If you're storing your touch-up paint and other flammables in a specially designed flammables cabinet, that’s great. However, don't defeat the purpose of the cabinet by improperly using it. Follow these basic rules to maintain safety at your facility:
- Choose a safe location. Place the cabinet away from ignition sources, high lift truck traffic, intakes to the HVAC system, and fire exits.
- Never store open containers. Flammables cabinets are designed to hold closed containers, only. They aren't designed with ventilation hoods for open containers.
- Don't exceed the cabinet capacity. An overloaded cabinet can’t safely contain the flammables. For large amounts, use specially designed storage rooms that have controls to minimize risks of fire or explosion.
- Isolate from flammables. Don't allow other departments to stack their paper file archives or spare fluorescent lamps near it.
- Inspect and maintain. Clean up spills immediately. Add an integrity inspection to your PM system.
- Keep doors closed. If people leave the doors open, padlock the doors and make them sign out a key.
