How to Safely Store Lab Chemicals and Reagents

Have you ever paused to ask yourself, “Where am I currently storing my lab chemicals and reagents?”

When you think about lab chemicals and reagents, safety and integrity are everything. Poor storage can lead to accidents, degradation, cross-contamination, and severe regulatory consequences. Whether you run an academic research lab, an industrial R&D facility, or a clinical testing setup, knowing how to store these substances correctly protects your people, your data, and your reputation.

In this post, brought to you by B&M Scientific, we’ll walk you through wise best practices for safe storage of lab chemicals and reagents. From planning your storage zones to managing spill readiness, we’ll help you build a scheme that’s robust, compliant, and practical.

Why Safe Storage of Lab Chemicals and Reagents Matters

Before diving into how, let’s remind ourselves why this matters so much:

• Worker safety: Many reagents are corrosive, flammable, oxidising, toxic or reactive. Improper mixtures or exposures can injure staff.

• Chemical stability: Many reagents degrade with heat, light, moisture or contamination. Poor storage shortens shelf life or alters performance.

• Cross-contamination: Incompatible chemicals stored side by side may react or contaminate each other, compromising your experiments or causing dangerous reactions.

• Regulatory compliance: Many jurisdictions (including South Africa) require institutions to adhere to specific storage standards, safety data sheet (SDS) compliance, labelling and security.

• Cost savings: Wasting degraded reagents or triggering a cleanup after an accident can be far more expensive than preventative storage measures.

You’ll often hear “store by hazard class, segregate incompatibles, use ventilation, label clearly”, but the real challenge is in the details. Let’s unpack those now.

1. Plan Your Storage Zones Strategically

a) Map out your risk zones

Divide your lab or storeroom into zones based on risk, hazard class and use frequency. For example:

• A dedicated flammables room or cabinet for solvents and organic reagents

• A corrosives cabinet for strong acids and bases

• A oxidisers and peroxides section separated from other reagents

• A general reagent shelf area for less hazardous compounds (e.g. buffer salts, common salts)

• A cold-storage zone (fridge, freezer) for temperature-sensitive reagents

Each zone should have clear hazard signage, restricted access where necessary, and secondary containment (e.g. trays, bunded shelves).

b) Use appropriate cabinets and fixtures

• Use fire-resistant chemical storage cabinets for flammables.

• Use ventilated cabinets or exhaust linkage for volatile and harmful vapours

• Shelves should be chemical-resistant (e.g. epoxy coated, polypropylene)

• Use lip or raised edges on trays or shelves to contain leaks

• Ensure good airflow and clearance around storages (don’t stack to ceiling, leave gaps)

• For corrosives, use acid-resistant materials (e.g. HDPE trays, polymer shelving)

c) Control environmental parameters

• Temperature control: keep reagents within manufacturer’s recommended range

• Humidity control: minimise moisture ingress, particularly for hygroscopic reagents

• Light control: store light-sensitive reagents in amber bottles or dark cabinets

• Ventilation: adequate exhaust or fume capture for volatile chemicals

2. Labeling, Inventory & Documentation

a) Labeling best practice

Each container must have a clear, durable label showing:

• Chemical name (IUPAC or standard)

• Concentration / purity

• Date received / date opened

• Expiry or “use by” date if known

• Hazard symbols and warning statements (from SDS)

• Batch or lot number

Use chemical-resistant adhesive labels or cap-label tags. If a secondary container is used (e.g. a beaker inside a jar), ensure the secondary container is also labelled.

b) Inventory system

Implement an inventory tracking system (manual ledger, spreadsheet or LIMS) with the following:

• Location (e.g. “flammables cabinet, shelf 2”)

• Quantity on hand

• Expiry or check date

• Responsible user / custodian

• Movement logs (who withdrew, when)

Regular audits (monthly or quarterly) help catch expired or misplaced reagents.

c) Safety Data Sheets (SDS) & documentation

Keep up-to-date SDS for all chemicals in a central binder (physical or digital). Ensure that lab users have easy access. When ordering new chemicals, review the SDS for storage guidance, incompatibilities and disposal requirements.

3. Segregation & Compatibility

One of the trickiest parts of storing lab chemicals and reagents is making sure incompatible chemicals do not end up next to each other. Here’s how to manage segregation:

a) Group by hazard classes

Common segregation rules include:

b) Maintain physical distance

Where possible, leave buffer zones or empty shelves between incompatible classes (for example, avoid storing oxidisers directly next to flammables).

c) Use segregation tools

• Segregation bins or trays labelled by hazard class

• Partitioned cabinets

• Separate rooms if space allows

d) Special case: peroxides & self-reactive reagents

Peroxides and self-reactive chemicals require additional vigilance:

• Limit the quantity stored

• Store in stabilised, inhibitor-containing forms when possible

• Monitor shelf life strictly

• Inspect periodically for crystallisation, colour change or solidification

4. Temperature & Cold Storage

Many lab chemicals and reagents demand cold or temperature-controlled storage to remain stable.

a) Refrigerators & freezers

• Use laboratory-grade, explosion-proof units rather than domestic appliances

• Label the interior zones and ensure inventory is tracked

• Avoid placing reactive chemicals together (e.g. strong oxidisers in fridge next to organics)

• Monitor temperature and log it daily (alarms if thresholds exceeded)

• For ultra-low reagents (e.g. –80 °C), use freezers with backup power

b) Desiccators & inert atmosphere storage

For moisture-sensitive reagents:

• Use sealed desiccators with silica or molecular sieves

• Some reagents benefit from storage under inert gas (e.g. nitrogen)

• Use vacuum desiccators for extremely hygroscopic materials

5. Spill & Leak Mitigation

Even in the best systems, leaks or spills may happen. Preparation is key.

a) Secondary containment

Always store in trays or bundled shelving that can catch leaks. In floors, ensure bunding or gradation directs spills toward safe containment.

b) Spill kits & emergency equipment

Have spill kits in or near storage zones, including:

• Absorbents compatible with the chemical (e.g. neutralising granules for acids or bases)

• PPE (gloves, goggles, lab coat)

• Acid / base neutralisers, inert absorbents

• Waste containers for recovered liquid

• Instructions / SOPs attached

c) Emergency response plan

• Post clear instructions for dealing with spills (first responder, evacuation, neutralisation)

• Train staff in spill procedures

• Maintain eye wash stations and safety showers nearby

• Insist on prompt cleanup — do not leave a small drip to become a major incident

6. Regular Inspection & Maintenance

A good storage scheme requires ongoing care:

• Monthly or quarterly inspection of container integrity (check corrosion, bulging, leaks)

• Check expiry dates and dispose of outdated reagents per SDS

• Validate ventilation, sensors, temperature logs

• Re-audit inventory vs physical stock to find discrepancies

• Replace worn or non-compliant containers

• Keep the storage area clean, uncluttered, well lit

7. Case Studies & South African Research Context

To motivate the importance of proper storage, let’s look at how chemical reagents underpin major South African research, and why their stability and safety matter.

Philiswa Nomngongo & Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Professor Philiswa Nomngongo, a leading South African analytical chemist, has made strides in using nanomaterials and chemical sensors to monitor water quality in remote communities. Wikipedia
In her work, trace reagents, heavy-metal standards, and nanomaterial catalysts must be stored reliably — any degradation or contamination would threaten her detection limits and thus the safety implications for communities relying on the data.

Tebello Nyokong & Photodynamic Therapy

Professor Tebello Nyokong, a distinguished chemist, researches photoactive compounds used in cancer therapy and diagnostics. Wikipedia
Her work depends on carefully stored photosensitisers and reagents that are sensitive to light or oxidation. A lapse in storage could lead to decomposed compounds and flawed results in treatment development.

Michael M. Thackeray & Battery Materials

Though his later work was in battery chemistry, Michael Thackeray began his chemistry career in South Africa and contributed broadly in electrochemical materials development. Wikipedia
Lab chemicals like metal salts, oxides and electrolytes for battery research must remain pure and stable — once contamination creeps in, performance data becomes meaningless.

Beyond individuals, national institutions such as iThemba LABS rely on isotopic reagents, radioactive standards, and precision chemicals in their accelerator and materials science work. Wikipedia
These reagents require rigorous storage standards to prevent any degradation that could compromise experiments or radionuclide safety.

These examples emphasise that whether you’re doing environmental monitoring, novel therapies or advanced materials research, safe and correct storage of lab chemicals and reagents is foundational.

8. Common Mistakes & Pitfalls to Avoid

Here’s a quick list of pitfalls labs often fall into:

• Storing incompatible chemicals side by side

• Using domestic refrigerators for volatile solvents or corrosives

• Neglecting labelling of secondary containers

• Overfilling cabinets or stacking to the ceiling

• Failing to audit or clean expired / deteriorated reagents

• Ignoring SDS guidance on incompatibilities or hazards

• Ventilation neglect — expecting cabinets to passively vent vapours

• Infrequent inspection of refrigerated or ambient storages

Avoiding these mistakes is often just as important as establishing the storage plan itself.

9. How B&M Scientific Can Help

At B&M Scientific, we understand the challenges labs face with safe storage of lab chemicals and reagents, so we offer a range of support:

• Chemical-resistant storage cabinets

• Secondary containment trays and bunded shelving

• Ventilated cabinets and fume-hood integration

• Label products, software or inventory support

• Expert advice on chemical compatibility and storage design

If you’re ready to up your lab’s storage safety, researchers and lab managers can now place their orders on Lab Buddy.