What is a Warehouse?
A warehouse is a point of transfer where all goods are received and then dispatched, as quickly, effectively and efficiently as possible. The basic processes of warehouse management have remained the same over time, where goods are received into the warehouse, its orders processed and replenished and where some value-adding services are included and finally the goods are dispatched for distribution to intermediate and final users.
Classification of Warehouse
Warehouses can be categorised into 6 types:
General Warehouses
Cold Storage Warehouses
Controlled Humidity
Flammable / Hazardous Storehouses
Shed Storages and Open Storages
General Warehouses
A general warehouse is designed to store pallets, bins and bulk for specific periods of time until they are merchandised. It operates as an independent facility with a room temperature of about 25~28 degrees, and includes receiving, shipping and loading spaces, as well as storage areas and the necessary aisles and spaces for offices and workers’ services.
Cold Storage Warehouses
Cold storage warehouses are designed to maintain the quality, health and safety of perishable materials and products and general supply materials that require cold spaces for storage, with temperatures that vary between zero and 4 degrees for chilling, and zero and minus 16 degrees for freezing. In addition to general warehouse requirements, they include specific spaces for freezing and cooling, as well as equipment facilities and specific areas for mechanical equipment.
Controlled Humidity Warehouses
Controlled humidity warehouses resemble general ones in all aspects, except that they are constructed with steam insulating barriers. They contain control equipment in order to maintain a specific humidity level inside the building. The warehouse building can be separate or adjacent to a general warehouse.
Flammable / Hazardous Warehouses
Flammable / hazardous warehouses are different from general warehouses because of the dangerous aspect of the stored materials and the necessary measures taken to prevent, eliminate and extract gases and vapours that are generated by the storage of these materials, through appropriate ventilation, and according to the conditions for building warehouses and storing flammable / hazardous substances and the criteria and standards of the Fire Department and Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
Shed Storage
It is a covered or semi-covered structure with no lateral or completely finished walls that may or may not contain sprinklers and fire extinguishing alarm systems. This type of warehouse is usually used to store gas, petrol and oil cylinders, lubricants-filled cylinders, trucks, unpolished wood, as well as their construction material. It is noteworthy that shed storages that are used to store hazardous substances are subject to specific design requirements and conditions.
Guidelines for Specialised Warehouses
Cold Storage Warehouses
When designing for cold storage warehouses, the primary elements to be taken into considerations, among others are the following:
the location of the engine rooms
the location of the cooling equipment
the doors and windows (windows not permitted in the main storage area)
width of aisles in storage chambers (not exceed 2.5m)
The location of the engine room should be placed as close as possible to the where the air cooling equipment are located inside the storage chamber of the warehouse. Ideally, the cooling equipment should be located at either end of the warehouse building, placed in a location that suits its expansion in the future. In turn, the engine room should be located away from the warehouse building, and the cool air is channelled to the cooling equipment through a network of insulated pipes, which provides maximum flexibility for its future expansions, irrespective of its directions.
Controlled Humidity Warehouses
Level of CO2 in Warehouses
In its capacity to generate a humidity-free environment, the level of CO2 concentration in the air inside the warehouse should not carry any particles of more than 50 parts per million (ppm).
Flammable / Hazardous Warehouses
This kind of warehouse is built where its storage areas are designed in accordance to the standard specifications for storing hazardous or flammable materials, in which its nature of the materials may be harmful or dangerous towards the health, environments and safety of property.
Acids
Acids, acidic fog, gas with arsenide, borides, carbides, cyanides, fluorides, phosphides, selenides, silicide, sulfide, sulfate and tilioride when interacted generating poisonous vapours. These materials liberate hydrogen when in contact with metals and hydrides.
Oxides
Oxidizing materials are solvable chemicals, when interacted under certain conditions, producing oxygen. Such materials usually generate fire when in contact with any flammable materials and are highly interactive with water when ignited. Typical oxides include the following organic and non-organic peroxides, permanganates, chlorate, perchlorate, sulphates, organic and non-organic nitrate, bromates and ultrabromate and, chromate and bichromate.
Toxins
Toxins are materials that cause poisoning, which may result in death through the respiratory system. When a spill, leakage, fire or mis-ventilation occurs, some chemical compounds may be produced, such as ammonia, which are considered toxic in nature.
Water-interacting
Materials When these materials come in contact with water, steam or with any water solutions, flammable gas, sometimes toxic in nature, and explosive heat are generated. Such materials include calcium, cobalt, hydrides, lithium, potassium, rubidium and sodium bullion. Should use carbon dioxide or halon fire extinguishers instead of water-based fire-fighting systems.
Caustic or Burning Materials
Caustic alkalis may liberate hydrogen when in contact with aluminium. These materials must be isolated from acids so as to ensure safe and efficient operations.
Organic Peroxides
Organic peroxides should be stored in separated warehouses, totally isolated from other materials.
Okay, these are the things that warehouses need to alert and follow. To know further details, you may visit HERE. Also, here are some questions you may want to ask and get answers.
1.Can any warehouse handle hazardous materials?
The answer is NO. A warehouse must be certified to perform chemical storage. The certification process is rigorous and may seek approval from local government and local council agencies, the fire department, and the Department of Environment.
2.Know your tenants well
When a company rents a warehouse that stores dangerous goods materials, make sure you know the company background and some basic business operations. Choosing the wrong tenant can endanger your safety and negatively impact your warehouse.
3.Make sure the warehouse has the necessary fire safety facilities
A typical good warehouse should have firewalls, ESFR or early suppression, fast response sprinklers, smoke extraction systems or proper ventilation systems, fire doors, and first aid facilities.
4.Ensure you have ALL these before operate as a warehouses
Ready your business licenses, apply the fire department operating permits, fire safety certificates, certification of completion and compliance, and other applicable registrations. A proper dangerous goods warehouse facility should provide past hazard Identification and chemical safety data sheets, classification and labeling, and a chemical register of the chemicals it stores.
Last but not least, we can help you with finding the best warehouses or commercial properties that suit you, click the button below to reach us out.
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