How to Store Hazardous Chemicals: A Practical UK COSHH Guide

Categories
Recent Posts

Storing hazardous chemicals isn’t just a shelving exercise. One bottle placed next to an incompatible neighbour, a flammable left near an ignition source, or a poorly labelled drum can escalate into injury, fire, or pollution — and a failed HSE inspection. Whether you run a lab, warehouse or workshop, the challenge is the same: protect people and the environment, and stay compliant.

What helps is a clear, practical method grounded in UK law. This guide translates COSHH, DSEAR and CLP duties into actions: build a live inventory, use SDS well, design storage that contains spills, segregates incompatibles, controls ignition sources, and uses the right cabinets, containers and signage. It shows what to do, how to do it, and how to evidence it.

Next, we’ll walk through sixteen practical steps: confirming legal duties, risk assessing, designing storage, segregating by hazard class (not alphabetically), choosing compliant cabinets, controlling ventilation and temperature, limiting quantities with bunding, labelling and signage, controls for high‑risk materials, spill readiness, inspections, waste storage, training, records, and audits to improve.

Step 1. Confirm your legal duties under COSHH, DSEAR and CLP

Before you touch a shelf, confirm which laws apply. COSHH requires you to identify hazardous substances, assess storage risks, implement and maintain controls, and train staff with emergency arrangements. If you store flammables or create explosive atmospheres, DSEAR also applies—assess fire/explosion risks, control ignition sources, provide ventilation and use fire‑resistant cabinets. CLP underpins your labels and packaging: ensure every container carries the correct pictograms and hazard statements and use them to drive segregation and signage.

Step 2. Create and maintain a live chemical inventory

Build a live chemical inventory and keep it current. Record each substance, hazard class (per CLP), container type/size, quantity on hand and location; link each entry to its SDS. Update on delivery, transfer or disposal, and reconcile during inspections. This is foundational to how to store hazardous chemicals and to evidence COSHH controls, segregation, storage limits and emergency response.

Step 3. Get and use safety data sheets (SDS) for every substance

Obtain a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every substance from the supplier and keep the latest version accessible; link it to your inventory. Use the SDS to define storage and handling: hazard classification, incompatibilities/segregation, ventilation and temperature needs, container compatibility, and emergency actions (spills, first aid). Follow storage and disposal instructions. If a product arrives without an SDS, contact the supplier immediately.

Step 4. Assess risks and write a COSHH/DSEAR storage risk assessment

Use the inventory and SDSs to identify hazards (flammable, oxidising, corrosive, toxic, gases) and incompatibilities. Evaluate likelihood/severity of fire or explosion (DSEAR), harmful vapours, spills to drains and container failure, considering quantities, location, ignition sources, ventilation, drainage and security. Record controls: segregation, secondary containment/bunding, rated cabinets, ventilation, limiting quantities, storage below eye level, access control, labelling/signage, and spill/first‑aid arrangements. Write this as a COSHH/DSEAR storage risk assessment—core to how to store hazardous chemicals safely—with actions, owners and review dates; update after changes or incidents.

Step 5. Design the storage area: location, layout, security and drainage

Design storage to minimise fire, collision and pollution risks. Choose a location away from traffic and flood risk, use impermeable surfaces with controlled drainage, and make segregation and spill control obvious—core to how to store hazardous chemicals safely. Secure the area against unauthorised entry, and plan supervised delivery points with clear emergency access.

  • Secure, lockable store; restrict access; sign the boundary.
  • Impermeable floor; isolatable drainage; up‑to‑date drainage plan.
  • Secondary containment (bunds/trays) for liquids and decanting points.
  • Level, wall‑fixed shelving; below eye level; keep egress clear.
  • Site away from perimeters, traffic and heat sources.

Step 6. Segregate by hazard class and incompatibility (not alphabetically)

Segregation prevents dangerous reactions; never arrange chemicals alphabetically. Group by hazard class in order of severity (pyrophorics, water‑reactives, flammables, corrosives, oxidisers, toxics). Physically separate groups using cabinets, trays or distance. For multi‑hazard substances, prioritise the highest hazard—e.g., glacial acetic acid is combustible, so store as flammable and isolate from bases and oxidising acids.

  • Acids vs bases: Separate acids from bases; keep oxidising acids away from organics.
  • Oxidisers, water‑reactives, corrosives: Keep oxidisers away from flammables; store water‑reactives away from water and aqueous chemicals; keep corrosives from materials that could release toxic or flammable vapours.

Step 7. Choose the right cabinets, rooms and containers for each hazard

After segregation, match each hazard to purpose‑built storage. Select cabinets and containers that contain fire and spills, resist corrosion, restrict access to toxics, and suit chemical compatibility. Keep containers closed, intact and clearly labelled. This is central to how to store hazardous chemicals compliantly.

  • Flammables: Fire‑resistant cabinets; away from heat and ignition.
  • Corrosives: Corrosion‑resistant cabinets; segregate by trays; consider venting.
  • Oxidisers: Dedicated bays or cabinets, clear of combustibles.
  • Toxics/containers: Lockable cupboards; original/compatible containers; rated safety cans.

Step 8. Control ignition sources, ventilation and temperature

Control ignition, ventilation and temperature when planning how to store hazardous chemicals. Prevent flammable vapours meeting sparks, and use ventilation per the SDS. Keep stores cool and shaded to reduce vapour pressure; manage heat loads from sunlight. Don’t store in fume hoods.

  • Eliminate ignition sources: no smoking or open flames.
  • Ventilation: follow SDS; never use fume hoods for storage.
  • Flammable cabinets: don’t vent unless required; improper venting negates fire protection.

Step 9. Limit quantities on site and in use; provide bunding and secondary containment

Minimise the amount you store on site and at point‑of‑use: smaller holdings cut fire load, reduce spill consequences and simplify control. For liquids, provide secondary containment so leaks can’t reach drains—use impermeable trays, bunded pallets or sumps with isolating valves where appropriate—core to how to store hazardous chemicals safely.

  • Limit ‘in‑use’ quantities: Return bulk to the main store promptly.
  • Contain and isolate transfers: Use trays under shelves and at decant points; keep delivery areas impermeable with isolatable drainage.

Step 10. Label containers and stores; provide the right signage

Label every container, decant bottle and tank clearly and permanently—no unlabelled chemicals. Use CLP‑compliant labels with the correct pictograms and hazard statements, consistent with the SDS. Keep stores and cabinets clearly signposted at entrances and on doors: identify the hazards present, post “No smoking/No ignition sources”, emergency contacts, and, for tanks, the contents and storage capacity.

Step 11. Set special controls for high-risk materials (gases, pyrophorics, water reactives, oxidisers, cryogens)

Some materials demand special controls beyond standard segregation when planning how to store hazardous chemicals. Compressed and toxic gases must be stored upright and restrained in well‑ventilated areas; separate oxidising from flammable gases, and place toxic gases in ventilated gas cabinets. For pyrophorics, prioritise the pyrophoric hazard, use SDS guidance to exclude air and moisture, and segregate rigorously. Keep water‑reactives dry and away from aqueous chemicals as indicated by SDS. Keep oxidisers away from flammables and combustibles. For cryogens, use dedicated containers and well‑ventilated spaces as specified by the SDS.

Step 12. Prepare for spills and leaks; equip and train for first response

Spills are foreseeable; readiness is integral to how to store hazardous chemicals. Base your plan on the SDS and drainage layout: who raises the alarm, who isolates drains, what to use, and when to evacuate. Position kits at stores, decant points and delivery bays, and train staff.

  • Stock appropriate spill kits: absorbents, neutralisers for acids/bases, and drain protection; follow SDS guidance.
  • Keep a drainage plan: supervise deliveries, drill responses, restock kits and dispose of wastes.

Step 13. Establish housekeeping, inspection and maintenance routines

Housekeeping, inspections and maintenance keep storage controls effective and demonstrate COSHH compliance. Use a documented schedule with checklists, corrective actions and records. Build daily tidy checks into operations, plus periodic walk‑throughs to verify compliance.

  • No storage on floors or in fume hoods; keep exits clear.
  • Containers closed/labelled; shelving secured; below eye level; bunds/cabinets intact; spill kits and extinguishers in‑date—core to how to store hazardous chemicals.

Step 14. Store hazardous waste correctly and organise collections

Treat hazardous waste like chemicals in use. Keep it in original or compatible, closed containers, clearly labelled ‘waste’ with contents and CLP hazards. Segregate by incompatibility, store below eye level on bunded, impermeable surfaces with isolatable drains, and keep away from heat and egress. Minimise accumulation, inspect routinely for leaks, and arrange prompt, supervised collections using SDS guidance.

Step 15. Control access, train staff and keep records ready for inspection

Restrict entry, train people for the tasks they do, and keep simple evidence that controls are working. These three essentials underpin how to store hazardous chemicals safely and give you confidence during HSE visits or after any spill or near‑miss.

  • Control access: locked store, authorised trained staff only, supervised deliveries.
  • Train and refresh: COSHH/DSEAR controls, SDS use, segregation, PPE, spill response.
  • Keep records: inventory, SDS, risk assessments, inspections, maintenance, training, drills.

Step 16. Audit your storage and plan continuous improvement

Make auditing a routine part of how to store hazardous chemicals, not a reaction. Schedule formal audits and walk‑throughs to confirm that what’s on paper matches what’s on shelves. Use the live inventory, SDSs and the storage risk assessment as your checklist; verify segregation and containment, reconcile stock, assign corrective actions, and review after changes or incidents.

Bring it all together

Storing hazardous chemicals well is a system, not a cupboard. With a live inventory, current SDSs, risk‑based segregation, the right cabinets, controlled ignition sources and ventilation, secondary containment, clear labels and signage, disciplined housekeeping and training, you can meet COSHH and DSEAR, cut fire and spill risk, and pass inspections with confidence. Document what you do with simple records: inventory reconciliations, inspections, maintenance, training and drills.

If you want practical support to design or upgrade a store, write a COSHH/DSEAR assessment, train teams, or audit compliance, we can help. Choose e‑learning, virtual classroom, public courses or in‑house delivery, and get coaching that sticks. Start the conversation at Logicom Hub.