What Does
Pesticide Storage Building Mean?
A pesticide storage building is a building that is dedicated to the storage of large quantities of pesticides.
Buildings classified as pesticide storage buildings may include sheds and other structures that feature the minimum safety features that a governing jurisdiction requires for pesticide storage buildings, as well as prefabricated structures that are purpose-built for pesticide storage.
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Safeopedia Explains Pesticide Storage Building
The use of safety-compliant sheds is more common when the pesticides are being held by a workplace that uses them for agricultural purposes, while large dedicated structures are more commonly used by pesticide manufacturers or resellers who must store and ship large quantities of chemicals on an ongoing basis. The technical criteria that define a regulatory-compliant pesticide storage building may include standards from multiple regulatory agencies, such as OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The purpose of a pesticide storage building is to separate on-site workers from the hazards caused by pesticides, which are hazardous chemicals. These hazards include both health hazards that arise from the toxic nature of pesticides (e.g. carcinogenicity), as well as secondary physical hazards. For certain hazards, these latter hazards can include combustion (fire and explosion) hazards.
Due to the high hazard level and variety of vectors by which pesticides can cause injury or illness, a pesticide storage facility must meet a variety of safety standards to adequately protect workers from harm. Common safety requirements include siting requirements that set the building an appropriate distance away from occupied workplaces, secondary containment structures that can hold spills, warning signage placed on the outside of the building, fire resistance, appropriate lighting, ventilation to prevent build-up of gases, and secured entry to prevent unauthorized access.
Sheds may have different safety needs than prefabricated buildings, such as the requirement to build a non-permeable, non-draining floor. Because of the variety of standards that must be met for safety compliance, the use of an engineer to design and certify a non-prefabricated pesticide shed may be necessary in order for the employer to meet the due diligence requirements set by the local jurisdiction.