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From: David Roberts <droberts**At_Symbol_Here**DEPAUW.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Flammable Storage Cabinet Issues: Shelving Clips
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 14:15:44 -0500
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 69F6C3AB-C3C9-4912-9794-44C09D819050**At_Symbol_Here**depauw.edu
In-Reply-To <55BA4610-6F19-4A75-BAD4-F2E3934B4930**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>
Just to keep this post going, I wanted to share what happened with us here at DePauw. I can share pics if people are interested, but really nothing critical happened. We moved in to a new building around 2001. At that time we got all new shelving, you name it we got it. Our biggest shelves for chemicals are wooden shelves with 2 side by side opening doors (with glass fronts). They are about 7 foot tall (I think), and about 3 foot wide (maybe a little bigger). 5 shelves per unit - the middle shelf is fixed in place.
Over the years the cabinets began to bow out - meaning that the space between the wood insert shelves and the cabinet was increasing. Eventually this led to a fail, and one of our shelves collapsed. Fortunately, it didn?t go far as the chemicals below were tall (in fact, it was hard to tell that it fell - but I did notice). Right away I looked at all of our units, and lo and behold, many of them were starting to do the same thing.
I just had our facilities people design wood cleats to put under the shelves as additional support. We can no longer adjust the shelves, but frankly in 12 years I had not moved one, so I didn?t care. Now everything is good, and secure.
So, on routine chemical checks you should also check your shelves (and their integrity). Who knew ;)
I?m not going to talk about the corrosive cabinet that is now rusted out due to HCl storage (metal blue cabinet). It did not fail - I moved the HCl out before that could happen, but it is very rusty. And in less than 10 years.
Happy Thanksgiving all. Take care
Dave
On Nov 25, 2014, at 8:05 AM, Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety wrote:> The topic of shelf stability in flammable storage cabinets came up on another lab safety e-mail list recently and a colleague requested information about other incidents related to this issue (see specific examples below). I thought that DCHAS members may wish to contribute to the list of incidents or, at a minimum, be reminded of the concern.
>
> - Ralph
>
> From: Hans Nielsen [mailto:hansn**At_Symbol_Here**hawaii.edu]
> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 3:58 PM
> Subject: [CSHEMA_LABSAFETY] Flammable Storage Cabinet Issues: Shelving Clips
>
> Hi All,
>
> This subject came up in our Lab Safety CoP conference call the other day. I am consolidating info sent from Mark Bannister at Carnegie Melon and Courtney Stanion at Duke.
>
> Anyone else had issues with these clips?
>
> Mahalo!
> Hans
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> http://www.safety.duke.edu/OHS/Documents/hafc.pdf
>
> http://www.ehs.washington.edu/news/arc/2013-v11/2013-v11art3.shtm
>
> http://www.cmu.edu/ehs/newsletters/lab-safety/FlammableStorageCabinetProblems.html
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