I think the 1 gallon per 100 square feet is OSHA. What you have to make sure not to exceed the amount your cabinet is rated. for. We do not store are 10 % in a flammable cabinet.
Tom Podawiltz, HT (ASCP) Histology Section Head/Laboratory Safety Officer LRGHealthcare 603-524-3211 ext: 3220 ________________________________________ From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Hayes, Tina J. [tina.ha...@va.gov] Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 9:37 AM To: Jean Warren; Riesen, Rebecca; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] formalin storage WE do not store our 10 NBF in flammable storage. However, Could you tell me where you found this direction of storing only 1 gallon per 100 sq. feet in a flammable cabinet, and 1 gallon outside? More specific than NFPA. I have been unable to find that anywhere, our safety folks tell us that if they are in a flammable cabinet the amount per room size doesn't matter. -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Jean Warren Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 9:25 AM To: Riesen, Rebecca; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: Re: [Histonet] formalin storage No, it is ridiculous. Safety people tried to argue this with us years ago. One of our pathologists told them, "How can something that is almost 90% water be a combustion hazard?" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Riesen, Rebecca" <rebecca.rie...@nchmd.org> To: <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 9:15 AM Subject: [Histonet] formalin storage We have been directed by our Safety Officer to store all formalin (37% and 10% NBF) in a flammable storage room, cabinet or container. Yes, 37% Formalin we do store in this manner, but I have never heard of this requirement for 10%NBF. I looked on line to many MSDS sheets from different vendors and found only one that stated such storage requirements for 10% NBF. During this search I found all but one company states that formalin is not flammable. I brought this to the Safety Officer. He agrees that it is not "flammable" but that it IS "combustible". Combustible=Flash point of 100F to 200F. Of the dozen sites I visited I found the following data concerning the Flash Point of 10% NBF: from "NA / >200F / 122F to 185F". The NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) guideline of no more than 1 gallon in a flammable storage container and 1 gallon outside of a safety cabinet/container per 100 square feet is already quite limiting. Using this guideline, we have calculated acceptable volumes of the known flammables (Alcohols and Xylenes) we can store. Adding 10% NBF to the equation will have us traveling to our "bulk" storage area constantly. Does anyone out there store 10%NBF in flammable cans/cabinets? Riesen, Rebecca rebecca.rie...@nchmd.org NCH Healthcare Systems Direct 239-436-5000 x2188 Fax 239-436-6767 Visit our website at http://www.nchmd.org CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email and any files transmitted with it are from the NCH Healthcare System. This message is confidential and is intended only for the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this email in error, please call us immediately at (239) 436-5000 and ask to speak to the message sender or promptly email the message sender of the delivery error and then delete the message. Thank you. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet THIS MESSAGE IS CONFIDENTIAL. This e-mail message and any attachments are proprietary and confidential information intended only for the use of the recipient(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not print,distribute, or copy this message or any attachments. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete this message and any attachments from your computer. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of LRGHealthcare. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet