Irish warehouses and drum stores should manage hazardous chemicals through a defined storage system based on risk assessment. HSA guidance covers chemical inventories, labelling, segregation, secondary containment, racking, flammable substances, gas cylinders and emergency arrangements. The appropriate controls depend on the hazards, quantities and storage conditions of the chemicals present and the information provided in their Safety Data Sheets.
The Health and Safety Authority publishes guidance on the storage of large quantities of hazardous chemicals in warehouses and similar storage facilities.
The current HSA information sheet, published in 2025, sets out good practices intended to reduce risks to workers and the environment from the storage of packaged hazardous chemicals.
It covers packaged substances stored in containers such as intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), drums, jerricans, pressure receptacles, aerosols and gas cartridges.
The guidance is not a separate piece of legislation. It should be considered alongside the applicable Irish workplace legislation, the site’s chemical risk assessment, Safety Data Sheets and any other regulatory or environmental requirements that apply.
The hazards associated with a chemical should be identified before it is accepted into a storage area.
Important sources of information include the product label and the Safety Data Sheet. The Safety Data Sheet provides information on matters including safe storage conditions, chemical stability and reactivity, incompatibilities and measures to take following an accidental release.
The HSA recommends that warehouses operate a chemical inventory management system recording the chemicals present, their quantities and their hazard classifications.
Suitable storage conditions should be identified before a hazardous chemical is permitted onto the site.
Yes. HSA guidance recommends having a system for receiving deliveries so that chemical packaging can be checked before it is accepted into the storage area.
Containers should be inspected for issues such as:
Unidentified chemicals should be quarantined rather than placed into the normal storage area until their identity and appropriate storage requirements have been established.
Hazardous chemicals should be assigned to suitable storage areas based on a risk assessment and their compatibility with other materials.
The HSA provides general segregation principles based on hazard classifications such as:
However, general segregation tables should not be relied on in isolation. The Safety Data Sheet for each substance should be the principal source of information on storage conditions, stability, reactivity and chemical incompatibilities.
The HSA recommends secondary containment to minimise the spread of chemical spills within storage areas.
Where containment is incorporated into the warehouse design, this may take the form of a bunded storage area. Where built-in containment is not available, other measures can include specialised chemical cabinets, individual bunded trays, spill pallets or other suitable containment systems.
The type and capacity of containment required should be determined from the chemicals and quantities stored, the site’s risk assessment and any applicable environmental licence or regulatory requirements.
Warehouse racking used for hazardous chemicals should be suitable for the anticipated loads placed upon it.
The HSA advises that racking should be appropriately designed and constructed and inspected at suitable intervals for damage or weaknesses.
Damaged racking should be repaired or replaced promptly. Particular attention should be given to impact damage from forklifts and other warehouse vehicles.
Where chemicals are stacked without racking, safe stacking arrangements should take account of the strength and stability of the packaging.
Flammable chemicals can create significant fire and explosion hazards and require particular attention within a warehouse risk assessment.
Potential ignition sources should be identified and controlled wherever a flammable or explosive atmosphere could occur.
Depending on the activities taking place, employers may also need to assess the potential for explosive atmospheres under Part 8 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007.
Where there is a risk that an explosive atmosphere may occur, an ATEX risk assessment may be required and further controls may be necessary.
Transferring chemicals from larger containers into smaller containers can introduce additional risks, including spills, vapour release and potentially explosive atmospheres.
Where transfer activities take place, the HSA advises that a suitable and well-ventilated area should be designated where required by the risk assessment.
Relevant hazard information must also be transferred to the smaller container so that its contents and hazards remain correctly identified.
The HSA recommends that pressure receptacles such as gas cylinders are stored vertically and secured against falling.
They should also be:
The specific storage arrangements should reflect the gas involved, its hazards, quantities and relevant Safety Data Sheet information. The Gasvault range provides storage solutions for any number of gas cylinders,
Emergency arrangements should reflect the incidents that could reasonably arise from the chemicals stored on site.
The HSA guidance highlights measures including:
Employees who handle hazardous chemicals should receive appropriate information and training based on the hazards and activities involved.
Workers who may be exposed should also have access to relevant Safety Data Sheets where these are required to be supplied.
Additional training may be needed for activities such as forklift operation, chemical handling, spill response and emergency procedures.
Vehicle movements can create additional risks where hazardous chemicals are stored.
The HSA recommends traffic-management arrangements including defined vehicle routes, appropriate speed controls and keeping pedestrian routes, forklift routes and loading areas clear.
Packaged dangerous goods should also be positioned safely during loading and unloading operations, and employees operating forklifts should receive suitable training.
No. The HSA guidance does not prescribe one universal warehouse design that will be suitable for every hazardous chemical storage application.
Storage arrangements should instead be determined from factors including:
Other legislation, environmental licence conditions, fire-safety requirements and technical standards may also affect the final storage design.
Chemstore designs and manufactures hazardous material storage solutions for applications ranging from individual drums and IBCs to larger warehouse-scale storage facilities.
The Firevault, Hazvault, and Corvault range provides bunded chemical storage options, while bespoke chemical warehouses and storage compounds can address larger or more complex requirements.
Storage equipment should be selected as part of the site’s wider risk-management process and does not replace the employer’s chemical risk assessment or other applicable duties.
The Health and Safety Authority publishes the current guidance directly on its website.
The HSA publishes separate guidance for smaller quantities of hazardous chemicals, such as those commonly found in laboratories.
The appropriate storage approach should therefore reflect the scale of the inventory as well as the hazards and activities involved.
View the HSA Storage of Hazardous Chemicals Information Sheet
This page summarises Health and Safety Authority guidance and provides general information only. It does not replace Irish legislation, the HSA information sheet, Safety Data Sheets, environmental licence conditions, a workplace risk assessment or advice from a competent person.
Storage requirements should always be determined from the chemicals, quantities, hazards, site conditions and activities involved.
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