Georgia Institute of Technology

Use approved flammable storage cabinets to store flammable solids and liquids.  Flammable cabinets may be vented in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 45 2011.  Venting of cabinets must be done through GT facilities: lab groups should submit a project request to GT Facilities.

Use separate corrosive storage cabinets made of chemically resistant components to store acids and bases

Domestic refrigerators used for storing non-flammable chemicals, samples or media must be labeled simply “ NO FOOD,  NO FLAMMABLES”

 Refrigerators and freezers for storing flammable liquids must be designed, constructed, approved, and labeled for that purpose. These refrigerators must be labeled “NO FOOD”. NOTE:  Ethanol-water solutions greater than or equal to 15% ethanol must be stored in a flammable safe refrigerator).

Domestic refrigerator/freezers as well as units that have been modified to remove spark sources are not acceptable alternatives: the results can be disastrous, as can be seen in this photo.  This explosion of a flammable material set off the by the refrigerator’s thermostat blew the door off its hinges and melted the interior liner of the refrigerator (as well as all the contents).