A storage safety cabinet complies standard

How do I know if a storage safety cabinet complies with a particular standard?

The storage safety cabinet must have an approval label, which meets the requirements of the standard it was manufactured to. When selecting cabinets, make sure it is certified by the appropriate organization. It is also a good practice to verify the cabinet’s certification by contacting the appropriate certifying organization in case the cabinet is counterfeit. In addition, the manufacturer will have a technical or specification document for their cabinets which should be compared to the requirements in the applicable Code or legislation.

Should storage safety cabinets be vented?Back to top

The need for ventilation depends on the type of hazardous chemicals stored in the cabinet. Storage safety cabinets for flammable liquids that are not toxic are not recommended to be ventilated as it has been shown that it is not necessary for fire protection. However, a cabinet will need to be vented according to the requirements of the local fire code or to good practices when it is used to store:

toxic or very toxic chemicals,

chemicals that decompose and release flammable or toxic gases, or gas cylinders or containers.

Generally, storage safety cabinets include dual vents. Depending on the hazardous chemical, the fire codes require vents to be:

Sealed with a material that offers the same fire protection level as the cabinet. Note that if the manufacturer supplied bungs (stoppers) with the cabinet, they should be used.

Vented outdoors with vent pipes. The fire rating for the piping must be at least equivalent to that of the cabinet itself. Mechanical exhaust ventilation is preferred and should comply with good practices such as “NFPA 91 Standard for Exhaust Systems for Air Conveying of Vapors, Gases, Mists, and Particulate Solids “. In addition:

the piping or ducting must be directed outdoors to a safe location or to a treatment device designed to control volatile organic compounds and ignitable vapours

the cabinet should be vented from the bottom with makeup air supplied from the top

manifolding of vents from multiple storage cabinets is not recommended

The following procedure should be followed when a cabinet must be vented:

Remove both metal bungs and replace them with flash arrester screens (normally included with the cabinets). The top opening is used as a fresh air inlet.

Connect the bottom opening to an exhaust fan using substantial metal tubing having an inside diameter no smaller than the vent. The tubing or piping should be rigid steel.

The fan should have a non-sparking fan blade and shroud. It should exhaust directly to the outside.

The total run of exhaust piping or ducting should not be more than 7.5 meters (25 feet)

See the illustration below for a sample method to vent a liquid storage cabinet used for toxic liquid chemicals.