In May of 1996 HSE brought out a new Guidance Note on
Storing Pesticides For Farmers And Other Professional Users. Agricultural :
Information Sheet No 16. This is now included as an Appendix in the new
Approved Code of Practice - the 'Green Code'
It defines a professional user as anyone who uses pesticides as part of
their business or undertaking, whether as an employer or self-employed person -
so that means YOU!!!!
As usual with the modern approach to Health & Safety, the problem
must be resolved around RISK ASSESSMENT
Whatever the size of store it should be looked on from the following points - the degree and extent of the depending on size of store, contents and locality. If you can answer positively on each of these points, you are a long way to satisfying the regulations
- the store needs to be large enough to hold your peak pesticide requirements
- The smaller the store, the less the hazard - the less the hazard, the less the risk
- Buy amount required, mix amount required
- only keep in stock the amount you reckon is required for immediate use.
- Negotiate with your supplier for bulk rates over a season, drawn on as you need them - this is also the time to negotiate with him for the future free uplift of empty clean containers.
- In the past managers of large concerns, including local authority managers, have tended to buy in bulk to obtain the savings of bulk buying and ensure that the material is available when required. This has meant that the amount to be stored is larger than necessary with the consequence of larger and more complex storage requirements.
- Consider peak loads - the maximum to be held at any one time
- Do you need additional precautions for special classes of pesticides
- Provide an empty container area
- Consider washing facilities and where the washing go!
- at least 4 metres away from anything which could be a fire risk- domestic dwellings or sources of ignition - welding, etc.
- where any contaminated fire-fighting water will drain into nearby water courses, well bore holes or areas liable to flooding
- should resist fire for at least 30 minutes
- the store should be able to retain 110% of the total quantity likely to be stored
- bunding may be required
- various methods of bunding are described
- remember to consider bunding
- if ramped-bunding used consider how it will be used - eg access by fork-lift truck
.
.
- remove combustible materials
- remember to consider bunding
- seal off drains
- Access should open directly to outside of building
- cage-style stores are only acceptable where the construction etc. meets the general principals - including bunding
- don't use lorry bodies with wooden floors or sides
- create a bunded area by fitting a sill across the doorway or by tilting the store away from the entrance.
- purpose built chemical cabinets/ bins are available
- stand chest freezers with foil or plastic inner liners within a bunded area
- fit cabinets in a bunded area.
Consider -
- Signs
- Smoking
- Shelving
- Order of storage
- Lighting
- frost
- Direct sunlight - can affect plastics
- use of pallets to keep stocks off floor
- In case of spillage - sand / plastic bag
- empty containers
- stock list & emergency telephone numbers
- chemicals can be carried in either of 3 ways:
- a floor to ceiling bulkhead between the driver/ passenger compartment and the load compartment
- a secure vapour proof chemical container
- a secure cabinet mounted on the exterior of the vehicle or on a trailer.
- Look at security and also what happens in case of accident?
- e.g. Cymag, Phostoxin & Talunex
- e.g. Sodium chlorate
The Approved Code of Practice for the safe use of pesticides on farms and holdings, is available free by telephoning 0645 556000
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