapters 16 and 17
• ASHRAE Standard 62.1 and 62.2
• WHIMS 2015 and 1988
• OSHA CFR 1910, 1915, 1917, 1918, and 1926

It is equally important to integrate good rack safety procedures to help protect hazardous materials from damage. Adhering to North American rack design codes and conducting regular rack inspections significantly reduces the risk of rack collapse. Find a reliable and experienced rack safety partner who can guide you in finding the most suitable and efficient rack safety solutions to not only safely store your hazardous materials, but also to help you improve the overall safety of your warehouse.

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