Chemical Storeroom Secondary Containment

Your lab is required to have a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP). OSHA’s position is that “the CHP is the foundation of the laboratory safety program and must be reviewed and updated, as needed, and at least on an annual basis to reflect changes in policies and personnel. A CHP should be facility specific and can assist in promoting a culture of safety to protect workers from exposure to hazardous materials.”

Specific to chemical storage, you can find the following requirement:

(h) Open shelves used for chemical storage should be secured to the wall and contain 3/4-inch lips. Secondary containment devices should be used as necessary. 

Do your open liquid chemical shelves meet this requirement? If not, an easy, effective solution is to add Scientific Plastics spill trays. Scientific manufactures the largest selection of sizes of the market. Unlike nesting trays, Scientific Plastics’ trays are designed to cover the maximum amount of shelf space and incredibly durable and chemical resistant. Additionally, you never have to worry about a leak because they are a molded, one-piece tray.