[Nhcoll-l] Safe storage of fluid specimens

[Dirk Neumann]

Hi Amanda,

it might be worth checking together with safety people how large the total volume of the storage room is. You collection is not too big. The question is if you would toss all jars at once, all would break, would this create and ignitable atmosphere. When still in Munich in preparation for renovation works, we did this calculation, counted jars of different sizes per shelf, calculated an mean volume of ethanol stored per shelf, and found that we would need to knock off several hundred jars to create an combustible atmosphere. Our calculation was so convincing, that it passed the external evaluation for explosion safety.

As Chris noted, if there is any ventilation / air make-up in this storage, it would be worth checking if alcohol fumes build up anyway. Another option is to improve the seals and invest money in better closures to lower the evaporation rate. That not only saves a lot of staff time for monitoring and topping up, also improves the long-term conversation of the specimens.

The second thing worth looking is potential ignition sources. Even if you would knock all jars at once - there would be no fire, unless a spark would lit everything up. IN this storage, there should be no working spaces, all electric sockets should be above 1.2 metres, the room lighting should not be old neon lights but LED instead, any electric installations in this room should be rated for alcohol storage rooms.

Hope this helps
with best wishes

Dirk


Am 29.01.2023 um 16:12 schrieb Amanda Callaghan:
Hello
I'm looking for some advice on how to store fluid collections that are mostly either 70% alcohol or 5% formalin. We are a small museum at the University of Reading, UK, with around 2,000 zoological specimens in fluid (in sealed containers). We are being forced to move into a new facility which was arranged over 18 months ago. However suddenly we have been told that SDEAR (UK) regulations mean that we must have an 11m flue since we are adjacent to a tall building. This will preclude our using the agreed site. We feel that this is excessive and are looking to experts to give us their opinion.  I’d appreciate any expert opinions.
It will be a store room in a larger building with specimens on shelving. People will only be in there if they need to access specimens to take for teaching or check on their status. We feel that good ventilation and mask wearing for protection against formaldehyde fumes should be sufficient. Thank you.
Please respond on my email address a.callaghan at reading.ac.uk<mailto:a.callaghan at reading.ac.uk>
Best wishes
Amanda

Amanda Callaghan, PhD, SFHEA

Professor of Invertebrate Zoology

Curator of the Cole Museum of Zoology

School Director of Recruitment and Admissions

Health and Life Sciences Building

School of Biological Sciences

University of Reading

Whiteknights

Reading RG6 6EX

Tel: 0118 378 4428



https://collections.reading.ac.uk/cole-museum/

http://www.reading.ac.uk/biologicalsciences/SchoolofBiologicalSciences/Meetourteam/staff/a-callaghan.aspx




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Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

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Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
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--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
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