FR - Security

Metal containers for flammable liquids:

Recommendations from the National Center for Working Conditions.

Metal containers are the most widely used in industry as containers for hazardous chemicals and flammable liquids. Metal containers as containers for hazardous substances can cause serious accidents at work due to poor management: unsuitable containers, uncontrolled deterioration, poor maintenance, etc.

Two factors mainly affect the degree of safety that metal containers can present:

• • • • • • • • Container manufacture: quality of the manufacturing process, suitable dimensions, container shape, stability, number and types of closure devices, etc., container quality control and approva.

             

             

         

         

        • • • • Container use: filling standards, size limitation, maintenance, transfer, storage and exposure to external agents and dangerous contents, etc. Flammable liquids are those whose flash point is lower than 35º C.

             

             

         

         

         

     

     

We have four types of metal containers: jerricans, drums, light metal containers and safety drums.

The most commonly used materials are steel and aluminum.

Risks and main causes in the handling of flammable substances

The main risks related to metal containers intended to hold flammable liquids are:

1. 1. 1. 1. Overexertion in manual handling.

       

      1. 1. Entrapment of fingers, hands or feet when moving drums.

       

      1. 1. Cuts in hands with burrs or rusted parts.

       

      1. 1. Contact with hazardous substances when breaking the container.

       

      1. 1. Fires and/or explosions of different origin.

       

      1. 1. Dermal contacts and projections during transfer operations.

       

       

Safe transfers:

Why use our safety products such as drums and jerricans? Very simple, because if you opt for the cheap option of using any drum not prepared for this type of substances, these situations may occur:

Containers with only one opening, when you start to transfer the liquid driven by the air can come out irregularly and can cause uncontrolled spills of its contents with dangerous consequences.

Projections of liquid can occur when the single sealing cap is opened.

The risks inherent to unsafe storage may be due to the fact that the premises in which they are stored do not have adequate safety measures depending on the amount of flammable liquids stored, the way they are stored, the conditions of the premises themselves, electrical installation, etc. or their storage outdoors, producing corrosive effects on the external surface of the container. In Inteco Astur have a large team of professionals, specialized technicians who can assist you in everything related to the storage of hazardous substances safely and under current regulations.

Generation of static electricity. It can be generated when liquid is projected through the outlet when the liquid falls inside the container for filling and generating the consequent turbulence and splashing.

Inadequate and therefore dangerous materials and container design.

In addition, the design and size of drums not prepared for this purpose, make it difficult in many cases their handling and the stored quantities exceed the maximum allowed, thus increasing the danger in case of spillage or fire.

Our drums and Jerrycans comply with safety regulations, what does that mean?

That they are made of cold rolled steel sheet; with a thickness that depends on the capacity of the drum and the use to which it is destined. The most common body thicknesses range from 0.50 to 1.20 mm.

The drum body joints are welded in drums intended to contain more than 40 liters of liquid.

In drums for solids or those containing 40 liters or less, the body joints are mechanically pressed or welded. The most commonly used is the longitudinal electric resistance weld.

The drum body is provided with two rolling rings and reinforcing corrugations.

The bottom and rim joints are welded and a sealing gasket is inserted.

The filling, emptying and venting openings in the body or in the bottoms of fixed lid drums are no more than 7 cm in diameter.

The closures are fitted with a sealing gasket or conical thread. The closures of fixed lid drums shall be of the threaded type or secured by a threaded device.

The closure devices of the movable lid drums are provided with sealing gaskets and the movable lids are fixed to the body by means of a ring with a lever lock.

Storage of hazardous products in industry and protection of workers:

We have a large line of safety cabinets to meet the needs of safe storage and handling of hazardous and/or flammable substances, in accordance with storage and prevention laws, with the highest safety guarantees.

How long does it take from the beginning of the fire until it can be extinguished?

We must take into account that the fire must be detected, the alarm must be raised, the extinguishing brigades must be notified, and they must go to the facilities and extinguish the flames that are affecting the cabinet and not any other point of the fire.

Regulations on the storage of chemical products in Spain:

In the Regulations on the storage of chemical products, which you have at your disposal on the Ministry's website (Royal Decree 656/2017, of 23 June, approving the Regulation on the Storage of Chemical Products and its Complementary Technical Instructions MIE APQ 0 to 10), you can find all the requirements for compliance with the same.

Legislation for cabinets for flammable liquids:

This type of cabinets protect, during the time for which they have been certified, the flammable products inside in case of fire. This time interval guaranteed by the cabinet, 90 minutes (or the RF number you indicate), will allow you to safeguard people and equipment:

• • Call the emergency services.
  • Evacuate all personnel in potential danger.
  • Extinguish the fire with available means.

70% of the companies that suffer a major fire must cease their activity for up to 4 years!