Dangerous Goods Storage

Frequently Asked Questions

What are hazardous chemicals?

Does your workplace use, store or transport flammable, corrosive, explosive, toxic, spontaneously combustible, oxidising or water-reactive substances? If so, you’re handling Dangerous Goods.

Hazardous chemicals or Dangerous Goods can be defined as substances, mixtures and articles that pose a risk to your health or are a physical hazard to humans.

Health hazards refer to those chemicals that can have an adverse impact on your health. Exposure to these chemicals usually occurs through skin contact, inhalation and ingestion.

Chemicals can also be a physical hazard causing damage to people or property. Examples of these types of chemicals include flammable liquids, compressed gases and explosives.

When handling Dangerous Goods it's important to understand that each chemical can have a different impact to people, property or in some circumstances can react to other chemicals. With chemicals onsite, keep the chemical’s Safety Data Sheet (SDS) closeby to comprehend how to respond to spill, storage, adverse effects, reactions and more.

What is the recommendation for the storage and handling of flammable liquids?

Flammable liquids defined as Class 3 is one of the most common classes that is used across a variety of industries. Class 3 goods can be found in an assortment of everyday products such as fuel, petrol, diesel, hand sanitiser, nail polish remover, brake cleaner and more.

The Australian Standards AS1940 outlines the storage requirements of flammable liquids. Within the AS1940 document it refers to the best practices for indoor and outdoor storage of combustible and flammable liquids, which includes and not limited to wall thickness, air ventilation, storage capacity and more.

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What are the 9 classes of Dangerous Goods?

There are nine classes of Dangerous Goods that are either a solid, liquid or gas. Each class has further variation and subdivisions of each class.

• Class 1: Explosives.
• Class 2: Gases - Hazardous Gas Storage.
• Class 3: Flammable liquids - Flammable Cabinet Storage.
• Class 4: Flammable solids.
• Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides - Oxidising Storage, Organic Peroxide Storage.
• Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances - Toxic Storage, Pesticide and Herbicide Storage.
• Class 7: Radioactive material.
• Class 8: Corrosive substances - Corrosive Storage.
• Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles.

How to be prepared for a chemical spill?

Don't wait for an accident to happen. Prevent hazards caused by leaks and be prepared for any major spill event using a range of sorbents and spill control products. Additionally, in the event of a hazardous material spill ensure to review the chemical Safety Data Sheet to help respond to a specific spill.

Source: Safe Work Australia, Managing Risks of Storing Chemicals in the Workplace.