Staying COSHH-Compliant With Hazardous Storage
Every tradesperson knows the feeling of relief when the final tool is locked away, and the site is secure. But what about the less-visible risks? Fuels, solvents, paints, and cleaners etc, these “hazardous goods” are essential to our work, yet their improper storage poses severe threats: fire risk, environmental contamination, and, critically, non-compliance with the law.
Why You Need Specialised Storage
It’s easy to treat a jerrycan of fuel or a tin of solvent like any other piece of kit, but the law, specifically around COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations, demands better. These rules aren’t designed to be bureaucratic; they are there to protect the health of your team and the public.
1. Protection Against the Elements (and accidents)
The biggest risk with hazardous liquids isn’t usually theft; it’s spillage. An unsecured container can be knocked over, contaminating the ground or nearby water sources, leading to costly clean-up, environmental agency involvement, and heavy fines.
Armorgards’ units feature a vital component: an integral liquid-tight sump. This secondary containment basin is designed to capture and contain any leaks or spills from the stored containers. This built-in insurance policy means if a container fails, the liquid is safely contained within the steel unit, protecting the environment beneath it.
2. Mitigating Fire Risk
Flammable liquids, especially fuels, need to “breathe” safely. Vapours are often more volatile and dangerous than the liquids themselves. Storing these items in a standard, sealed container is an accident waiting to happen.
The Armorgard Flambank range is purpose-built with high and low-level ventilation points. This design allows flammable vapours to safely dissipate rather than building up into a dangerous concentration. This simple engineering feature can be the difference between a safe site and a catastrophic accident.
3. Making Compliance Effortless
Let’s be honest, few tradespeople want to spend their evenings pouring over COSHH guidance. The beauty of these Armorgard solutions is that they allow you to meet your legal duties effortlessly.
The containers are robustly built from steel, clearly marked with the necessary hazard signage, and feature robust security to prevent unauthorised access. By investing in an Armorgard Safestor™ for your hazardous goods, ChemBank™ for your cleaning agents and a Flamstor™ or Flambank™ for your flammables, a Transbank™ for your fuels or their Gorilla Gas cage™ or Tuffcage™ for your gas cylinders, you’re visibly demonstrating a commitment to safety, compliance, and professional site management.
4. It Protects People
Ultimately, it is about people. When you invest in compliant storage, you are doing more than avoiding fines, you are actively protecting your crew from inhalation risks and accidents. You are securing their health and demonstrating your commitment to running a responsible, modern trade business.
Armorgard Hazardous Storage
Managing this risk is non-negotiable. That’s why Armorgard developed a dedicated line of storage solutions to make compliance and safety simple. Armorgard’s hazardous storage range, including the FlamBank and ChemBank are specifically engineered to take the headache out of compliance by going beyond a simple lock and key.
Content created in partnership with ProSolve.
HAZARDOUS STORAGE
SOLUTIONS
Take a look at our range of Armorgard hazardous storage solutions.
