The Necessity For Chemical Containment Areas

Chemical containment areas are mainly necessary because it is possible for primary containers to leak their hazardous contents and some often actually do. Chemical containment areas protect the soil and groundwater from environmental contamination. They also limit your liability and safeguard your company from civil/criminal lawsuits and regulatory fines. Chemical containment areas can prevent costly cleanup of property and the environment caused by chemical spill contamination.

It has become a common practice to store hazardous materials inside the same containers (55 gallon drums, 5 gallon carboys, etc) used by chemical manufacturers to ship these materials. Many 55-gallon drums that used to transport hazardous materials have been reconditioned. The life expectancy of this type of metal container is reduced based upon the number of times the drum has been reconditioned.

The point is primary containers can develop leaks. Therefore, incorporating chemical containment areas where you store your hazardous materials not only is required by code but also makes good sense.

The discovery of leaking underground storage tanks in the Silicon Valley in the early 1980's led the Santa Clara County Fire Chief's Association to create a task force to develop a Model Hazardous Materials Storage Ordinance (HMSO) and regulate the creation of chemical containment areas. The required volume of the chemical containment areas specified in the HMSO regulation is dependent upon the number of primary containers being stored.

Spill protection within chemical containment areas can be achieved by employing liquid-tight raised or recessed sills/ dikes, built-in containment sumps & collection systems, or sloped/recessed floors that are of noncombustible construction and that will not be weakened upon contact with a hazardous material that is released from its primary container. In addition, primary containers should be elevated from the floor of the chemical containment areas to ensure that a leak from one primary container is prevented from contacting the other containers present in the storage area.

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