Chemstore supplies hazardous chemical storage solutions to MedTech manufacturers, cleanroom operations, laboratories and engineering facilities across Ireland. MedTech sites may hold flammable solvents, adhesives, resins, cleaning chemicals, laboratory reagents, compressed gases and lithium-ion batteries. These materials must be managed under the Chemical Agents Regulations and HSA guidance. Chemstore provides fire-rated, bunded, corrosion-resistant, gas, battery and temperature-controlled storage systems tailored to each facility.
Medical-device manufacturing can involve a broad range of substances depending on the product being manufactured and the processes used on site. Chemical requirements may arise within production areas, cleanrooms, laboratories, tooling departments, maintenance workshops, utilities, warehouses and waste-management areas.
Typical materials that may require controlled storage within a MedTech facility include:
The Health and Safety Authority identifies substances such as adhesives, paints, oils, lubricants, laboratory reagents, cleaning fluids, solvents, glues and resins as examples of chemical agents that can be present in workplaces. Whether a particular substance requires specialist storage depends on its hazardous properties, quantity, container type and the way it is used on site.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations apply to Irish workplaces where hazardous chemical agents are used or generated. This includes activities involving the handling and storage of hazardous substances.
MedTech employers should identify the hazardous chemicals present on site, maintain appropriate information such as Safety Data Sheets and assess the risks created by their use and storage. The assessment should consider the properties and quantities of the materials, possible worker exposure and the way the substances are handled during normal operations.
The Health and Safety Authority also publishes guidance for the storage of both smaller quantities of hazardous chemicals, such as those kept within laboratories, and larger quantities stored within warehouse environments.
Medical-device manufacturers operate within an additional product-regulatory framework. Medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic devices are regulated under the European Medical Devices Regulation and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation, with the Health Products Regulatory Authority acting as the competent authority in Ireland.
These medical-device regulations should not be confused with chemical-storage legislation. The safe storage and handling of hazardous chemicals within the workplace remains a health and safety matter and should be assessed according to the hazards actually present on the site.
The correct storage system depends on the material being stored and the risks associated with it. A MedTech manufacturing site may therefore require several different storage systems rather than a single general-purpose chemical store.
Solvents, alcohols, cleaning chemicals, paints, coatings and other flammable liquids may require dedicated fire-rated storage depending on their properties, quantities and location.
Chemstore’s Firevault range provides fire-rated and bunded storage for flammable materials. Units can be configured for drums, IBCs, pallets or walk-in storage and can also be adapted to suit the available space on a MedTech manufacturing site.
Many process, cleaning and maintenance chemicals require secondary containment so that a leak or damaged container can be contained before the substance spreads beyond the storage area.
The Hazvault range provides bunded storage for drums, IBCs and other hazardous liquids and is available in a variety of standard and bespoke configurations.
Acids, alkalis and other corrosive materials require particular attention to chemical compatibility. The store, bund and internal components need to be suitable for the substances that could come into contact with them.
Chemstore’s Corvault range is designed specifically for corrosive and aggressive chemicals and can incorporate corrosion-resistant containment systems and finishes appropriate to the materials being stored.
Compressed gases can be used throughout MedTech facilities for manufacturing processes, laboratories, testing, calibration, maintenance and utilities.
The Gasvault range provides secure and ventilated storage for gas cylinders, with standard and bespoke configurations available depending on the gases and quantities held on site.
Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly present within manufacturing environments, whether they form part of the finished medical device or are used within tools, testing equipment, mobile equipment and other site assets.
The Electrovault range provides dedicated lithium-ion battery storage solutions that can be configured around the batteries, equipment and operational requirements present on a particular site.
Some process materials, laboratory chemicals and specialist substances must be kept within controlled environmental conditions. Where hazardous materials also require heating, cooling or insulation, the storage system needs to address both requirements.
Chemstore’s Thermovault range provides bunded and insulated temperature-controlled storage with heating and cooling options for sensitive materials.
Chemstore has worked with medical-device and life-science manufacturers over many years. Stryker has previously been listed among Chemstore’s pharmaceutical and healthcare customers, providing historical evidence of Chemstore’s experience supporting organisations within the medical-device sector.
Chemstore also continues to manufacture site-specific solutions for the medical-device industry. Recent projects have included bespoke fire-rated lithium-ion battery storage for medical-device manufacturing environments, demonstrating how the storage specification can be adapted around the particular hazards and operating conditions of a facility.
Previous projects are used as evidence of sector experience rather than as a standard specification. Every MedTech facility has different processes, materials, quantities and site constraints, so the correct storage solution should be based on the requirements of the individual site.
Selecting hazardous material storage begins with identifying exactly what is being stored. Chemstore engineers can review the Safety Data Sheets for the substances on site and assess factors such as hazard classification, flash point, chemical compatibility, quantities, container types and required storage conditions.
The physical location of the proposed store is also important. The assessment can consider available space, neighbouring buildings, access routes, personnel movement, ignition sources, material-handling equipment and emergency access.
Where several different chemical classes are held at one facility, segregation may also be necessary. Materials that could react dangerously if mixed should not simply be placed in the same bund or storage area without first considering chemical compatibility.
A Chemstore site assessment allows an engineer to inspect the facility, review the materials being stored and understand how chemicals and other hazardous materials move through the site before recommending a storage solution.
Depending on the facility, an assessment can consider:
Following the assessment, Chemstore can recommend an appropriate standard product or design a bespoke storage system around the requirements of the facility.
Yes. MedTech manufacturing facilities frequently have site-specific requirements that cannot be met by a standard storage unit. These can include restricted footprints, controlled access, specialist ventilation, segregation, temperature control, unusual container sizes or the need to integrate the store with existing manufacturing and warehouse areas.
Chemstore can manufacture storage units to suit individual requirements, including bespoke dimensions, internal layouts, door arrangements, containment systems, ventilation, electrical equipment, heating and cooling and other site-specific features.
Whether you are designing a new manufacturing area, introducing a new process, increasing production capacity or reviewing existing chemical storage, Chemstore can assess the materials on your site and recommend an appropriate storage solution.
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