Can incompatible materials be stored in the same storage safety cabinet?

Can incompatible materials be stored in the same storage safety cabinet?

Incompatible materials, regardless of their physical form (e.g., gas, liquid, solid), must never be stored in the same cabinet, unless storage cabinets are designed with non-combustible or half-an-hour vertical fire barriers or partitions or as required by the fire code. For example:

Only compatible flammable liquids can be stored in the same flammable liquid storage safety cabinet. Flammable acids or reactive flammable chemicals cannot be stored with flammable solvents that will react with them. Although a flammable acid or flammable reactive chemical and a flammable solvent pose a similar hazard, they cannot be stored together in the cabinet because of their additional reactivity hazard.

Corrosive chemicals such as acid and caustics cannot be stored together in a safety cabinet for corrosive substances. Acids and caustics can react rapidly and with the evolution of heat.

Hazardous chemicals in glass containers must be stored in cabinets that provide extra protection for glass containers. This extra protection is needed because the glass will melt when it is exposed to fire. The melting point for glass is well above the standard requirement for the storage safety cabinet to limit the internal temperature at the center of the cabinet to about 163°C (325°F) upon exposure to a 10-minute fire test.

Do not store gas cylinders or aerosols containing hazardous chemicals in safety cabinets that are designed for liquid storage only. Some health and safety legislations may allow for small aerosol containers to be stored together with liquids. Check the jurisdiction’s health and safety legislation.

Toxic chemicals must not be stored together if they are not compatible.

Toxic chemicals must not be stored together with products used for the preparation of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods.

Before putting materials of similar hazard in a cabinet, always check:

the compatibility table 3.2.7.6 in the National Fire Code of Canada

the safety data sheet for incompatible materials

in absence of sufficient information in the safety data sheet, consult with the manufacturer.

Can a flammable liquid storage safety cabinet be modified?

Since the storage safety cabinet is tested in its original manufactured form with the original construction material per a standard stated in the fire code, any modifications will generally affect the cabinet's performance. When cabinets are modified, the certifying agency may require additional tests, inspections, examinations, or other evaluations that will demonstrate that the modified cabinet product continues to fulfill requirements. Unless the modifications have been determined to be insignificant to the structural integrity and fire performance of the cabinet, any other modification will generally void the approval of that product and the manufacturer’s warranty.