Excerpted from Workplace Safety and Health Guidelines – Laboratory Handling Chemicals
Storage of Highly Toxic Chemicals
A toxic substance is any chemical that is harmful to human health (e.g., causing severe illness, organ damage, impairment of the central nervous system, or death) if inhaled, ingested, injected or absorbed through the skin or eyes. The adverse health effects of exposure to a toxic chemical will depend on its route of entry into the body, the exposure dose and the duration of exposure.
Primary storage concern:
- Prevent workers from inhaling chemicals, or their eyes or skin from coming into contact with chemicals.
The following applies when storing toxic chemicals:
- Store highly toxic chemicals (including carcinogens, mutagens, teratogens) in a dedicated poisons cabinet labelled “Toxic” or “Poison”;
- Highly toxic chemicals must be kept under lock and key to prevent unauthorized access;
- Store chemicals of moderate to high toxicity in unbreakable containers placed in chemical resistant secondary containers;
- Containers for toxic chemicals must be well-sealed to avoid vaporization and spills. Container caps made of plastic wrap, aluminium foil, and glass or cork stoppers do not adequately prevent toxic vapors from being released directly into the atmosphere;
- Toxic chemicals in volumes larger than one liter should be stored as close to the floor as possible; and
- Bodily decontamination facilities (e.g., an eyewash station and emergency shower) must be located near to or inside storage areas for immediate use upon accidental exposure (especially skin contact or contact with the eyes) to a toxic chemical.