COSHH cabinets and storage requirements
What the law requires when you store cement, solvents, cleaning chemicals and fuel, and where a COSHH cabinet fits. Checked against legislation.gov.uk and HSE guidance.
Is a COSHH cabinet a legal requirement?
No regulation requires a COSHH cabinet by name. The COSHH Regulations 2002 require “arrangements for the safe handling, storage and transport” of substances hazardous to health, and of waste containing them. How you meet that duty is for your assessment to decide.
“COSHH cabinet” and “COSHH cupboard” are trade names, not legal terms. They usually mean a lockable steel cupboard with a spill sump and a hazard sign. For a van, a cleaner’s cupboard or a small unit, one is often the simplest way to keep products contained, segregated and locked. Section 7 of each product’s safety data sheet says how it should be stored.
Flammable liquids follow different rules. COSHH does not cover a substance that is hazardous solely because it is flammable; the fire risk falls under DSEAR 2002. For flammable liquids kept in a workroom, HSE’s HSG51 recommends fire-resisting cabinets or bins that retain spills, and calls its construction criteria the minimum for legal compliance. Many products are both flammable and harmful to health, so both sets of rules apply.
What the law says about storing hazardous substances
Current revised textStorage duties sit inside wider regulations. None of them names a cabinet, a colour or a size. Each citation links to the source.
Safe storage is part of controlling exposure
Where exposure cannot be prevented, control must include “arrangements for the safe handling, storage and transport” of hazardous substances, and of waste containing them. Control must also reduce the quantity of hazardous substances at the workplace to the minimum required for the work. Your COSHH assessment is where the storage arrangement is decided and recorded.
COSHH regulation 7(4)(a) and (c)Carcinogens and mutagens: closed, labelled containers
Where exposure to a carcinogen or mutagen cannot be prevented, the employer must store, handle and dispose of it safely, “including using closed and clearly labelled containers”. Used engine oil is in Schedule 1, so drained sump oil from plant servicing counts. HSE’s L5 adds that such waste should be clearly labelled and securely stored until it is removed.
COSHH regulation 7(5)(e); L5 paragraph 127Flammable products come under DSEAR
COSHH does not apply where a substance is hazardous solely because of its flammable or explosive properties. DSEAR 2002 covers that risk instead. So far as is reasonably practicable, it requires a minimum quantity, contained spills and incompatible dangerous substances kept apart. The employer must also “arrange for the safe handling, storage and transport of dangerous substances and waste containing dangerous substances”.
COSHH regulation 5(1)(b); DSEAR regulation 6Both regulations at once
Solvent-based paints, thinners, adhesives and fuels are usually flammable and harmful to health. HSG51 notes that the employer then has duties under both COSHH and DSEAR. It says one set of safety measures can be designed to satisfy both.
HSG51, Appendix 3The data sheet tells you how to store each product
Section 7 of a safety data sheet covers handling and storage. Under UK REACH, subsection 7.2 gives the conditions for safe storage, including incompatible substances, ventilation, temperature, sunlight and humidity. It can also give quantity limits and packaging compatibilities. Section 10 lists the materials the product must not meet.
UK REACH Annex II, section 7Containers must show what is in them
Where a container is not labelled under other law, the employer must make its contents, their nature and their hazards clearly identifiable. DSEAR has the same rule for dangerous substances. That covers a cleaning product decanted into a spray bottle or thinners poured into a smaller can. The Safety Signs Regulations add that containers used at work, including for storage, carry the relevant CLP hazard pictograms. The exception is a container used only briefly, or whose contents change often, where training gives the same protection.
COSHH regulation 12(5); DSEAR regulation 10; Safety Signs Regulations 1996, Schedule 1, Part III paragraph 1A store of significant quantities needs a sign
A room or area storing significant quantities of hazardous substances must show a suitable warning sign or the CLP hazard pictograms, unless the container labels are adequate. A store of several hazardous substances may use the general danger sign. The sign goes near the store or on its door. Warning signs are black on yellow, in a triangle.
Safety Signs and Signals Regulations 1996, Schedule 1, Part I paragraph 12 and Part III paragraph 5Masks and gloves have a storage duty too
Personal protective equipment, including protective clothing, must be properly stored in a well-defined place. Kit that may be contaminated comes off on leaving the work area and is kept apart from clean clothing. Employees must take all reasonable steps to return equipment to the place provided for it after use.
COSHH regulations 8(2) and 9(5) to (6)The regulation explainer covers every COSHH regulation in turn: the COSHH Regulations 2002 explained.
What a COSHH cabinet is, and when it makes sense
A COSHH cabinet is a product, not a legal standard. No regulation sets its colour, size, material or construction. What the law asks is that the arrangement is safe for what goes in it. A cabinet suits a modest stock of several products that need to be contained, kept apart and locked away from people who do not need them.
Some labels ask for locked storage. Under GB CLP, the precautionary statement P405 reads “Store locked up.” It is assigned to toxic and corrosive products, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxicants and some others. Corrosive drain cleaners and resin hardeners may carry it. A lockable cabinet is the plain answer to that line on the label.
A COSHH cabinet is not automatically a fire cabinet. For flammable liquids in a workroom, HSG51 sets out what a cabinet or bin should achieve: 30 minutes’ fire resistance, joints with no gaps, a close-fitting door and spill retention. Check a cabinet against those criteria before putting solvents, thinners or petrol in it.
One cabinet does not make every product compatible. HSG51 says flammable liquids should not share a cabinet or bin with oxidisers or corrosive materials, even where those are flammable themselves. Acids and bleach should not share a shelf. Where products must not meet, use separate cabinets.
A cabinet does not replace a store. HSG51 says enhanced cabinets should not substitute for a dedicated store or outdoor area for containers that are nominally empty or not needed for current work. The cabinet holds what the job needs now; the rest goes back to the store.
Flammable liquid cabinets and bins: what HSG51 recommends
HSG51, third edition 2015HSG51 is HSE guidance on flammable liquids in containers up to 1,000 litres. It treats a flammable liquid as one with a flashpoint of 60 °C or below. Its quantities are recommended maxima, not absolute limits.
| Point | What HSG51 recommends | Where in HSG51 |
|---|---|---|
| Fire resistance | Sides, top, bottom, doors and lid of materials giving 30 minutes’ integrity, with minimal risk in their reaction to fire. | Paragraph 214 and Appendix 1 |
| Joints and doors | Joints free from openings or gaps. Doors or lid close-fitting against the frame, with an overlap when closed. | Paragraph 214 |
| Supports and fastenings | Made of a material with a melting point above 750 °C. | Paragraph 214 |
| Spill retention | Designed to retain spills: 110% of the volume of the largest vessel normally stored in it. | Paragraph 207 |
| Lower flashpoint liquids | No more than 50 litres for extremely and highly flammable liquids, and for flammable liquids with a flashpoint below the maximum ambient temperature of the workroom. On a GB CLP label, the first two read H224 “Extremely flammable liquid and vapour” and H225 “Highly flammable liquid and vapour”. | Paragraphs 8 and 211 |
| Higher flashpoint liquids | No more than 250 litres for other flammable liquids with a higher flashpoint of up to 60 °C. | Paragraph 211 |
| Where it stands | In a designated, well-ventilated area, away from the immediate process area where possible, and not blocking a means of escape. | Paragraph 209 |
| Inside the cabinet | For lower flashpoint liquids, the whole inside is normally taken as zone 2 under DSEAR, so ignition sources are kept out. | Paragraph 208 |
| Higher standards | BS EN 14470-1 and other standards go further. HSG51 says using them is not a legal requirement in the UK, but may help justify larger quantities. | Paragraphs 215 and 216 |
Going over the recommended maxima? HSG51 says you should consider recording the justification in your risk assessment. On construction sites, HSE’s HSG168 says small quantities, for example up to 50 litres, of paints, solvents, petrol and adhesives can go in lockable steel cabinets or chests. These must be of fire-resisting construction and retain spills.
Products that must be stored apart
DSEAR requires incompatible dangerous substances to be kept apart, so far as is reasonably practicable, and HSE repeats the principle throughout its storage guidance. HSG71 warns that hazard classes alone do not show every reaction: check section 7.2 and section 10 of each data sheet.
| Keep apart | What can happen | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Acids and hypochlorites | Chlorine gas is given off. | Bleach next to an acid descaler or acidic toilet cleaner in a cleaner’s cupboard. |
| Acids and alkalis | Heat is generated. | Acid descaler beside caustic drain cleaner in a plumber’s or caretaker’s store. |
| Flammable liquids and oxidisers | An oxidiser greatly increases the severity of a flammable liquid fire. | Solvents and thinners stored near products carrying the oxidising pictogram, such as some pool chlorine products. |
| Flammable liquids and corrosives | Corrosives can compromise the container or the cabinet holding the flammable liquid. | Thinners and an acid cleaner in the same cabinet. |
| Oxygen and flammables | Oxygen intensifies a fire. HSG168 says to store oxygen cylinders apart from flammable liquids and from LPG and acetylene cylinders. | Welding and brazing sets on site and in the van. |
| Flammable materials and combustibles | Packaging, pallets or rubbish are often the first thing to catch fire. | Cardboard and empty boxes left in the paint or solvent store. |
Sources: HSG71 paragraphs 115, 116 and 120 (combustible packaging, acids, hypochlorites, alkalis, oxidisers); HSG51 paragraphs 74, 75 and 210 (corrosives, oxidisers, combustibles); HSG168 paragraphs 162 and 184 (oxygen cylinders apart from flammable liquids, LPG and acetylene). The HSE COSHH assessment page gives acids and caustics as its example of materials to separate.
The store, the site, the van and the cleaner’s cupboard
The same duty applies wherever the product sits. What changes is the arrangement that makes it safe.
The yard store or unit
HSG51 prefers flammable liquids outdoors, in the open air, where vapour disperses. Indoor storage needs adequate ventilation. The floor should be impervious, with a sill, low bund or channel holding at least 110% of the largest metal container. HSG51 warns that plastic containers can all fail within perhaps 10 minutes in a fire, so allow for that. Keep combustible packaging out, lock the store and sign it.
HSG51 paragraphs 53 to 55, 75 to 77 and 139Diesel and oil drums
In England, oil kept outside a building in a container over 200 litres must sit in secondary containment. It must hold 110% of the largest container, or 25% of the total, whichever is greater. A drip tray under drums must hold at least 25% of their total capacity. England’s rules exclude waste oil. Wales has its own 2016 regulations with the same figures, which also reach containers indoors and waste oil. In Scotland, general binding rules under the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018 apply from 1 November 2025, indoors as well as out.
Oil Storage (England) Regulations 2001, regulations 2 and 3; Oil Storage (Wales) Regulations 2016, regulations 3 and 5; EASR 2018, Schedule 9, activity 28On site
HSG168 says to keep in the work area only what is needed for half a day or a single shift, and return the rest to the store. LPG cylinders belong outdoors in a secure cage. Never store any gas cylinder in an unventilated metal box or a site cabin. HSG51 says temporary storage near the work should typically last no longer than a shift or working day.
HSG168 paragraphs 51 and 158 and its fuel examples box; HSG51 paragraph 225The van
COSHH covers storage at the workplace, and HSE’s L5 confirms that the workplace includes vehicles. The storage duty follows the products into the van. Good practice: original containers, lids tight, upright and secured, on a spill tray, and out of the cab. HSE says acetylene should travel in an open vehicle where reasonably practicable; a closed van needs ventilation fitted to the load space. Taking products on the road also falls under the carriage of dangerous goods rules. HSE explains the exemptions, including goods carried for use in the work itself, and their limits.
COSHH regulations 2 and 7(4)(a); L5 paragraph 37; HSE INDG327; HSE carriage exemptionsThe cleaner’s cupboard
Keep acids away from bleach and caustic products, and corrosive products below eye level. Decant only into a container labelled with the product and its hazards, never an old drinks bottle. Products marked “Store locked up” go behind a lock. Keep gloves, goggles and masks clean and apart from the chemicals.
COSHH regulations 9(5) and 12(5); GB CLP P405Empty containers and waste
The storage duty covers waste containing hazardous substances, not only the product. Containers that have held flammable liquid can still give off vapour, so part-used and nominally empty ones go back to the store at the end of the shift. HSG168 says nominally empty gas cylinders still contain gas and are treated as full. Solvent-soaked rags go in a metal bin with a metal lid. Used spill material goes in a labelled container for a registered waste contractor.
COSHH regulation 7(4)(a); DSEAR regulation 6(6); HSG51 paragraphs 53 and 225; HSG168 paragraphs 164 and 184; HSG71 paragraph 199Setting up and keeping a COSHH store
A practical order of work. The law sets the outcome, safe storage and the least quantity needed, not these stages.
List what you hold
Record every hazardous product, where it is kept and how much. A COSHH register does this. HSG51 suggests a record of the contents of each flammables cabinet, so its maximum is not exceeded.
NoteClear out what nobody has used for months. Less stock is the first control.
Read section 7 of each data sheet
Note the storage conditions, incompatibilities, temperature and ventilation needs, and any quantity limits. Check section 10 for materials the product must not meet.
NoteAn old orange-labelled tin means old stock. Get the current data sheet.
Choose the place
Flammables in a fire-resisting cabinet, bin or outdoor store, away from ignition sources and escape routes. Corrosives and toxic products in a lockable cabinet. Incompatible products apart.
Contain spills
Sumps, trays or a bund sized for the largest container. HSG71 says spill materials should suit the products and be readily to hand.
NoteCOSHH regulation 13 requires emergency procedures, unless the assessment shows the quantities give only a slight risk and existing controls are sufficient.
Label and sign
Original containers where possible. Anything decanted is labelled with its contents and hazards. A store of significant quantities carries a warning sign unless the labels are adequate.
Check it regularly
Look for leaks, damaged lids, swollen or corroded containers and products past their date. Return part-used and empty containers to the store at the end of the shift.
Tell the team
Operatives need to know where products are kept, what must not be stored together and what to do with a spill. That is part of the information and training regulation 12 requires.
NoteRecord the briefing as a toolbox talk.
Every data sheet to hand,
tied to the job that uses it.
In Unibuild, each hazardous substance holds its safety data sheet and its supplier, linked to the jobs, materials and purchase orders that use it. Review dates are tracked, every version is kept, and the current one is the one out on site.
When an auditor or a principal contractor asks for the COSHH register, it is a search by name or supplier, not a spreadsheet somebody else kept.
- A data sheet for every substance held with its supplier
- Tied to the job through the materials and purchase orders that use it
- Review dates tracked and every version kept
- Searched by product name or supplier
Free COSHH templates
Free to use and reuse, no sign-upCOSHH storage: common questions
Is a COSHH cabinet a legal requirement?
What are the requirements for a COSHH cabinet?
What is the difference between a COSHH cabinet and a flammable cabinet?
Does a COSHH cabinet have to be yellow?
Does a COSHH cabinet need to be locked?
Can flammable and corrosive products go in the same cabinet?
Can a COSHH cabinet be kept outside?
Can I keep COSHH products in my van?
How should cleaning chemicals be stored?
Does a COSHH store need a sign?
The COSHH guide
Read in any orderSources
Great Britain law and HSE guidance, read on the dates above. Northern Ireland has its own COSHH Regulations.
- The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2677), regulation 7, legislation.gov.uk
- COSHH regulation 5, application, legislation.gov.uk
- COSHH regulation 12, information, instruction and training, legislation.gov.uk
- The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2776), regulation 6, legislation.gov.uk
- The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, Schedule 1, legislation.gov.uk
- UK REACH, Annex II, requirements for safety data sheets, legislation.gov.uk
- GB CLP, Annex IV, precautionary statements, legislation.gov.uk
- The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001, legislation.gov.uk
- The Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Oil Storage) (Wales) Regulations 2016, legislation.gov.uk
- The Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018, Schedule 9 (general binding rules), legislation.gov.uk
- HSE HSG51, The storage of flammable liquids in containers, third edition 2015
- HSE HSG71, Chemical warehousing: the storage of packaged dangerous substances
- HSE HSG168, Fire safety in construction, third edition 2022
- HSE L5, Control of substances hazardous to health, ACOP and guidance, sixth edition 2013
- HSE, How to carry out a COSHH risk assessment
- HSE, The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002
- HSE, Carriage of dangerous goods: main exemptions
- HSE INDG327, Working safely with acetylene
The COSHH register,
tied to the job.
Unibuild keeps each substance’s data sheet and supplier against the jobs, materials and purchase orders that use it, with review dates tracked and every version kept.