What is the Difference Between Active and Passive Storage of Hazardous Materials?

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Safety Storage/Explosion Protection What is the Difference Between Active and Passive Storage of Hazardous Materials?

12.04.2017Author / Editor: Marc Platthaus* / Dr. Jörg Kempf

There are different technical and administrative requirements on the one side for active storage of chemicals and on the other side for passive storage of chemicals. When do we refer to active storage and when to passive storage? Discover, what is important for safe hazardous substance storage in this article.

Easy access to media and storage containers: The push-to-opening door technology and the automatically extending pull-out trays permit easy access to stored media and simple replacement of the canisters.
(Bild: Düperthal)

Transferring dichloromethane from a canister to a smaller storage bottle — such or similar processes are performed thousands of times each day in laboratories around the world. But what to watch out for when they wish to do this properly in accordance with the safety standards?

One major factor is knowing the difference between active and passive storage. According to item 2.6 of the Explosion Protection Portal of the BG RCI: “During passive storage [...], containers are tightly closed and may not be filled or emptied or opened for any reason while they are being stored.”

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