Fires, floods, theft, and other disasters are just a few examples of how a successful business can be turned upside down and pointed directly to failure if not properly prepared. Proactive installation of fire suppression equipment, fireproof containers,security monitoring systems, and crisis contingency plans have been protecting firms in the manufacturing industry from these risks for many years; however recently, there has been a greater awareness of loss prevention methods, which in turn, has lead to a surge of innovation in this type of service and equipment.

You can be completely vulnerable to losing all of the important customer documents, legal forms, tax information, and other sensitive material. 
A major consideration in assessing the path for your future is the new safety precautions that you need to take, not only to ensure the safety
of your employees, but also your most important records. 

Not all companies have the foresight to properly protect themselves from disaster. A business that purchases a fireproof container or suppression equipment after a fire has made the right decision, just a little too late.

Whether your business is at the forefront of risk management technology or slowly calculating what is needed to provide the best prevention, consider this – no business large or small is safe from unexpected disaster. The best thing to do is prepare for the worst.

Depending on the scenario and specific business that you are in, there are several ways to protect yourself from losing vital records. Whether it’s a hand-written letter by Abraham Lincoln or stock certificate, these important items need to be stored in a fireproof container. Documents that are being protected from non-criminal events,such as fire or flood are much better off housed in a fully tested and functional fireproof filing cabinet than in a standard container.

Many times, the solution for a problem is not as clear as the one presented in this study. In every business, not just those in the manufacturing industry, there is a real and present danger for fire, flood, theft, or other disaster. Protecting vital records and other important items is essential to the recuperation process immediately
following a disaster.

       

All compressed gas cylinder contents must be clearly marked with either the chemical name or the trade name of the gas in accordance with nationally recognized standards and university policy.  All cylinders must be compliant with a legible hydrostatic test date.

Interior Storage

1.      Stored a minimum of 20 feet from highly combustible materials such as oil.

2.      Cylinders must be stored in approved areas away from elevators, corridors, exit enclosures, and stairs.

3.      Approved storage areas must ensure cylinders are located and secured in a manner that will prevent damage to any cylinder, and prevent unauthorized tampering/use.

4.      All cylinders must be stored in an upright position and secured to a solid object at the top 1/3^rd of the cylinder in a manner that will prevent the cylinder from being knocked over or from falling. (Mechanism for securing must be of noncombustible material or fire-resistive.)

5.      When cylinders are not in use, the protective cap must be installed hand tight.

6.      Only the quantity of product needed for the project or lab experiment (must not exceed quantities allowed by the fire and building codes).

7.      Cylinders no longer in use for the operation or empty--must be properly removed by lab stores or the supplier.

8.      Cylinders must be tagged or signed in a manner that will identify which cylinders are empty and which are full.

9.      Compressed gas cylinders shall be appropriately separated from other incompatible cylinders as required by applicable codes.

Exterior Storage 

1.      The location does not cause a safety hazard, obstruct facility ingress and egress, emergency vehicle access, and emergency operations.

2.      Storage facility must maintain a safe distance from other facilities and other hazardous areas as required in applicable building and fire codes.

3.      Appropriate signage must be installed for personnel safety and emergency responders as required by applicable codes and standards.  

To find the appropriate cylinder storage method for your application call (480) 785-7850 for assistance.

                         

Inefficient handling of expensive or hazardous chemicals, industrial gases and unwielding containers can cost thousands of dollars.

• In facility repairs
  
• Worker's compensation
  
• Regulatory Fines
  

Safe handling, storage and transport of materials used everyday creates challenges.

Survey Take the attached survey to find out more and fax or email to(480) 785-7877 or merrill.peters@indoff.com.

Safety Cans serve several critical functions:

• Safely contain hazardous liquids and control vapors to reduce the risk of fire, protecting both personnel and facilities
• Offer compliance with federal OSHA regulations and state and local fire codes
• Improve efficiency with ease-of-use features to enhance pouring and filling operations

Virtually every place of business, and even homeowners, have occasion to use flammable or combustible liquids. Gasoline, chemicals, solvents, and a variety of other hazardous liquids are found in varying amounts and locations. Whereas these liquids are relatively commonplace, it is important to understand the dangers they present and the special storage and handling procedures required to ensure safe usage.  Review the Compatibilty Table for more information.

BSCs are designed to provide personnel, environmental and product protection when appropriate practices and procedures are followed. Three kinds of biological safety cabinets, designated as Class I, II and III have been developed to meet varying research and clinical needs.

High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters or ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filters are used in the exhaust and/or supply systems of biological safety cabinets These filters and their use in BSCs are briefly described in Section II. Section III presents a general description of the special features integrated into biological safety cabinets to provide varying degrees of personnel, product and environmental protection.

Laboratory hazards and risk assessment are discussed in Section IV. Section V presents the laboratorian with work practices, procedures and practical tips to maximize the protection afforded by the most commonly used BSCs. Facility and engineering requirements needed for the operation of each type of BSC are presented in Section VI. Finally, Section VII reviews some of the requirements for routine annual certification of cabinet operation and integrity.

These sections are not meant to be definitive or all-encompassing. Rather, an overview is provided to clarify the expectations, functions and performance of these critical primary barriers. This document has been written for the laboratorian, engineer, manager, or procurement officer who desires a better understanding of each type of cabinet and the rationale for selecting the appropriate BSC to meet specific operational needs.