Chem Storeroom Requirements

[dime]

Has anyone out there had a new chemstore built? We have one that has been nearly finished, which will house some equipment as well as chemicals. It is in the same room as before but with an acid bay and the flammables will be in there as well. They have kept the extraction fan from before but have put a new door on (that opens outwards) but the old door used to have vents so cross ventilation could happen. I have looked up CSIS and it says that cross ventilation can be achieved with either fixed louvres or extraction fan. But shouldn't you have an fresh air intake as well?
Can anyone else tell me what they have please?

[estelle]

Good luck with keeping "some equipment" in there, even my flammable cupboard has gone rusty and the doors stick in the tracks because of all the excess moisture, plus I guess from chemical gases.
My room has two side vents that open up to the outside, has good air flow because I leave the exhaust running 24/7, I don't think you can have too much air flow.
I have had an ongoing problem with moisture on the floor the last 3 months though, and I have had the exhaust fans checked and have recommendations to get the floor repainted with non slip paint because it is a slip hazard, but I will have to wait for cyclic maintenance for that !!!
But I am not about to give up on that request, I am sick of tiptoeing into the store in case I slip. I have also refused to do a chemical stocktake until something is done about it.
Estelle

[dime]

Perhaps get some bit rubber mats to cover the floor?

[RosalieM]

I don't have any real cross ventilation in my storeroom either, but there seems to be enough space around the door to suck air in. It creates a bit of a vacuum so sometimes it's hard to put the door shut when you have an armload of bottles, but it isn't really a drama. Our chemical store is at the end of our ordinary store room so sometimes I leave the chem door open which allows a bit more circulation.

[dime]

Well, the builder guy was just here, and he let me in to have a look. Seems I should have had occupancy last week, but as usual no one knows anything that should be going on. Turns out that they have put a vent (grill) in the window to allow the fresh air intake, that I was unable to see from the corridor side. So all is good. Actually better than being in the door, as it is closer to the flammables cupboard, where you need all the fresh air you can get.