Home Hazardous Material Storage
Storage sheds serve many purposes around the home, and one of the most important functions that most people never think of is safety. Frankly, there are a lot of things we use around our homes on a regular basis that can be hazardous to our families, pets, and property. Storing these things in a room attached to our homes is probably not the wisest choice. Two hazardous material types come to mind immediately:
Pesticides and fuel
Pesticides
A storage building can be the perfect way to keep your home pesticides and chemicals safe, and to keep your loved ones and pets safe as well.
If you perform your own home pest control, whether for your home, lawn, or garden, you should be careful how you mix them, how you apply them, how you dispose of any remaining mix, how you clean up afterward, and how you store the chemicals. The place to start is with the chemical safety labels.
The chemical safety labels contain all the information you should need to make the right choices, and stay within the bounds of standard safety practices, and the law. In fact, any trained pest control expert will tell you that the label is the law! The Label also states that: “It is a violation of federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with it’s labeling.”
Consider buying or building a storage building for the purpose of home hazardous material storage. This will allow you to keep them separated from the rest of your possessions. Having a garage full of pesticide fumes is not pleasant. Accidental spills could be a real safety issue for your family and pets. Why run the risk when you don’t have to. There is an easy solution, and it is worth the small expense.
Fuel
Fuels for internal combustion engines like diesel and gasoline, and heating fuels like kerosene are highly volatile, and under some circumstances, highly explosive. I am sure that I don't need to remind you that kerosene is jet fuel, and that 1 gallon of gasoline can have the explosive effect of several sticks of dynamite! Storing them in your garage next to internal combustion engines, and gas hot water heaters can be dangerous. Storing them with fertilizers can also be a problem. Having a separate area for hazardous material storage just makes sense. Use a storage shed for storing such combustibles away from the home.
Hazardous material storage design considerations
When designing your hazardous material storage shed, consider adding containment bins, something as simple as plastic tubs to control spills can save a lot of heartache. Also consider keeping a supply of cat litter or some other type of absorbent material handy. A cleanup area, complete with a water source is also recommended.
A means of good ventilation should also be considered. For normal home products storage, a vent near the top of the building, or a roof vent and a window at one end or on the side would probably be sufficient. Most chemical safety labels include storage requirements which should be followed strictly.
A steel fuel storage cabinet is a very good idea if you plan to store a substantial quantity of fuel.
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