Understanding the nature of the product before storing it is essential for the safe storage of specialty chemicals. Warehouses must prioritize understanding how the product will react to a variety of conditions such as leakage, heat, fire, water, poor handling, and so on. The most serious threat to any storage facility is fire. It is a widely held belief that chemical storage is hazardous. Threats can be greatly reduced if proper precautions and infrastructure are implemented in accordance with the fire department’s recommendations. It is critical to recognise that storing cotton T-shirts without a good firefighting mechanism is far more dangerous than storing specialty chemicals. Cotton T-shirts, by definition, catch fire faster than packaged specialty chemicals if an ignition source is nearby. As a result, selecting a warehousing partner with a solid and foolproof SOP for creating infrastructure and storage that is safe for various types of specialty chemicals is essential. In fact, your warehouse partner should be familiar with each product’s MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), which informs about the sensitive details of material handling and storage.
The following are some infrastructure-related guidelines to consider:
- The Government of India’s National Building Code should be used as the foundation for the design and implementation of the entire building and safety system.
- To eliminate all ignition sources, only flameproof and PESO-approved electrical fittings with FRLS wiring are used in the premises.
- ESFR Sprinklers to ensure a sufficient water spray in the event of a sprinkler burst.
- A bleed line system is used to ensure that if any chemical leaks and mixes with water, the contaminated water only travels through the bleed line for safe collection in containment tanks and disposal.
- Water storage for adequate firefighting for up to 3-4 hours in the event of an emergency Insulation throughout the warehouse to keep the temperature low in comparison to the outside environment.
- To ensure early intervention, beam detectors, heat detectors, and smoke detectors are used.
- Lightning arrestors that meet global standards to ensure building safety even if lightning strikes Mats that are anti-static Air-conditioning systems that are flameproof a minimum of 6 air changes per hour is required for adequate ventilation.
Following infrastructure safety, expertise in operating warehouse safety systems is pursued. To ensure human and cargo safety, your warehouse partner must ensure that there is a well-trained and expert team that is able to use the safe infrastructure correctly in the event of an untoward incident. Incorrect use of safety systems can raise the risk and magnify the severity of an incident. If a sprinkler bursts next to a water-reactive chemical (sodium based), it will add fuel to the fire. Make certain that your warehousing partner has a strong HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, and Environment) system in place.
The following are some suggestions:
- Appropriate and industry-standard PPE for personnel handling goods
- Road Safety – Vehicle checklist, inspection, DG handling, and training Ensuring a secure perimeter is established around the warehouse by a 24×7 security staff and CCTV monitoring of the premises from a third independent location
- Licenses and other requirements for such specialized storage
- Environment protection to ensure that no spills or leaks harm the ecosystem around us.
Furthermore, multiple training methods are used throughout the year, some of which are:
- Staff must be trained on a regular basis to deal with chemical spills and leaks.
- Staff training and regular mock drills for fire safety, evacuation, and other operational drills are required.
- Training a doctor-trained first-aid team of responders
- Our MHE (Material Handling Equipment) drivers are being trained to drive safely.
- Joint training exercises are conducted with the local fire department to ensure that they are also familiar with the infrastructure on site.
While safety is of the utmost importance, there are some important characteristics to look for in your warehousing partner:
Is a Business Continuity Plan in place for you?
If an incident occurs and the facility is rendered inoperable for an extended period of time, the following steps should be taken to ensure that your business does not suffer:
- For any contingencies, adequate space is available at multiple warehouse locations in the same city.
- Keeping data in the cloud to ensure business continuity from any location
Do they provide value-added services and possess strong capabilities?
A few upsides will help here, for example:
- Blending chemicals: You could be selling personalized blended products. A warehouse partner who can complete this work to your specifications would be ideal.
- Modern storage systems: heavy-duty pallet racking system for tailored storage solutions increases adaptability, accessibility, and output
- Storage of Dangerous Chemicals: Some chemicals are highly flammable and potentially dangerous. To handle these, special care and a specially trained workforce would be required. Your warehousing provider should be able to meet these requirements in accordance with GOI guidelines and industry standards.
