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Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Safety Precautions

Storage & Shelf Life

All pesticides must be stored safely, and according to legal requirements.  A properly designed and constructed pesticide storage facility will reduce the risk of surface and groundwater contamination, increase user safety in the handling of products, prevent contamination of food and feed, and limit access to authorized persons.

A number of requirements for pesticide storage are specified in the Integrated Pest Management Act and Regulations, as well as the Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (see the Provincial Legislation in the Laws & Regulation section of this website).

Guidelines for storage of agricultural or commercial pesticides are shown below.

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General Safety Considerations

Refer to the section on Pesticide Emergencies for more information on spills, fires, first aid and emergency numbers.

  • Store pesticides in their original, closed containers with the original labels.
  • Never keep pesticides near livestock, food, feed, seed, wells, water supplies, or in your home.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher, broom and shovel, absorptive material, and protective clothing near-by in case of emergencies (see Pesticide Emergencies).
  • Provide an immediate supply of clean water and have an eyewash dispenser immediately available for emergencies. Soap and a first aid kit are also necessary.
  • Return pesticides to storage when not in use.
  • Keep a current inventory of pesticides, but keep the list at a different location. This information is essential to fire fighters in case of an accidental fire involving pesticides.
  • Only purchase enough pesticide for current needs. Unused, unopened chemical containers can often be returned to the supplier and will reduce on-farm storage requirements.
  • Dispose of unwanted, unmarked and damaged containers (see Pesticide and Container Disposal)
  • Post emergency numbers near-by (see Pesticide Emergencies).
  • The local Fire Department must be informed about the location of storage facilities and the quantities of pesticides located there, as required by the Integrated Pest Management Act.
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Site Selection

Consider both environmental and human factors before selecting the location for a pesticide storage facility. Store pesticides in a facility separated from work and living areas, and away from livestock. Depending on the amount of pesticides, the facility may be a cabinet, a room or a shed. For larger quantities of pesticides, a separate, detached building is preferred (Figure 1). Consider the following when selecting a location for a pesticide storage shed:

  • The pesticide storage must, by law, be located at least 30.5 metres (100 feet) away from wells, springs and surface water.
  • Most municipal and/or regional districts suggest building setbacks be 45 metres (150 feet) from property lines.
  • Locate the storage on well-drained sites.  Avoid areas with coarse soils (high leaching potential) or low areas prone to flooding.
  • Local drainage should be diverted away from the building site.
  • Select a site with convenient road access for tractors, sprayers and emergency vehicles.
  • Locate in an area not susceptible to vandalism and theft.
  • Locate near a frost-free piped water supply.
  • If possible, locate in a shady location to reduce solar heating.
  • Locate downwind of houses or living quarters.
  • Locate near a source of electrical power for lighting, ventilation and heating.

Figure 1: Layout of pesticide storage building suggested by Workers Compensation Board (1985)
Layout of pesticide storage building

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Secure Entrances

chemical Storage Sign
  • The entrance to the storage area should be from the outside.
  • Make sure the size of the doors is large enough to accommodate bulk pesticides that may be stored if needed.
  • Keep out unauthorized people. The pesticide storage must be kept securely locked.
  • Attach warning signs outside all entrances. This is required by law. The signs should clearly state, "DANGER CHEMICAL STORAGE - AUTHORIZED PERSONS ONLY". Warning signs are available from the Farm and Ranch Health and Safety Association (FARSHA).
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Building Materials and Design Considerations

Various building designs can provide a suitable pesticide storage structure provided the following requirements are met:

  • It is built on a well-compacted granular subgrade that is at least 6 inches thick.
  • The foundation and floor must contain spills.
  • Concrete surfaces should be durable and watertight. Concrete is porous and should be painted with a sealing compound.
  • There should be NO floor drains..
  • Whenever possible, fire-resistant and nonabsorbent materials should be used in construction. A minimum one-hour fire spread rating is required between the pesticide storage and any other structure. Two sheets of 5/8 inch gypsum wallboard on wood-framed walls and ceilings provide this rating. 
  • The building should be structurally sound for the site conditions and climatic area. 
  • Building size should allow for the organized storage and handling of pesticides.
  • Shelving and pallets should be made of nonabsorbent materials such as plastic or metal.
  • Paints or other sealants such as polyurethane or epoxy paint should be used to seal absorbent surfaces if wood or fiberboard are used.
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Ventilation

  • Pesticide storage facilities must be ventilated to the outdoors to prevent toxic or flammable vapours from accumulating.
  • If the storage facility is not used as a mixing area, Workers Compensation Board (W.C.B.) indicates a reasonable ventilation rate is six air changes per hour. This would be about 300 L per minute of ventilation for every square metre of floor area in a 3 m high room. If mixing is done indoors, additional ventilation may be necessary.
  • Vapour concentrations can be kept at safe levels by installing a louvred exhaust fan. It should be wired so that an outside switch activates the fan before entering the enclosure.
  • For a naturally ventilated building, two screened vents on opposite sides of the building within 12 in. of the floor should be provided.
  • Be sure that exhaust fans are located so as to pull pesticide vapours away from the work areas.
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Temperature Control

  • Pesticide storage facilities should be insulated or temperature controlled to prevent freezing and overheating.
  • Maintain a storage temperature range of  5 - 30 C. Freezing or high temperatures may reduce the effectiveness and shelf life of many pesticides.  Some chemicals are susceptible to increased combustibility at higher temperatures.
  • For protection from frost, all framing should be installed with a 6 mil vapour barrier and insulated to at least R 20 (RSI 3.5) for walls, R 28 (RSI 4.9) for the ceiling and R 8 (RSI 1.4) for foundation perimeters.
  • Provide a heating unit in areas with freezing winter temperatures. A capacity of 1.5 kW should be sufficient to maintain nonfreezing temperatures in a well-insulated building for most areas of British Columbia. In milder areas, a low-wattage light bulb can protect chemicals susceptible to freezing if stored in a separate insulated cabinet.
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Lighting

Provide good lighting both inside and outside the storage.  Pesticide handlers must have enough light to be able to read the labels on pesticide containers.  Good lighting is also necessary to determine if containers are leaking or corroding, and to effectively clean up spills or leaks.

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Storage Considerations

  • Store only pesticides, pesticide containers and pesticide equipment in the storage site. Never store food, drink, tobacco, feed, seed, fertilizer or veterinary supplies with pesticides to prevent accidental exposure to people or animals.
  • Keep a pesticide spill kit near, but not inside the pesticide storage to ensure it is accessible after a spill.
  • Observe any storage precautions listed on pesticide labels.
  • Keep containers above floor level to protect from dampness and flooding. Store pesticides on shelves, if possible, or on pallets.
  • Each class of pesticide should be stored in its own area to avoid cross contamination. In particular, keep herbicides separate from other pesticides. Store dry formulations above liquid pesticides in case of a spill or leak. If possible, store volatile products separately.
  • Store pesticide containers with the label in plain sight for easy identification.
  • Inspect containers regularly for leakage, corrosion, tears or other damage. When paper containers are torn, transfer contents to an empty paper container of the same pesticide product or repair and enclose in a clear plastic bag. Do not cover up the label. Turn leaking metal or plastic containers leak-side up, when safe to do so, then clean-up spilled pesticide and transfer leaking container contents to a new container. Place a label on the new container. Contact your chemical supplier about replacement containers or labels.
  • At the very least, a temporary label must include:
    • the pesticide common and trade name,
    • the concentration of pesticide active ingredient, and
    • the pesticide P.C.P. Act registration number.
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Shelf Life

Pesticides vary in their stability and response to storage conditions. Try to purchase only quantities of pesticides that can be used up in one growing season. Under proper storage conditions most pesticides can be used after at least one year of storage.
  • Mark each container with the date of purchase before it is stored.
  • Use older materials first. 
  • Check pesticide labels for information about shelf life and recommended storage conditions. 
  • If a pesticide appears abnormal (clumping, poor suspension, layering or changes in colour) it may indicate that the pesticide has broken down.
  • If you have doubts about the shelf life of a pesticide, call the dealer or manufacturer for advice.
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Mobile Storage Facilities

Some pesticide users may store pesticides for extended periods in vehicles when performing a number of similar treatments. The vehicle is then considered a mobile storage unit and there are several potential hazards:

  • the driver may inhale harmful levels of pesticide vapours,
  • a vehicle accident may cause a pesticide spill,
  • pesticides may contaminate personal protective clothing and respirators as well as driver or passenger areas of the vehicle,
  • there may be inadequate quantities of wash water if the application site is far from a running water source.

Pickup trucks are most suitable for mobile storage. Pesticides can be placed in a locked canopy, separated from the driver. The WCB recommends the use of a canopy divided into compartments to keep personal protective gear separated from pesticides and to provide easy access to pesticides and equipment stored forward of the tailgate area. This canopy has lockable compartments which open outward along each side of the canopy and an interior space accessible from the rear.

Cars or station wagons are not suitable for mobile storage.

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Pesticide Storage Checklist

Safety is the key element in proper pesticide storage. Use this checklist as a guide for your facility. If you answer "no" to any of the statements, you should consider making corrections.

Yes
No
  
Pesticide storage is locked
Pesticide storage only able to be entered by authorized people
Key for lock is stored away from lock
Storage is ventilated
Ventilated to the outside (not to inside a building/shed)
Warning sign is clearly visible on door (not faded or illegible)
Warning sign says "Warning Chemical Storage-Authorized Persons Only"
Containment for spills (floor = concrete with curb or metal pan under pesticides, or pesticides in container to catch any spillage)
Labels on all containers*
Labels on all containers*
Herbicides separated from other pesticides
Caps tightly closed
Bags are tightly sealed
Well’s are at least 30.5 m (100 ft.) from storage
Water courses are at least 15 m (50 ft) from the storage
Animals can’t access pesticide treated seed
Damaged bags in strong plastic bags
Leaking or damaged containers are in another container
No pesticides stored randomly with machinery, lubricants etc
No pesticides stored in produce coolers or milk houses
Non-pesticide equipment not stored with pesticides.
Storage area can accommodate large pesticide shipments
No pesticides stored in the well or pump house

* If the label on container is missing or illegible, the container MUST (by law) have the common name, trade name, quantity and PCP registration number clearly written on it. Labels can be obtained from pesticide manufacturers or distributors or from of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency Web site.

Printable Pesticide Storage Checklist

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Links for Further Information