Frequently Asked Questions

Factory Mutual (FM) is the best-known and most widely used standard for storage buildings. Securall ® Chemical Storage Buildings are FM Approved. All electrical installations are U.L. Approved and compliant to 1999 & 2002 NEC.

Chemical Storage Buildings are used to store flammable liquids, chemicals and hazardous waste in a safe, secure storage area. The buildings have a leak-tight sump area at the bottom, designed to prevent leaky containers from contaminating the area.

Usually the size is determined by how many 55 gal drums you want to store in the building. For example, Securall offers Hazmat Storage Buildings with capacities for 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, 64 and 80 drums. Our Agri-Chemical models are designed for storage of various sized containers and include galvanized shelving. We can also custom-design a building to accommodate any type of container or equipment, which requires storage.

The NFPA states that the floor area shall not exceed 1,500 sq. feet.

The buildings are shipped pre-assembled. Buildings up to 12-drum capacity can be delivered in standard common carrier trailers, while larger buildings are shipped on flat bed trucks.

If you have a forklift truck, you will be able to offload buildings of up to 12-drum capacity. Larger buildings may require multiple forklifts or a crane. As an option, Securall can arrange to have the buildings offloaded for you.

Please check with your local authority having jurisdiction for setback requirements and correct wall/roof rating needed.

Fire-Rated Storage Buildings carry the Factory Mutual System Approval label and have an FM Approved Fire Rated Wall & Roof Design. Wall and Roof are Tested at Intertek Testing Laboratories. Securall Fire-Rated Storage Buildings are constructed based upon UL Fire Resistance Ratings classification criteria. Standard Buildings are available with 2-hour and 4-hour fire ratings upgrade. Wall ratings are either 2 or 4 hour fire rated . Roof ratings are either 1.5 or 3 hour fire rated. Check with your local authority having jurisdiction for correct wall/roof rating needed. In addition, all Fire-Rated Buildings come with hydraulic operated self-closing, fire-rated doors and fire damper protected vents.

2 and 4 drum capacity models have a single 42" wide x 62" high door. 6, 9, and 12 drum models have a single 42" wide x 80" high door, with an optional upgrade to a 60" wide x 80" high double door. Buildings of 16 drum capacity and larger have a 60" wide x 80" high double door. Additional doors can be added if required. Overhead doors are also available on most models.

All Class 1 Flammable & Combustible Liquids in drums in an outside location must be stored in a chemical storage building. Other hazardous materials stored outside that may leak and cause contamination should also be contained in a storage building.

Class IA and Class IB Flammable Liquids are defined in NFPA Code 30, 2003 Edition, Section 1.7.3.2 as:
Class 1A: those liquids that have flash points below 73°F (22.8°C) and boiling points below 100°F (37.8°C)
Class 1B: those liquids that have flash points below 73°F (22.8°C) and boiling points at or above 100°F (37.8°C)
You can order the complete NFPA Code 30 from the National Fire Protection Association at www.nfpa.org.

Explosion relief panels are required for buildings that store and dispense Class IA liquids and that dispense Class IB liquids. Otherwise, an explosion relief panel is not required.

We extend options for credit with Net 30 Payment Terms, Cash, Money Order, Credit Card or Full Wire Transfer. For applicable payment terms, please contact our accounts receivable department: [email protected] , or fill out and submit a complete Credit Application and a Sales Representative will be in contact with you in the next 48 hours. Additional fees may also apply.

The explosion relief panel should be one square foot in size for every 50 cubic feet of interior volume and should release at an explosion pressure of 20 psf. The explosion relief panel should NOT be placed on the roof because snow and debris may prevent its proper release. The relief panel is usually placed on the rear wall.

You should classify the materials you intend to store according to hazard. Those that are compatible can be stored in the same building. Incompatible materials should be stored in separate buildings or as required by OSHA.

Buildings can be designed with a separation wall allowing you to store incompatible materials. Safety cabinets can also be installed inside the building to separate the different materials. Contact the proper authority having jurisdiction, usually the local Fire Marshal, to determine the appropriate solution for your situation.

A 4-hour fire rated building requires a 3 hour rating on the door. A 2-hour fire rated building requires a 1 1/2 hour rated door. All active fire rated doors are hydraulically operated, self-closing doors.

All fire rated buildings come with fusible link activated vents. Per FM specifications, 2 hour rated buildings have a 1 1/2 hour rated vent, and 4 hour rated buildings have a 3-hour rated vent.

Securall Chemical Storage buildings are constructed out of 16 gauge galvannealed steel for buildings up to 12 drum capacity. Larger buildings are constructed of 12 gauge galvannealed steel.

Buildings must withstand a minimum of 90 mph wind load and 70 psf snow load.

The sump must contain at least 25% of the liquid storage capacity of the building. For example, a building designed to store four 55-gallon drums should have a sump that can contain 55 gallons.

The standard sump is constructed of heavy gauge steel with leak tight seams, and the interior of the sump is coated with corrosion resistant material. An high-density polyethylene sump liner can be provided as a option.

A building floor area should not exceed 1500 square feet.

If you are storing a liquid that may freeze, and in the process expands causing its container to burst, then an explosion proof heater should be used. If you need a heater, we recommend that you also buy an R-11 insulation package.

If you are storing a liquid that has a low flash point and the weather conditions in your area may result in a high internal air temperature of the building, you should add an explosion proof air conditioning unit to your building. If you need an A/C, we recommend that you also buy an R-11 insulation package.

Many types of fire suppression are available: Dry Chemical or Water Sprinkler systems are 2 standard options. Your choice depends upon the type of material you are storing. Water may not extinguish all types of fires.

Hazmat Storage Buildings are available with explosion proof interior and exterior lighting as options. Agri-Chemical Storage Buildings include a dust-proof, fluorescent interior light with a weatherproof switch, and a vapor-resistant exterior light with photocell as standard features.

The following Building Codes are met: UBC, SBC, UFC, NEC and CAC. The following Industry Construction Standards are met: NFPA, BOCA, AWS, AISC, ANSI, ASTM and USPC. The following Federal Regulations are pertinent: EPA and OSHA.

Adjustable galvanized steel shelving is available as an option in Hazmat Storage Buildings. You can specify the number of linear feet of 14" deep galvanized steel shelving you need, as well as the number of tiers of shelving you require on each wall. Shelves have a 2" lip. Generally, shelving is not placed on the wall on which the door is situated. Shelving cannot be placed over the explosion relief panel, usually located on the rear wall of the building. All Agri-Chemical Storage Buildings include galvanized shelving as a standard feature.

Securall Safety Storage Cabinets are designed to meet safety requirements whenever a job involves the handling of flammable or combustible liquids. For additional information regulating the proper application of storing flammables, please visit www.osha.gov or www.nfpa.org.

All Securall cabinets share the following features:

• Heavy-duty, reinforced 18-gauge all-welded construction

• Double wall construction with 1 ½” air space

• Galvanized steel shelving (except acid/corrosive and stainless steel cabinets)

• 3-point self-latching doors with all non-spark latching

• Flush mounted locking handle

• Continuous piano hinge

• Adjustable zinc plated leveling legs

• Two 2” vents with flash arrestors

• Large warning label

• Static grounding bolt complies with 2006 OSHA Regulations

• Leak proof sill 2” deep

• Finished in 2-part, chemical resistant and impact resistant urethane paint

Securall offers a wide variety of cabinet options and accessories, including but not limited to additional shelves, venting and bonding kits, caster assembly, retrofit self-closing kit to convert any standard door cabinet into a safe-t-door unit, wall mount brackets (weight limit), stacking brackets (not recommended to stack self-closing cabinets beyond 200lbs). Other available options include: poly shelf liners and trays, sump liners, roller-bottoms, the outdoor weatherproof package (must be applied during manufacture of cabinet) etc. Installation of Non-OEM parts on the cabinet that alter the structural integrity of the unit will void the warranty and the FM approval.

All Securall cabinets are Self-Latching. All Securall cabinets utilize an OSHA & FM compliant non-sparking, 3-point spring loaded button latch system that automatically latches when the doors are closed.

The Standard Door model has a full piano hinge that will latch when door(s) are shut.

The Sliding Door model has a spring-loaded hydraulic controlled closer to employ OSHA 8 second Pinch-Point Regulation. Each sliding door cabinet comes with a fusible link to hold the door open during cabinet use. Fusible link will melt at 165° for automatic closure in case of fire.

The Safe-T-Door closure has not only a hydraulic cylinder to automatically close the door(s), but a built in pivot plate and safety mechanism allowing for an 8 second delay once the cylinder is engaged. Known as the OSHA Pinch-Point Regulation, this delay allows for removal of employee engagement from the doors before they close.

Securall denotes the door style in the hundreds place of the model number. Cabinet Models 100 are Standard or Manual door. Cabinet models 200 are Sliding Door, and cabinet models 300 are Safe-T-Door.

The most common reason that the doors won’t completely close is because the cabinet isn’t leveled. The cabinet is “level” for closing purposes when the tops of both doors are directly aligned with each other, signifying that the self-latching rod system inside each door is aligned with the body of the cabinet. Use the leveling legs that are located on the bottom 4 corners of the cabinet, and adjust them until the doors are aligned (as on a household appliance). If there are further questions, please contact your Customer Service Representative.

The National Fire Protection Association Code 30 (NFPA 30) Section 6.3.4 does not require safety cabinets to be vented. Check with your Local Authority having Jurisdiction, and if they do require venting, refer to the NFPA guidelines for proper application. Unless the cabinet is connected to mechanical ventilation system, the vent plugs must remain installed.
Most Schools and Universities will require a cabinet be vented.

Securall has a uniquely designed shelf strip that will allow for 500 lbs per shelf (226.8 kg).

Factory Mutual (FM), National Fire Protection Association Regulations (NFPA), Life & Safety Code Environmental Protection Agency Regulations (EPA), and Uniform Fire Code (UFC).

Although specific colors are common to certain stored materials (ex. Yellow = flammable, Blue = acid/corrosives), there is no official color-coding or color requirement for a storage cabinet. All Securall cabinets are available in any of the following standard colors: Yellow, Red, Blue, White, Beige, Gray, Pesticide Green, and Medical Green. Custom colors are available; contact your customer service representative.

For Pricing, please refer to a Securall distributor in your area. If you are not familiar with your local Securall Distributor, you can visit the Distributor Referral page on our website, or contact our customer Service Department for a referral in your area at [email protected], or 888-326-7890.
If you are a dealer looking to be set up as a online Securall Distributor, click here.

We extend options for credit with Net 30 Payment Terms, Cash, Money Order, Credit Card or Full Wire Transfer. For applicable payment terms, please contact our accounts receivable department: [email protected] , or fill out and submit a complete Credit Application and a Sales Representative will be in contact with you in the next 48 hours. Additional fees may also apply.

All standard models are in stock and available to ship within 48 hours of order being placed. For large volume orders, please contact a Customer Service Representative for a lead-time. For custom units, please allow 4-6 weeks unless otherwise specified on the quote. This additional time allows for drawing approvals as well as design communication and implementation.

You can obtain a freight quote from any commercial freight carrier. If you have preferred carrier, please communicate that to your customer service representative at time of quote request. You will need the FOB Point (always 46350) and the ship-to zip code, the total weight, the number of pieces shipping, and the shipping dimensions. For standard cabinets, simply add 6” to the Height, and 4” to both the Width and Depth for palletizing. The shipping weight already includes the weight of the pallet. If you would like our logistics department to provide a carrier, simply contact your Customer Service Representative.

All of our Dealer Price Listed Cabinet models ship freight Class 100. For a complete listing of item freight classes, click here.

Each cabinet is placed on a wooden pallet. Special waxed paper is placed in between the doors and the button latch to avoid paint wear during transport. The entire cabinet is bagged in thick heavy duty plastic. The corners of the sides and top of the cabinets are then covered in thick durable 48 ECT cardboard to prevent impact chipping, and the entire unit is wrapped in transparent cellophane from top to pallet and banded, allowing for inspection upon receipt of cabinet. Instruction stickers are then placed within the outer wrapping.