Spill Control : Safety Cabinets

The European Standard EN 14470-1 was implemented in April 2004 and has been published as a British Standard BS EN 14470-1. The primary purpose of a safety cabinet is to shield hazardous materials for a temperature raise of more than 180 deg C for a defined perior of time in a fire situation.

The 14470-1 Standard relates to the European specification for the safe storage of Hazardous substances in the workplace while 14470-2 relates specifically to the safe storage of hazardous gases in the workplace. An explanatory leaflet is available on request.

Test and construction requirements are now more stringent and the new standard defines a precise rating system for each cabinet type directly related to the temperature resistance capabilities of the cabinet.The standard now clearly defines 15, 30, 60 and 90 minutes ratings for the safety cabinets.

The  EN 14470-1 standard ensures that hazardous material safety cabinets will meet the following:.

General Safety Requirements

• Minimise the fire risks associated with storing flammable substances and protecting the cabinet's contents in the event of fire for a known (tested) minimum length of time (fire rating).
• Minimise the amount of hazardous vapour released into the working environment.
• Retain any accidental spillage within the cabinet.
• Provide protection for fire fighters as the standard takes into account time both for personnel to evacuate safely and for fire fighters to enter the workplace before the flammable stored materials are out of control or potentially explode.

Fire Resistance Testing Requirements

• Testing conducted in a specified fire chamber as a free-standing single cabinet.
• The entire cabinet must be uniformly exposed to the same heating conditions.
• Flame exposure according to standard temperature curve of EN 1363-1 (5.1.1)
• The temperature rise is measured inside the cabinet (measuring points on surfaces and in the air).
• The cabinet must then be classified as Type 15, 30, 60 or 90. This is the time measured before the temperature rises more than 180 K at any individual measuring location.

Doors - Testing Requirements

• Must close completely, starting from any position (closing time max. 20 seconds).
• Immobilising equipment fitted must release the locked doors at a temperature of 50 (-10) ^oC.

Fresh and Extraction Air Inlet- Testing Requirements 

• The cabinets must have air inlet and outlet openings.
• The ventilation openings must close automatically at a temperature of 70^oC.

Shelves and Drawers Testing Requirements

• The shelves or drawers must be able to support the loading specified by the manufacturer over the period of the test in the fire chamber.

Spill Containment Sump Testing Requirements

• The spill containment sump must retain its ability to function after the fire resistance test.
• Visual check (filling spill containment sump with water).

Information To Be Supplied under the Standard

• Operating manual including e.g. information about maximum load capacities of shelves and the cabinet itself, sump capacity, recommendations for regular inspections and maintenance, the supplier's declaration of conformity or certificates of conformity from an authorised material testing institute.

Marking and Labelling Required

• Advice that the doors must remain closed after every use.
• Appropriate signs "Caution: risk of fire" and "Fire: open light and smoking forbidden" according to ISO 3864.
• The fire resistance according to EN 14470-1 specified in minutes.
• Name and/or trademark of the manufacturer.
• Model number and year of manufacturing.