Over 2,700 tons of phosgene caused injuries to more than 5,000 people – how can hazardous chemicals be stored properly?

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At around 6 p.m. on August 4 local time, a major explosion occurred at a port in northern Beirut, Lebanon. To date, the accident has resulted in over 137 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries. Confirmed by Lebanese Prime Minister Diab, the cause of the accident was an explosion caused by more than 2,700 tons of *AO acid stored in the warehouse. https://p7.itc.cn/images01/20200810/17387698783a404db5ff8b993e4ff854.jpeghttp://p2.itc.cn/images01/20200810/709dded261874275b3ff7d81ae73ddc8.jpeghttp://p3.itc.cn/images01/20200810/9f8ee3e866054ac29444fdc249d6bf85.jpegThis is not the first major explosion accident caused by *ao acid an. On August 12, 2015, a major fire and explosion accident occurred in Binhai New Area, Tianjin. The total energy of the explosion in the accident was approximately 450 tons of T*T equivalent. The accident resulted in 165 deaths, 8 missing persons, and 798 injuries. http://p4.itc.cn/images01/20200810/b1cf1bd54b654b91abc1028f0247edd0.png http://p9.itc.cn/images01/20200810/e68a83420428476ea1afb0e43b77d47a.png The accident that occurred on August 12 in Tianjin was caused by the spontaneous combustion of nitrocellulose due to heat accumulation; this led to prolonged and widespread burning of nitrocellulose and other hazardous chemicals in adjacent containers, ultimately resulting in explosions of hazardous chemicals such as *ao acid an that were stored in the delivery area. *The improper storage of AO acid an led to such a tragic accident, which serves as a warning to us! Hazardous chemicals must be stored properly! Precautions for safe storage 1. A qualified warehouse for hazardous chemicals is necessary. The roof and walls of such a warehouse should be lined with heat-insulating, fire-resistant materials, and the eaves should be made long enough to prevent sunlight from entering the warehouse ； It is best to use frosted glass for window panes, or paint them blue ； The walls of the warehouse should be appropriately thickened, and double doors as well as a double roof should be installed. 2. Hazardous chemicals are generally classified into explosive substances, self-igniting substances, flammable solids, substances that burn when in contact with water, flammable and oxidizing gases, corrosive substances, oxidizers, etc. These items must be stored separately by category, in different warehouses, in separate batches, and on separate shelves. When storing items, stacks should not be too large, too high, or too dense; a certain distance should be maintained between stacks as well as between them and the walls, roof beams, and lights. Warehouses must not hold excessive amounts of stock, and fire exits must be kept available. 3. To strictly control the temperature, a water storage roof should be installed in the warehouse, or cooling water pipes should be set up on the warehouse’s roof. When the temperature in the warehouse exceeds 30°C, water is sprayed to cool it down and keep the temperature below 28°C. The warehouse’s roof, exterior walls, and window glass can also be painted white to reduce the absorption of radiant heat. 4. Open storage areas and tanks should be cooled, and flammable liquids in barrels should be stored inside buildings. When temporary outdoor storage is necessary, a shade structure made of non-flammable materials should be used, and water should be sprayed regularly to cool down the area. The volume of flammable liquids in the tank should account for only 90% to 95% of its total capacity, leaving 5% to 10% of space to prevent combustion or explosion caused by the thermal expansion of the flammable liquids inside the tank. A cooling device should be installed at the top of the storage tank to spray water for cooling when the temperature rises above 30 degrees Celsius. The storage tank should not be filled to capacity either; 5% to 10% of the volume should be left empty. 5. Lightning protection facilities should be in place; hazardous materials warehouses must be equipped with lightning arresters to prevent fire accidents caused by lightning strikes. 6. Strengthen personnel management: Personnel working in hazardous chemicals warehouses must hold valid certificates to be employed. Warehouse staff should conduct regular inspections of the warehouse, and any issues found should be resolved promptly to ensure the safety of stored goods. Safe work remains a long-term task; our condolences go to those who have passed away