Last Revised: March 24, 2025
Revision 3/2025
The requirements in the following sections of Penn's Chemical Hygiene Plan apply to the handling and storage of various hazard classes of chemicals:
- SOP: Acutely Toxic Chemicals
- SOP: Carcinogens
- SOP: Corrosives
- SOP: Explosive Compounds
- SOP: Flammable Liquids
- SOP: Irritants
- SOP: Pyrophoric Chemicals
- SOP: Strong Oxidizers
- SOP: Compressed Gases
- SOP: Hazardous and Highly Toxic Gases
- Section VI: Chemical Storage and Transportation
The Fact Sheet below summarizes hazard information and precautions for storing these materials; however, this information is provided as a supplement to the SOPs, which must first be read and understood by anyone planning to store or work with chemicals of the respective hazards.
Hazard Description
Most laboratories require some hazardous chemicals to facilitate their research. Due to their hazardous nature, proper storage of these chemicals is critical to maintaining the health and safety of researchers in the lab. However, proper storage is made difficult by the fact that there are many different hazards that a chemical may possess, each of which require different solutions to mitigate. Furthermore, many hazardous chemicals are incompatible with each other in storage due to reactivity concerns, further complicating the matter.
Guidance for the proper storage of hazardous chemicals can be found across many pages on EHRS's website. The resources on this page serve to summarize the chemical storage guidance found elsewhere on the website in a manner that is convenient to access, read, and print out for everyday reference in the lab.
A Fact Sheet summarizing guidance for the storage of Compressed Gases has not yet been created. For information on the storage of compressed gases, see SOP: Compressed Gases, SOP: Hazardous and Highly Toxic Gases, and Penn's CHP Section VI: Chemical Storage and Transportation.
The standard attire required in all laboratories is long pants, enclosed shoes, and a top covering the shoulders, chest, midriff, and back. When handling hazardous chemicals, lab workers must, at a minimum, wear lab coats, safety glasses, and disposable gloves appropriate for the chemical being handled. Shorts, sandals, and tops covering less than what is listed above may not be worn into the lab, even under a lab coat.
Additional PPE may be required for some procedures. The PI is responsible for determining when additional PPE is required in their laboratory based on the hazards of the work. The PI must also educate lab workers on when the additional PPE is required and enforce the proper care and use of the equipment.
- Segregate chemicals by hazard class into storage locations appropriate for the hazard class,
- Follow additional storage recommendations from the manufacturer, such as storage at sub-ambient temperatures,
- Separate any incompatible chemicals that share a hazard class from each other in storage.
- Best Practice: Store chemicals in different cabinets or different shelves in a cabinet.
- Minimum Requirement: Store chemicals in different secondary containment bins.
Consult with your PI, your peers, and a chemical's SDS to help determine if a storage location is appropriate, and if there are chemical incompatibilities one must look out for.
Related Fact Sheets and SOPs
Lab Coat, Gloves, and Safety Eyewear Policy