Building a New Storage Facility

Building a new storage facility just for fertilizer storage may be expensive, but generally it will be safer than trying to modify areas meant for other purposes.

When selecting a site on which to build the facility, two basic criteria should be considered:

  1. Human safety
  2. Environmental safety

When designing and building a new fertilizer storage facility, keep in mind a few simple principles of safe fertilizer storage:

  1. Check with the state department of agriculture for design recommendations and requirements of a fertilizer storage facility.

  2. Check the local and state building codes and local zoning requirements before constructing the facility.

  3. Have the site checked for background levels for potential soil and water contaminants. Site Plan

  4. Draw a facility site plan on which you locate and sketch important structures and activity areas using accurate dimensions and distances.

  5. Locate the building downslope and away from your well. Separation from the well should be greater if the site has sandy soils or fractured bedrock near the soil surface. If the site must be upslope from the well, be sure to take precautions to have any spill contained to prevent it from moving into the water that supplies your well.

  6. Surface water should drain to a retention area in the event of a fire.

  7. The mixing and loading area should be close to your storage facility, to minimize the distance that chemicals are carried.

  8. Maintain safe separation distances from your fertilizer storage facility to other structures and activity areas.

  9. The building foundation should be well drained and high above the water table. The finished grade should be 3 inches below the floor and sloped away from the building to prevent frost heave. The subsoil should have a low permeability.

  10. Provide pallets to keep large drums or bags off the floor in order to keep them dry. Shelves for smaller containers should have a lip to keep the containers from sliding off easily. Steel shelves are easier to clean than wood if a spill occurs.

  11. If you plan to store large tanks, provide a containment area capable of confining 110-125% of the volume of the largest container (check state regulations).

  12. The building may need to be insulated and heated if the fertilizers are stored over the winter. It may need to be air conditioned in the summer, depending on the type of fertilizers stored.

  13. Keep the building locked and clearly labeled as a fertilizer storage area. Provide exterior illumination of the warning signs and of the building to identify it as a fertilizer storage facility. Preventing unauthorized use of fertilizers reduces the chance of accidental spills or theft. Labels on the windows and doors of the building give firefighters information about fertilizers and other products during an emergency response to a fire or a spill. It is a good idea to keep a separate list of the chemicals and amounts stored. If a fire should occur, consider where the water will go and where it might collect. For example, a curb around the floor can help confine contaminated water.

  14. Provide adequate road access for deliveries and use, and in making the storage area secure, also make it accessible, to allow getting fertilizers and other chemicals out in a hurry.

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