Agricultural pesticides are biologically active and can be potentially hazardous. They should always be handled with caution and can be stored in isolation away from other agricultural chemicals, seeds, feed and foodstuffs.

• Storage areas must be secure (able to be locked) and under cover (protected from sun and rain).
• Do not allow access to children or animals.
• Toxic products (Group Ia and Ib) should be segregated and kept under lock and key.
• Pesticides should be segregated to minimize fire and spillage risk and to avoid possible chemical reaction between different products.
• When storing herbicides (indicated by a purple square on the top right corner of the label panel) among other products, they should be properly identified and segregated to minimize the risk of cross contamination.
• Herbicides should be stored where spillage can be contained and not reach drains, groundwater sources or public water.
• Herbicides and other pesticides should be stored in groups corresponding to their different hazard categories, i.e. flammability, combustibility and use.
• Fireproof walls should be included to prevent fire spreading to adjacent buildings.
• Combustible packaging materials (plastic and paper) should be separated from other products, since they ignite readily and can contribute significantly to the fire hazard.
• Certain Monsanto products are packed in combustible plastic containers and relevant precautions should be taken.
• Storage areas must be at least 100m from open water.
• Doors should be steel or solid timber - no hollow-core or panel doors.
• Emergency escape doors should be positioned at a maximum of 20m from any point in the store.
• At least 15% of the floor space must be kept free for ventilation purposes and easy access.

Related Information... Handling Storage Transportation

Storage Patterns

• An inventory and storage plan of all products must be kept with regular adjustments made as stock moves in and out.
• Storage areas must have an impermeable floor and must be surrounded by a containment sill, which will hold 110% of the stored volume. Since asphalt softens in hot climates, it is not suitable for use in South Africa.
• Floors must be even, non-porous, screeded concrete and seams and wall joints must be sealed with epoxy resin or silicone.
• Packing must be done with access for fire-fighting, i.e. passages between pack and blocks.
• Each storage block should be clearly marked on the floor for easy identification on the floor plan.
• If the block storage is used, the dimensions should be restricted to a maximum as follows:
• a width of 2 pallets and a height of 4 pallets, length not exceeding 8 pallets
• an inspection aisle of at least 0.5m should be kept between blocks and am aisle of 1m between blocks and walls
• sufficient space for ease of movement must be allocated at emergency exits and around fire-fighting equipment

Restricting the size of blocks containing combustible goods is also recommended. Activities other than warehousing should not be allowed in the storage area. If repacking and refilling facilities are needed, these should be located in an area segregated from the rest of the warehouse.

Access to Storage Area
Adequate access should be provided for loading and unloading operations, as well as for emergency vehicles and equipment in case of a fire. All sides of buildings should be easily accessible from the outside.

• Exits, other than the main doors, should be provided for emergency purposes. These should be within 20m reach of any place in the warehouse to prevent anyone from being trapped in the case of an emergency. These exits should be marked clearly and should be kept free of any obstructions both inside and outside the building.

Spillages
All spillages should be reported at once to immediate management and dealt with promptly.

• Spilled product should be kept from being spread around the warehouse by using sand or other absorbent material to contain it.
• Spilled liquids should be absorbed onto sand or inert clay before being swept up into a safe container and disposed of in an approved manner.
• Powders and granules should be removed with an industrial-strength vacuum cleaner, fitted with primary and secondary filters.
• If a brush and shovel are used, however, air borne dust can be reduced by first spreading damp sand over the spillage. It must then be swept into a container, sealed and disposed of appropriately.
• The contaminated floor area should be washed thoroughly with water. Take care not to let the water run off, but soak it up with absorbent material which must be disposed of in an approved manner.

Equipment For Spillages
Equipment for spillages should be kept in a readily accessible location and marked prominently.

Equipment should include:

• granular clay or absorbent material in sufficient quantities to be used as a barrier and to absorb spillage
• broom, shovel
• large heavy duty plastic bags for waste containment and disposal
• gumboots and gloves for personal protection

Where warehouses have outside drains, plugs or sand-filled plastics bags should be kept close to the drains for plugging in case of emergencies.

Emergency Procedures
A detailed inventory, product safety data sheets and plan which indicates the position of the products, should be kept at hand for reference in an emergency - a copy outside the store, a copy in the office and a copy filed with the local emergency service (and the AVCASA pre-fire plan). They should be regularly updated (i.e. weekly).

Provision must be made for washing place where eyes can be washed, personnel can shower and clothing and utensils stored if contaminated.

Emergency Planning

• Appoint a staff member to be responsible for emergency actions - or a fire marshal and qualified first-aid staff member.

An effective fire emergency plan will reduce the overall potential for environmental pollution and danger to people.

• Fire-fighting equipment must be clearly indicated and readily accessible.
• The plan should be practiced in conjunction with the local fire brigade to ensure that everyone knows exactly how to react in case of a fire.
• The pollution hazard caused by smoke or fumes, as well as the handling of fire-fighting water should be agreed upon beforehand with the fire department.
• Bystanders and firefighters should take care not to be downwind of the fire.
• Since there are circumstances in which it would be better to let a fire burn than to put it out, this possibility should be included in the plan and agreement should be reached on who would make such a decision.
• It is of utmost importance that the fire-fighting water be contained and kept away from drains, rivers and water courses. The water should be disposed of safely after completion of clean-up operations.
• A plan showing all fire-fighting equipment should be kept in the store manager’s office and at least one other prominent place for easy reference.
• All staff should be trained on all the fire-fighting equipment; evacuation drills and the fire drill should be practiced regularly.

When a fire is discovered:

• sound the alarm
• call the fire brigade and alert emergency services (ambulance if personnel injured, traffic department for crowd control, etc.)
• if feasible, extinguish the fire or prevent it from spreading
• call the nearest poison information center if in any doubt as to the pesticide hazards
• fire marshals should clear the area of staff and have them report to the assembly point
• anyone involved in fire-fighting should wear appropriate safety clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus
• staff who have been exposed to fumes or smoke should be kept under observation for possible poisoning
• where possible, build a barrier with sand bags to contain burning liquids and run-off water, containment walls should be built to prevent any run-off
• alert Monsanto head office

Fire-fighting Equipment
Portable fire extinguishers should be positioned outside the normal entrances and in prominent positions within the store area. They should be indicated clearly.

The type, number and size should be discussed with local fire authorities and the insurers, to ensure that the correct equipment is available for the appropriate chemicals being stored.

• Two 10 - 12kg extinguishers (either dry, CO2 or water) should be available for the first 50 square metres of floorspace, with another one for each additional 100 square metres
• For warehouses exceeding 500 square metres, an additional mobile dry powder extinguisher of between 50 - 100kg is recommended
• Fire extinguishers and hoses should be checked and serviced at least once a year and partially used extinguishers should be discarded and replaced immediately

Local fire authorities should also inspect and recommend location, design and spacing of the fire extinguishers - if possible, equipment that can easily be integrated with that of the fire brigade, should be installed.

If large amounts of flammable pesticides are stored, it is advisable to stock foam concentrate. Special training should be given to warehouse staff in the use of foam-based fire-fighting equipment.

Certain formulations such as emulsifiable concentrates (Ecs) can be reported as flammable whereas most solutions, suspension concentrates and granules are not flammable. However, packaging can be flammable.

Alcohol-resistant foam if required for water miscible solvents or emulsifiable concentrates.

Clean-up Operations
Care must be taken during clean-up operations to protect staff from contamination and to prevent environmental pollution.

• The burned-out area should be closed off and hazard warning signs posted to keep people out
• Further possible spread of contamination should be prevented by covering the area with tarpaulins
• A clean-up plan should be agreed upon between warehouse management, Monsanto and the local authorities. The public health authorities should be informed of the plan.
• Smoking, drinking and eating must be prohibited in the contaminated area
• Boots and shoes should be washed after leaving the area to avoid spreading the contamination
• All spilled pesticides should be absorbed on clay or sand before removal
• Decontaminate all equipment used during the clean-up
• The clean-up process must be carefully monitored and documented
• If necessary, the surrounding area should be tested for possible contamination
• Local authorities should give final approval that the clean-up has been completed