New Chemical Storage regulations

new-chemical-storage-regulations

More safeness and better protection of the environment.

An old  Spanish industry vindication  has been fulfilled at last. On Friday June the 23rd, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved by Royal Decree the Regulations for the Storage of Chemicals, and the Complementary Technical Instructions. This is an update of the regulations that will have a major impact on the industrial sector. With such a result that it is estimated to affect 90% of Spanish companies.

In addition, it is important also for another aspect, since it also aims for the protection of the environment and labor rights, these are two of its main strengths.

We review some of the features of the new regulation:

  • Reduction of accidents and fires: the update of regulations, amend the Chemical Storage Regulations (APQ) to minimize the risk of fires, as well as accidents. These changes are important, since in Spain eight fires are originated every day in industrial buildings. In addition, 90% of industries have in use or work with some type of product classified as dangerous, which if not used or stored correctly can end up causing an accident or fire.
  • New section for containers of less than 3,000 liters: to avoid risks, the update approved last Friday establishes a new storage system, especially for mobile containers of less than 3000 liters (boats, drums, bottles, etc.), since the industry had detected that they were a focus of danger that it had not been noticed before. From now on, this will no longer be the case, as these containers will have their own storage rules.
  • Modular containers are authorized: another novelty that contemplates the update of the regulation is the authorization of modular containers, as long as they are fire resistant to store products.
    This is an important change, since until now it was necessary to have a building designed to store these products.
  • Unification of the labeling and classification inline with the EU: another of the old industry claims the new regulation meets, is the unification of the criteria with the European Union. In this way, both the labeling and the hazard classification will be the same in all the member states, this will facilitate the import and export with greater guarantees.Some changes that will be implemented, aim to have as a result that the industrial sector works with more safety and better hygienic conditions, as well as to preserve more efficiently the environment and workers’ safety.

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