Associate Safety Professional Practice Exam

What is the number one consideration in storing chemicals?

1. Temperature control

2. Segregation

3. Container strength

4. Inventory rotation

The correct answer is: Segregation

The primary consideration in storing chemicals is segregation. This practice is crucial because it prevents dangerous reactions between incompatible substances. Chemicals can possess varying characteristics, such as being flammable, corrosive, or reactive with one another. Proper segregation ensures that each type of chemical is stored in a manner that minimizes risks, such as spills, leaks, or violent reactions, thus maintaining a safer storage environment for both personnel and the facility. When chemicals of different types are stored together without proper segregation, the potential for accidents increases significantly. For example, storing oxidizers next to flammable materials can create a high-risk situation where a fire could erupt if a reaction occurs. Therefore, assessing and segregating chemicals based on their properties is pivotal in creating a safe and compliant storage arrangement. In contrast, while temperature control, container strength, and inventory rotation are all important aspects of chemical storage, they serve secondary roles to the fundamental need for proper segregation. Temperature control can prevent degradation of some chemicals, container strength ensures integrity and prevents leaks, and inventory rotation helps minimize waste and keep track of expiration dates. However, these elements don’t address the critical need to keep incompatible chemicals separated to prevent hazardous situations. Thus, segregation stands out as the top priority in chemical storage practices.