Construction worksites are dynamic spaces that entail a wide variety of procedures. From acquiring and using the right tools and materials to delegating tasks to the construction workforce, coordinating these different variables to construct a building on a timeline is a massive effort.
As the construction process is underway, it’s important to consider the health and safety of your workforce as well as the broader community. Constructing a building involves many chemicals and compounds that may be deemed hazardous, and if left neglected, these hazards can harm workers, delay the project, or worse, seep into the environment and persist for years to come.
With that being a looming possibility, it’s essential for construction supervisors and everyone dealing with hazardous chemicals to ensure that these chemicals are systematically placed in proper storage solutions.
If you’re looking to improve your construction project’s safety procedures, particularly in storing chemicals, you’re in the right place. We’ll run you through some tips and insights to help you store chemicals on a construction project safely.
1. Identify, Track, and Label Your Chemicals
The first step to managing your construction site chemicals is by knowing where they’re located and giving them appropriate labels for easy identification.
Construction projects utilise a wide range of chemicals that may fall under one of nine of the classifications of hazardous goods.
For instance, sealants, adhesives, and fuels can be considered either flammable, corrosive, or toxic—which can pose a risk to people if not stored and managed properly.
Each type of hazardous goods should be managed distinctively from one another due to their inherently different properties. Mixing up your safety approaches can be risky and is best avoided.
Typically, when acquiring the chemicals you come across on construction sites from retail stores or suppliers, you’ll be given a safety label and safety data sheets (SDS) that go into detail on the storage and handling requirements of that particular product.
Go through these data sheet instructions and ensure that you’re complying with them. This resource is the most critical tool to consider when it comes to managing your chemicals and hazardous products. By following the steps listed there, you’ll be able to increase your chances of minimising the risks associated with chemical mishandling.
2. Place Chemicals in Dedicated Storage Solutions
In many safety data sheets of chemicals, there’ll be detailed instructions on how to properly store the substance.
Most of these guidelines would claim that storing your chemicals in chemical storage cabinets is the way to go if you want to ensure superior protection against vapour emissions, unwanted reactions, and unauthorised entry.
These storage solutions are specifically built to contain dangerous goods up to a certain volume.
In some countries, certain hazardous goods like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have a maximum allowable limit indoors. For instance, Australia has marked the limit at 30 kilograms per building.
Needless to say, it’s important to comply with legal regulations to ensure that you’re keeping your property and its dwellers safe. It’s also important to avoid penalties and fees. To ensure your safety, be sure to seal chemicals in special, marked cabinets that are built specifically to hold that specific class of chemicals.
From oxidising agent storage cabinets to flammable liquids, you can find a broad range of sturdy and compliant chemical cabinets from Storemasta. You can put these cabinets on the ground floor or a private outdoor area of the construction site to ensure maximum safety.
3. Use Spill-Containment Systems
One common result of mishandled chemicals is spillages and chemical leaks. If left neglected, these spillages can result in a variety of problems within the construction site, such as the emission of harmful vapours and the breaking down of a floor’s structural integrity.
This, of course, is dependent on the type of substance that gets spilled. If you’ve spilled something relatively harmless like water, then you can just clean the area with a rag and move on. However, for dangerous chemicals like fuels and solvents, you’ll need to be quick on your feet to address the situation appropriately.
That said, the best way to prevent a problem from escalating is by preventing it from happening in the first place. As such, having a spill-containment system in places where these chemicals may be placed, such as their special storage cabinet, is vital to reduce health and environmental risks.
Ensure that your spill kit is specifically designed to control the spread of the specific chemical that spilled. This is for your own safety and for the effectiveness of the cleanup effort.
Furthermore, be sure to have a spill kit within close reach of the chemical whenever it’s in use. This way, you can respond quickly in case of a sudden emergency. Having one near your storage facility is also essential for the same reason, as spillages can occur during the placement or retrieval of a chemical from the storage unit.
4. Separate Incompatible Chemicals
On a construction site, the construction team will use a wide combination of chemicals to support the building project in one way or another. As essential as these chemicals are, mixing some of them in their pure form can lead to dangerous reactions and risky accidents.
For instance, hydrochloric acid is a common acid used to clean tools. Sodium hydroxide is another cleaning substance that can help remove paint. While these two serve slightly similar cleaning properties, combining these two materials can be extremely dangerous as a reaction can cause intense heat and toxic fumes.
Oxidisers like hydrogen peroxide should also not be in proximity with substances like acetone, gasoline, and other flammable chemicals as they can combust upon being in contact with one another.
As much as possible, avoid mixing these chemicals under any circumstances. Read up on the SDS of each of your chemicals and know what chemicals to keep away from other chemicals. This helps ensure the safety of your workers and the efficient construction of the building project in turn.
5. Limit Access to Authorised Personnel Only
Construction sites are open-air structures that may not be fully secured when your construction team calls it a day. This means that there’s a non-zero risk of unauthorised personnel swarming in at night and roaming the place.
Having these rowdy crowds mess with your construction site is bad enough, but having them displace chemicals out in the open is even worse. This can be prevented by using lockable cabinets that are clearly marked with Danger labels and Authorised Personnel Only signages.
You can go the extra mile by tucking these chemicals away in hard-to-access areas, like behind a locked shed outdoors. Limiting access to dangerous chemicals helps minimise the risk of worksite accidents. It also safeguards your assets and keeps the public safe, which is always the desired outcome.
6. Regularly Train Staff on Safety Protocols
A construction project involves tens if not hundreds of people all working towards a common goal. They may all find themselves within the construction site doing one function or another.
This may place these people in close proximity to these dangerous chemicals. A good number of them may even handle these chemicals directly.
In such cases, it’s important to choose the right construction worker and to abide by strict safety protocols and familiarise themselves with emergency response procedures when they’re within the premises. This is to ensure their safety in the event of a worksite accident.
Furthermore, it’s also key to teach the direct handlers of the chemicals to follow best practices when dealing with their specific hazardous good. They should know the steps to take following a leakage or exposure to the chemical.
End Note
Consider conducting regular sessions to help promote a culture of safety within the construction worksite. This helps the employees become capable first responders when an accident does occur, thus preventing any further damage and injuries within the site.
