Hazardous Storage Compliance Standards and Governance

ATEX (“Atmosphères Explosibles”) is an acronym used for the explosion protection regulation 94/9/EC that provide the framework and safety guidelines concerning equipment and protection systems used in potentially explosive atmospheres. The ATEX Directive main objectives are to guarantee the free circulation of goods within the European Union by aligning the technical and legal requirements of the Member States. Article 137 Directive 99/92/EC of the Directive covers the use of equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres and its aim is to establish minimum requirements for improving the safety and health of workers.

BS-EN 14470-1  
The British Standards Institute has formally adopted the European Standard EN 14470-1 as BS-EN 14470-1 for regulating design and performance of fire resistant flammable substances storage cabinets. The fire resistance of cabinets manufactured to this Standard is classified into 4 categories of fire protection ratings (Type 15, 30, 60, 90). The Type numbers correspond with the mimimum fire resistance in minutes measured as the minimum time taken for the internal temperature of the cabinet to increase by 180⁰ centigrade when tested in a furnace according to BS EN1363-1.

BS EN 14470-2 
The European standard EN 14470-2 has now been given the status of a national standard by the British Standard Institute and is formally adopted as BS-EN14470-2 for regulating safety storage cabinets and safety cabinets specifically used for storing pressurised gas cylinders. The fire resistance is classified into 4 categories of fire protection ratings (Type 15, 30, 60, 90). The numbers indicate  the fire resistance in minutes taken for the internal temperature of the cabinet  to increase by 180⁰ centigrade when tested in a furnace according to BS EN1363-1.

COSHH  
Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health regulation. COSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health and prevent or reduce workers' exposure to hazardous substances. COSHH covers chemicals, products containing chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours,  mists and gases, and biological agents (germs) injurous to health or the environment. If the packaging is marked with any of the hazard symbols then it is classed as a hazardous substance.

DSEAR   
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulation, DSEAR put into effect requirements from two European Directives: the Chemical Agents Directive (98/24/EC) and the Explosive Atmospheres Directive (99/92/EC). It also replaced a number of older regulations dealing with flammable substances safety and is now the principle legal instrument to regulate the use of hazardous and flammable substances and minimise the potential risk to safety in the work place.

CHIP    
CHIP refers to the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2009, which came into force on 6 April 2009. These regulations are also known as CHIP 4. CHIP is the law that applies to suppliers of dangerous chemicals. Its purpose is to protect people and the environment from the effects of those chemicals by requiring suppliers to provide information about the dangers and to package them safely.  It is expected that CHIP regulations will gradually be replaced by a harmonised European CLP (Classification for Labeling and Packaging) Regulations.

HSE  
The Health & Safety Executive is an enforcing authority working with local government to enforce The Health & Safety Commission Safety Directives and current national safety legislation.

Flash Point 
The lowest temperature at which a chemical gives off a vapour in sufficient quantity to form a combustible mixture with air.

Auto-Ignition Point 
The lowest temperature at which vapours from flammable liquids in contact with air or hot objects ignite themselves.

Flammable Range  (Explosive Range) 
Is the range of a concentration of a gas or vapor that will burn (or explode) if an ignition source is introduced. Below the explosive or flammable range the mixture is too lean to burn and above the upper explosive or flammable limit the mixture is too rich to burn. The limits are commonly called the "Lower Explosive or Flammable Limit" (LEL/LFL)  and the "Upper Explosive or Flammable Limit" (UEL/UFL).