Storage of dangerous goods

EH: Whenever I'm on the farm and it's about the storage of dangerous goods, the same question comes up. “Why are you allowed to put these products together on the truck, but I have to place them separately on a chemical spill pallet?” Can you tell more about that?

HBY: A completely different regulation applies to the transport of dangerous goods. We follow the transport legislation (USA-CAN-EU) mentioned in our last blog and these allow the combination of products to a certain extent. For storage we follow national guidelines and they simply do not allow that. In transport there are all kinds of qualified people and resources. This is often lacking on the farm. In addition, transport is temporary, and storage is structural. So clearly different.

EH: OK and of course to be respected.

HBY: Yes. If you store products on the farm, then it makes sense to me to follow those rules. All authorities aim for safe storage and handling. Nothing wrong with that. We want that too.

EH: I can confirm that. I have noticed in practice that those guidelines yield results.

HBY: Tell more!

EH: I have set up several storage areas with dairy farmers and always follow the same steps. We put the right products together in the correct place. Products that bite each other are put on different chemical spill pallets, so in case spillage they are also collected separately. Next you can add the correct safety signs, such as our chemistry cards and decals. So you have a clear and clean overview.

HBY: Well done. So these are the basics, but what else have you done?

EH: Of course we selected the most suitable space. One that is secured. We have also provided directly available SDSs (Safety Data Sheets). Larger packages are placed on the collection trays. Smaller stuff all goes into the special chemical cabinets.

HBY: You were talking about spill pallets? What do they look like?

EH: It's not just drip tray you put under it. Chemical spill pallets are made especially for this purpose and must also meet a few requirements. Lely has opted for various spill pallets that can store jerrycans, barrels and even containers and are available in 2 colours; blue for alkaline and red for acid.

HBY: Those colours are great and we can say from experience that they have already given us a lot of advantage. It helps identify the product you need and prevents misunderstandings.

EH: Sure, but that doesn't mean you don't have to read the label anymore!

HBY: In summary, there are many reasons why we want to have chemical storage secured. Products are separated from each other. No dangerous mutual chemical reactions. No uncontrolled pivot to the environment. Clear place indication. No mix-up. Safety indications and aids immediately at hand. Protected from sun and cold. Protected for environment.

EH: Indeed. And not only because we have to, but also because we want to.