Australia's Science Forum

Hi everyone,

We had our WHS meeting yesterday and were wondering whether we need a flammable goods cupboard for maintenance? they have petrol, methylated spirits, thinners and paints etc.
all the normal stuff found in maintenance.
The maintenance dept keeps these chemicals in a shed away from the school but the cleaners chemicals are kept in the maintenance office. does anyone know whether legally we require the flameproof cupboards or not?
we do have flame cupboards in lab, creative arts and TAS depts.
Do you all have flammable cupboards in the maintenance dept?

Thanks Superbug

yes we do, I do not know the law on that one. But from Memory the CSIS "I think it says 20 litres or more" require a cupboard, 20 Litres per item. That is. But I am really not 100% sure.

YES! we have been trying to get one here for about 14 years but the CSO won't fund it.. They have more flammables than Science, and they also have heaps of poisons - so need another lockable cabinet for that. If workcover ever came into schools they would have so much fun - the places would be covered in red safety tape! We wouldn't be able to move for exclusion zones until the items are fixed.

I don't know what the law is, but I can't imagine that Maintenance would be exempt from the safety rules that the rest of us have to follow. Here, we have a flammables locker in maintenance and another in Agriculture, also a lockable chemicals cage in Maintenance.
Ian

Our GA has 3 containers and keeps petorl in on of them for the tractor.
He has Flam Cupboard in his shed for all other stuff.

Hi All,
Does anyone know where I can find some legislation or proof from worksafe Australia on the matter.

Thanks

Superbug

Hi Again,

Our WHS meeting is on tomorrow and I am still unable to locate anywhere in the workcover website as too where it states that We need a flammable storage cupboard for maintenance chemicals. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Superbug