Laboratory Safety: How to Choose the Right Cabinet for the Safe Storage of Chemicals
Any laboratory that uses, handles, or stores chemical substances must implement appropriate containment systems in order to reduce risks to health and the environment. Choosing the right cabinet for the safe storage of chemicals should therefore not be left to chance. It is a technical decision that must take into account the nature of the substances to be stored, the applicable regulations, and the specific characteristics of the working environment.
Cabinets for the safe storage of chemicals are not all the same. Different models are designed for the storage of flammable, corrosive, toxic, or oxidising substances. Each category involves specific requirements in terms of construction materials, ventilation, internal compartmentalisation, and safety systems.
For example, corrosive substances require cabinets made from materials resistant to chemical agents or equipped with anti‑corrosion internal coatings, while flammable liquids must be stored in safety cabinets compliant with the EN 14470‑1 standard. Using a cabinet that is not suitable for the type of substance being stored may increase operational risks and compromise workplace safety.
The first step in selecting the correct cabinet is therefore to accurately identify the substances that need to be stored. It is then advisable to evaluate the quantity of products, the type of containers used (bottles, cans, or drums), and how frequently the cabinet will be accessed.
Another important criterion concerns the available space. In laboratories with limited floor area, compact or vertical cabinets may represent an effective solution. In larger environments or where greater volumes of substances are handled, higher‑capacity cabinets or modular configurations may be more appropriate.
It is also important to consider the possibility of integrating ventilation or extraction systems, which help limit the accumulation of potentially hazardous vapours inside the cabinet and in the surrounding environment.
In the absence of a specific reference standard for the storage of chemicals, Labor Security System took a proactive approach and worked with its certification body TÜV SÜD to define a protocol with guidelines dedicated to the certification of the safe storage of chemical substances, acids, and bases.
Based on this initiative, and taking into account several European standards as well as certain occupational safety regulations, TÜV SÜD developed the PPP 52125A test protocol. This protocol provided Labor Security System with the parameters and requirements necessary to obtain product certification for cabinets intended for the storage of chemicals, acids, and bases.
This process made Labor Security System one of the first manufacturers to obtain certified cabinets for the safe storage of chemicals, offering laboratories a solution verified by an independent certification body for the management of chemical substances.
Choosing the most appropriate cabinet for the safe storage of chemicals is therefore not simply a technical purchase, but an investment in safety, regulatory compliance, and the operational efficiency of the laboratory.
Cabinets for the safe storage of chemicals are not all the same. Different models are designed for the storage of flammable, corrosive, toxic, or oxidising substances. Each category involves specific requirements in terms of construction materials, ventilation, internal compartmentalisation, and safety systems.
For example, corrosive substances require cabinets made from materials resistant to chemical agents or equipped with anti‑corrosion internal coatings, while flammable liquids must be stored in safety cabinets compliant with the EN 14470‑1 standard. Using a cabinet that is not suitable for the type of substance being stored may increase operational risks and compromise workplace safety.
The first step in selecting the correct cabinet is therefore to accurately identify the substances that need to be stored. It is then advisable to evaluate the quantity of products, the type of containers used (bottles, cans, or drums), and how frequently the cabinet will be accessed.
Another important criterion concerns the available space. In laboratories with limited floor area, compact or vertical cabinets may represent an effective solution. In larger environments or where greater volumes of substances are handled, higher‑capacity cabinets or modular configurations may be more appropriate.
It is also important to consider the possibility of integrating ventilation or extraction systems, which help limit the accumulation of potentially hazardous vapours inside the cabinet and in the surrounding environment.
In the absence of a specific reference standard for the storage of chemicals, Labor Security System took a proactive approach and worked with its certification body TÜV SÜD to define a protocol with guidelines dedicated to the certification of the safe storage of chemical substances, acids, and bases.
Based on this initiative, and taking into account several European standards as well as certain occupational safety regulations, TÜV SÜD developed the PPP 52125A test protocol. This protocol provided Labor Security System with the parameters and requirements necessary to obtain product certification for cabinets intended for the storage of chemicals, acids, and bases.
This process made Labor Security System one of the first manufacturers to obtain certified cabinets for the safe storage of chemicals, offering laboratories a solution verified by an independent certification body for the management of chemical substances.
Choosing the most appropriate cabinet for the safe storage of chemicals is therefore not simply a technical purchase, but an investment in safety, regulatory compliance, and the operational efficiency of the laboratory.