COSHH Cabinets

Find the right hazardous storage solution for your workplace

It’s likely your business will use hazardous chemicals whatever industry you’re in, and you’ll need to comply with health and safety regulations to ensure you’re storing your materials safely. Here at Manutan, safety in the workplace is extremely important to us, and we offer a wide range of COSHH cupboards and hazardous storage cabinets in different colours and sizes to accommodate your needs. No matter what hazardous substances you work with, we have a safe storage solution for you.

Types of COSHH cabinets in our range

Flammable storage cabinets

Our flammable chemical storage cabinets are designed for flammable chemicals, which can come in liquid, gas or solid form. The cabinets are supplied with a flammable substance COSHH warning label and are typically yellow.

Hazardous substance cabinets

Most of our hazardous chemical storage cabinets come in grey with 5 hazardous substance COSHH labels depending on the substance you want to store. These include ‘Harmful Substances’, 'Health Hazard', 'Acute Toxicity, 'Corrosive' and 'Acute Toxicity' labels. There is a wide range of sizes to choose from with the larger cabinets offering leak proof sumps to contain spillages.

Acid/alkali cabinets

The acid/alkali cabinets are suitable for mildly corrosive chemicals. They come with the appropriate COSHH warning labels for corrosive substances and the steel construction is coated with zinc for optimum corrosion resistance.

Justrite cabinets with fire resistance

For something a little more fire resistant, the Justrite cabinets are the best choice. These storage units (such as this self-close Justrite flammable cabinet) are extra strong, sturdy and secure.

They are FM approved, high performance and designed to withstand fire for a minimum of 10 minutes. Justrite Cabinets meet OSHA and NFPA 30 - Exceeding COSHH Standards

The chemical cabinets will keep the flammable and combustible fluids stored inside from reaching spontaneous combustion for at least a minimum of 10 minutes. This allows time for employees to leave the premises and the sprinkler system to help put out the fire.

Can’t find the right product for you or have any questions? Contact our friendly sales team today.

Ask the Manutan experts....

What is a COSHH cabinet?

A COSHH cabinet, sometimes referred to as a COSHH locker or chemical storage cabinet, is a type of storage unit which is designed to safely store substances considered to be hazardous according to COSHH regulations. COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, which is a set of guidelines introduced by the HSE to ensure businesses store and handle chemicals in a safe way.

Why is fireproof storage important?

Fireproof storage is fundamental for maintaining a safe workplace, especially when dealing with flammable or combustible materials. Specialised COSHH cabinets are engineered for securely housing dangerous substances including gases, liquids and solids. Industries like factories, laboratories and cleaning companies often engage with such hazardous materials, hence having a reliable storage solution is crucial to keep these perilous substances at bay.

COSHH cabinets not only facilitate safe storage but also mitigate the risks associated with accidental spillages or unauthorised access, thus significantly reducing the potential fire hazards. By adhering to the guidelines set by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR), organisations can ensure a protected and compliant operational environment.

What can you store in our COSHH cabinets?

COSHH cabinets can be used to store flammable substances hazardous to health. The types of materials that could be stored in hazardous substance cabinets include:

• Combustible and flammable liquids
• Flammable gases
• Oxidising chemicals
• Combustible and flammable solids
• Explosive chemicals
• Dusts
• Vapours
• Biological agents

You can find more information about what materials should be stored in a flammable storage cabinet and why you should use them in your workplace in our blog.

Choosing the right COSHH cupboards

Before you decide on the type of COSHH cupboard you need, you should carry out a COSHH assessment in your the business and think about:

• What chemicals you currently use and how much you need to store.
• The manufacturer’s guidelines for your materials, ensuring you check how to store each chemical.
• The measures you have in place at present and whether they are compliant with safety regulations.
• Whether certain chemicals will need to be segregated.
• The type of COSHH labelling you will need.
• The number of chemical cabinets or lockers you’ll need - there will be restrictions on the amount of a substance you can store in one particular location.
• Whether you need a cabinet which helps prevent release or leakage.

Do I need a COSHH cupboard?

If your workplace handles any type of hazardous material, you must ensure that it is safely stored and handled. COSHH is a legal requirement, therefore, you will need to store your flammable and hazardous materials in a COSHH chemical cabinet or locker to comply with health and safety regulations.

Hazardous materials come in many forms, but the most common are cleaning products. Many cleaning products contain corrosive agents such as sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) that can permanently burn eyes and skin - some can be fatal if ingested.

The COSHH cabinet allows these chemicals to be stored in clearly labelled, lockable cupboards that only authorised staff can access with the appropriate PPE equipment if required.

Please note that substances will need to be stored differently, and your business will need to assess the risk of the chemical and put in place controls for safe handling and storage.

What colour should a COSHH cabinet be?

Many hazardous storage cabinets and lockers are yellow, but they may not always be; you can find COSHH cabinets in yellow, green, red or grey. Below we’ve listed which colour cabinet you might use for certain materials but you should always refer to your manufacturers guides to determine which storage solution is right for your requirements

• Yellow - flammable chemicals.
• Red - positions, pesticides and other dangerous materials.
• Green - solvents and paints.
• Grey - acids and alkalis.

Do you sell lockable COSHH cabinets?

Yes, all our COSHH chemical cabinets are lockable. In order for a COSHH cupboard to be compliant with HSE regulations, they must be locked to ensure that only authorised personnel can access their contents. This is to ensure safety in the workplace as the chemicals inside hazardous storage cupboards can be very dangerous and require safe handling.

What accessories should I consider when purchasing COSHH lockers?

Depending on your preferred COSHH locker or cabinet, you may wish to consider some additional items to complement your purchase. Why not take a look at the Manutan Yellow Support Stand which offers you the option to position your COSHH cabinet off the ground for easy access to contents? You can also purchase additional shelves for Justrite COSHH cabinets.

What to look out for when buying a COSHH cabinet or hazardous cupboard?

Here are some key safety features to look out for when considering which cabinet to buy:

• Clear labelling: COSHH cabinets should be marked with easily identifiable labels and signs to demonstrate the hazardous materials stored within. This enables workers to swiftly and accurately recognise the materials contained in the cabinets, ensuring the correct safety measures are adhered to during handling.
• Secure locking mechanism: A COSHH cupboard should come with a lockable door to ensure there is no unauthorised access to the hazardous contents inside. This safety measure helps reduce the risk of accidents by enabling only trained and authorised individuals to access the materials.

Where should COSHH cupboards be located within the workplace?

All flammable storage should be placed in designated, well-ventilated areas away from heat and ignition sources. They should not obstruct emergency exits and should be situated away from high traffic and processing areas. It's essential to mark the location of COSHH cupboards on room hazard plans and include them in the building's fire risk assessment documentation.

How should I maintain and clean my COSHH chemical cabinet?

To maintain and clean your COSHH chemical cabinet, regularly inspect it for damage, leaks or spills. Address any issues promptly to prevent further contamination. Keep the cabinet organised and ensure proper labelling of all containers. Wipe down surfaces with a damp, non-abrasive cloth and use appropriate cleaning agents for any spills, adhering to manufacturer guidelines and safety protocols.

Do you offer free delivery?

Yes, for stocked items ordered before 4pm, we offer free next day delivery to all UK mainland addresses.

Looking for further advice on the right COSHH cabinet for your business?

If you’re not sure which hazardous substance cabinets are right for your business’s needs, or need advice on any of our products, please contact our friendly Sales team who will be happy to help.