Health and Safety for Beginners Forums

Hi Folks

I've bought a cabinet (not a specialist flammables cabinet) for storing flammable liquids in my garage. I'd like to a) keep things in one place and b) label it so that the hazard is clear to others.

Liquids include acetone, alcohol, white spirit and petrol (in a purpose-made 5L container). Having stored liquids in there overnight there is a strong smell of petrol when I open the cabinet door. There is no such smell when the petrol is stored on a shelf in the garage.

Two questions.

1) Does the presence of such a strong smell within the cabinet (obviously a build up of fumes) suggest that the petrol container is inadequate in the first place, given that it's purpose made? Obviously petrol has a strong smell anyway.

2) If the petrol container is adequate, would it actually be safer to store it outside of the cabinet, since the current of fresh air through the garage is clearly enough to remove any fumes naturally. When it's in the cabinet the build up of fumes would seem to me to actually be more dangerous!

Many thanks for any advice.

Bump

WB

Thanks for the bump WB. Looks like no one's interested ... normally when a noob posts on a forum someone has an opinion!

afternoon Stonky,
http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/ ... iquids.htm
will give you best practice for a workplace environment..


however for your garage,
well ventilated area.
lockable storage area
away from any ignition sources
out the way from the kids/pets/ better half
suitable container / labeled so you know what your looking for

just common sense approach really.
Kind Regards
Gav Gregson

Hi Gav

Thanks for your reply and for the useful HSE link.

It was what I thought was a common sense approach that lead to my enquiry.

I’m still looking for specific answers to my two questions

stonky wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2018 4:09 pm
Two questions.

1) Does the presence of such a strong smell within the cabinet (obviously a build up of fumes) suggest that the petrol container is inadequate in the first place, given that it's purpose made? Obviously petrol has a strong smell anyway.

2) If the petrol container is adequate, would it actually be safer to store it outside of the cabinet, since the current of fresh air through the garage is clearly enough to remove any fumes naturally. When it's in the cabinet the build up of fumes would seem to me to actually be more dangerous!

Many thanks for any advice.