What is the number one consideration in storing chemicals?

The primary consideration when storing chemicals is segregation. This principle is crucial for ensuring safety because it involves keeping incompatible substances apart to prevent potentially hazardous reactions. For example, oxidizers and flammable materials should never be stored together, as their interaction can lead to fires or explosions. By segregating incompatible chemicals, the risk of accidents is significantly minimized, and it helps maintain a safer work environment.

While temperature control, accessibility, and labeling are also important factors in chemical storage, they are secondary to segregation. Temperature control is necessary to preserve the integrity of certain chemicals, accessibility is important for operational efficiency, and labeling ensures that users can identify contents quickly and respond appropriately. However, if incompatible chemicals are not appropriately segregated, even the best temperature control or highly visible labeling will not prevent dangerous interactions from occurring. Therefore, the emphasis on segregation reflects a fundamental aspect of chemical safety practice.