Handling & Storage: Storage

Nitrocellulose drums should be stored in a cool area. Smoking and use of naked light/fire to be strictly prohibited. Only flameproof electric light/fittings shall be used in the solvent damped nitrocellulose handling and storage area. The building where nitrocellulose is stored should have adequate ventilation. Nitrocellulose drums should always be kept under shed. The drums shall not be subjected to heat, e.g. direct sunlight, impact and friction, as these can lead to fire and explosion. The storage shall always be kept clean, tidy and free from any combustible items. There should always be adequate passage all around the wall of the building and storage space for easy access and exit. Adequate supply of water shall be made available near the storage for extinguishing fire. Preferably automatic water sprinklers should be provided in the storage area. Nitrocellulose drums shall not be opened in the storage area. If needed drums should be brought back to processing area for necessary action. Nitrocellulose drums shall not be stored for a very long time. Nitrocellulose drums shall be preferably issued on a firdt-in-first-out basis as much as possible. It is desirable to maintain a minimum stock of nitrocellulose drums in the store with proper supply and dispatch planning. However, if the drums are required to be stored longer, those should be reversed at regular intervals of 2 to 3 weeks to allow reverse migration of damping medium from top to bottom of the drums. Nitrocellulose drums should be preferably stored only in single tier in an upright position. It must be ensured that the drums are sealed properly and the lids/clamping arrangements are intact to prevent loss of damping medium by evaporation. Protect all nitrocellulose processing and packing equipment, in solvent/manufacturing area against static electricity by adequate grounding of metal parts. The walls and ceiling of the storage and processing building should be washed down periodically to remove dry nitrocellulose dust. Adequate supply of water should be available for extinguishing fire, flooding unburnt material and cooling adjacent drums. Drums should have proper marking of lot numbers, grade of nitrocellulose, date of manufacture etc. Trucks coming to the storage area for loading drums should have a flame arrester at the exhaust. Nitrocellulose warehouse of handling room must have lighting conductors.