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Safety

Corrosive Chemicals, Part 7

March 6, 2018

Consider where your department stores corrosive chemicals.

Where does your department store corrosive chemicals? If you store them in lockers designated and designed for the purpose and those lockers are in a well-ventilated location, that’s great. If you store them in an electrical room, you need to find a different location. Not only are corrosives often flammable, they are always corrosive and vapors escaping from the containers will corrode the electrical gear.

Regardless of the amount of corrosive you are using:

Follow the ventilation recommendations on the material data sheets (MDS) and product container label. You might plan to use an insignificant amount, but you could accidentally spill the container or just end up using more than you had planned to.
Use all the personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended on the MDS and product container label. Don’t try to “save time” by confusing the amount of solvent with the strength of the solvent. Skipping that charcoal canister respirator could mean permanent lung damage, and skipping that face shield could leave you disfigured for life.
Treat it with the care that safety demands.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.