Chemical Storage

Practice Safe Chemical Storage

Safe chemical storage is critical in any school, lab, or industrial environment. There are a variety of systems to help you safely store and manage your chemicals, and it's important to find the right one that works for your classroom or lab. In general, a good chemical storage system provides the following:

  • Safe access and use by individuals
  • Minimal chemical interactions
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Practical inventory management (More on our suggested inventory system further)

To ensure safety, Ward's Science recommends that chemicals be stored by hazard compatibility. The ten most commonly-used compatibility groups are:

  • Flammables
  • Oxidants
  • Reducers
  • Concentrated acids
  • Concentrated bases
  • Water reactives
  • Extreme toxics
  • Peroxide formers
  • Pyrophorics
  • Gas cylinders

Ward's Color-Coded Chemical Caps

Our Color-Coded Cap System is the safest and simplest way to store your chemicals by compatibility. We've taken the time to sort and group all of our chemicals into five color-coded categories to save you time. Each chemical is clearly labeled and includes a colored cap to help you quickly see where it needs to go - all you have to do is put it on the shelf! Learn more about this system and how to use it here