• Maintain a current chemical inventory.

Make the most of your chemical investment and prevent chemical degradation over time by keeping track of what you have.

• Chemicals that degrade over time require additional record-keeping. These include peroxide formers, air and water reactive chemicals, and other time-sensitive materials.
  • Carefully track the date received, opened, and tested.
  • Read the Handbook on Chemical Use in Laboratories for complete information on identifying, storing, and testing organic-peroxide-forming chemicals.

• Select an appropriate container when transferring a chemical from its original container.
  
  Choose sturdy, sealable storage containers made of material compatible with the chemical they'll hold.
  
  Contact an the Chemical Safety Subject Matter Expert if you have questions about chemical and container compatibility.

• Accurately label chemicals that have been transferred from their original containers.

Chemical labels are required by law to contain specific information. Extra information is required on high hazard materials. Follow these steps for proper labeling:

• Make sure labels include the following required information, written legibly:
  • Chemical name or abbreviation
  • Concentration
  • Hazard warning
• Include the following additional information required for chemicals that degrade over time, peroxide formers, and air and water reactives:
  • Date received
  • Date opened
  • Date tested
• Prominently post a chemical abbreviation sheet in the lab when abbreviations are used on labels.
  • Print out this list (PDF) of common substances and abbreviations. Extend the list as necessary with your lab-specific abbreviations.
• Label refrigerators used for chemical storage with a "No Food Storage" sticker. Label refrigerators that are not approved flammable storage units with a "No Flammable Storage" sticker.

• Segregate incompatible chemicals.
• Separate and store chemicals according to compatibility group, not by alphabetical order. Read Chemical Compatibility Guidelines for more information.
• Store each compatibility group in a separate cabinet, or separate them from other chemical groups by using appropriate tubs or secondary containers. Polypropylene "Nalgene" tubs are commonly used for this purpose.
• Label storage cabinets and tubs by compatibility group. For example, a tub containing hydrochloric acid, and phosphoric acid would be labeled "Mineral (Inorganic) Acids."
• Keep containers capped and closed when not in use.
• Place hazardous materials on lower shelves. Don't store them overhead.
• Protect drains from chemical spills. Don't use sinks for chemical storage or secondary containment.
• Follow specific storage guidelines for regulated and high hazard materials.