Flammable liquids should be stored in fireproof cabinets. The NFPA provides recommendations in codes 45 and 30 for the quantities of materials that should be stored in labs in and out of these cabinets.

There is no federal requirement for these cabinets to be vented. Assign a staff member to be responsible for oversight of the cabinet. This responsibility can include checking to make sure that containers are properly labeled, caps are tight, and the inventory on the cabinet door is up to date.

A checklist for the storage of flammable liquids is available from LSI.

Dr. James A. Kaufman is the founder and president of The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI) www.labsafety.org - an international, non-profit center for safety in science and science education. LSI provides workshops, seminars, onsite training programs, lab safety program development consultations, facilities inspections and regulatory compliance assistance. Contact LSI with all your lab safety questions: 800-647-1977 or info@labsafety.org.