For many construction sites, hazardous materials, from paint to gasoline to pesticides, are a fact of life. For example, gasoline can fuel powerful construction equipment, while painting provides the finishing touch to everything from siding to floors. Pesticides, too, can be an integral part of landscaping equipment, as they can kill off bugs that are detrimental to the results of the given project. Across industries, it’s plain to see that hazardous materials, despite their scary-sounding name, are not only common but can be a crucial part of getting the job done.
This is why it’s critical that you, as a person in charge of one of any type of construction operation, learn a bit about storing these materials. Even if your team currently doesn’t use them, they’re bound to come up eventually, and the safety of your employees and your clients alike depends on the responsible handling of these substances.
This can be a tricky subject, especially if you’ll need to store multiple chemicals in multiple different ways! However, MC Tool & Safety, as a provider of general contractor supplies and power tool repair services, is here to help. While we can’t address every hazardous material out there in a single blog post, we can still provide you with some rules of thumb for their safe and effective keeping.
WHEN IN DOUBT, CHECK WITH OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is dedicated to preserving safety in the workplace across a variety of occupations. If you’re ever unsure about what you should be doing to store a specific material, this is a great resource that often gets very specific about the legally required procedures.
In general, though, thoughtful storage procedures are essential. This is not a subject to be taken lightly.
● Use drip pans underneath all containers | Spilling a hazardous material can result in anything from worker injury to wasted money. To prevent hazardous materials from ending up on the floor should a leak occur in their container, use drip pans.
● Clearly mark the storage area | The bolder this indicator, the better! Your workers need to know both where to put the hazardous material when they’re finished with them so as to prevent accidents. They also must be reminded to don the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators, before entering this room.
● Instruct your workers to double-check that containers are closed before leaving the storage area | This can help prevent potentially toxic spills should a drum or container tip over.
MC TOOL & SAFETY IS YOUR ONE-STOP SAFETY SHOP
As we stated above, the containment and storage of these materials is a nuanced yet important subject. We’re here to help. Give us a call today at 763-786-5350 or use our toll-free line at 888-206-2569.
