How to Store Pentane?

If a company wants to use pentane for commercial purposes, there are numerous precautionary measures they need to take beforehand. Among others, the company should procure the necessary governmental licenses that would allow them to handle the substance in the first place.

This chemical can be bought from various online shops such as Simple Solvents. If you’re using pentane for industrial purposes, you need a reliable provider who will send the substance to your company’s address as soon as they receive the order.
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Here are some basic tips that will help you store pentane at your place of business.

Pentane Storing Basics

Like with any other volatile substance, your main goal is to reduce exposure to the body. By installing proper environmental controls, you can regulate the substance within any closed space.

Furthermore, when using pentane, you need to make sure it is isolated from other processes. That is, your team should handle pentane before or after the shift or in a separate space.

While having a proper environmental system in place is great, you should also get protective gear. Having things such as respirators can go a long way in ensuring the safety of your team. Keep in mind that the installation of environmental controls should still be your main priority.

Before utilizing heptane or any other volatile chemical, the company should determine how they will use the substance and in what quantity. Among others, the management needs to answer these questions:

• How volatile is the substance?
• What quantity of the substance will the company use on a daily and monthly basis?
• Will the chemical cause damage when it contacts the skin, eyes, or when ingested?

As mentioned, the first thing that a business needs to do is install environmental controls. This system will allow the removal of the toxic pentane from the air, which is very important as the substance can cause respiratory issues.

When installing the environmental controls, here are some of the main things you need to keep in mind:

• Ideally, a business should have a system that would allow pentane to go directly from barrels or tanks into the processing containers. That way, you can avoid any potential issues that might occur during the manual transportation of the drums.
• Pentane is a highly reactive substance and that can cause an explosion when exposed to a source ignition. Not only should you avoid having a source of fire, but you should also have extinguishers and install other measures that would help with a potential fire emergency.

Having protective gear and controls is not enough. A company should also have certain work practices that would prevent issues in the first place:
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• Any splashing with pentane should be immediately addressed. An employee should change his clothes as soon as he comes into contact with the substance.
• The clothes need to be washed in the right way. This needs to be done by a person who has experience with this particular task.
• A company should have a sink or other sources of water that can be used in case of exposure for rinsing the eyes or skin.
• A company should have showers where employees can wash in case of exposure
• Pentane needs to be washed immediately if a person has come into contact with it. An employee needs to wash the substance once again when the shift is over.
• Pentane is a toxic substance that shouldn’t be ingested. This is why employees shouldn’t eat, drink or smoke at the place where heptane is stored.

What Kind of Protective Gear Does a Company Need?

Environmental controls are a great solution regardless of the volatility of a substance. However, we shouldn't neglect the gear as the ultimate layer of protection.

The required protective gear is regulated by OSHA 1910.132. According to it, a company's optimal equipment will differ based on the toxic substances that are being used.

The business is also obliged to perform mandatory employee training. After the training, the workers will be able to handle these toxic chemicals in a safe manner. During the training, they will also learn how to properly utilize the equipment.

Here are some tips that will help you use different pieces of protective gear:

Clothes

• Clothes are the biggest piece of protective gear preventing skin exposure. You should always buy equipment that will provide enough protection against the specific substance that you're handling.
• Environmental clothes should be kept clean at all times by trained staff. Every shift, you will have to get new, clean protective clothing and remove them when as soon as the shift ends.
• Viton and Nitrile are good protective materials against pentane.

Goggles

• Goggles are crucial for preventing eye splashing. They should also have some natural ventilation, and they should provide protection against the impact. Each set of goggles should be made for pentane.
• An employee should always avoid wearing contact lenses when dealing with chemicals.
• If necessary, a person might also require a face shield.

Breathing protection

• Pentane is so volatile that it can lead to various respiratory issues. Whenever a person is exposed to a substance that can cause more than 85ppm, it is necessary to use MSHA/NIOSD equipment that utilizes organic cartridges. Full-face respirators are another potential solution. Powered-air purifying respirators can also provide assistance when dealing with pentane.
• In case there is an increased chance of exposure, whether due to misuse or faulty gear, an employee is required to evacuate the area immediately. The equipment needs to be checked and, if necessary, replaced.
• Besides pentane, the company should consider all other potential sources of exposure. This is especially true if they’re working with several substances.
• Depending on the type of exposure and chemicals, an employee might have to wear filters, prefilters, and cartridges. All of these should provide sufficient protection against the chemicals.
• When there is a risky situation, a worker needs to use MSHA/NIOSH respirator. It can be coupled with a face mask for additional protection. You can also add auxiliary breathing apparatus.
• The danger is proportionate to ppm exposure. Everything above 750 can lead to permanent damage and even fatality.