edited I MIRIAMC. NAG Avo" High Sch< Avon, CT 060
The Chemical Storage Dilemma: A Workable Solution Brad Yohe Waikersviile High School Waikersviile. MD 21793
Gary Dunkleberger Carroll County Public Schools Westiminster, MD 21157
Chemical storage is an area for which many science teachers are not well prepared. Most colleaes have failed to address the principles bf chemical storage in both their undergraduate and graduate oroarams. As teachers. we are trained in the manner-and the ;ate; with which chemicals react, but few of us have any academic exposure to the toxicoloev of these same reactants and producis. Too often science teachers find that chemicals are stored in an isolated storeroom that has had little thought of safety in its development. Unfortunately, because of the more pressing and more visible resoonsihilities of teachers. chemical storaee considerations have become less than aforemost prioriiy. The purpose of this article is to hiehlieht euidelines that should be implemented in administering a plan for the proper storage of chemicals ( I ) . Chemicals should not be arranged in alphabetical order, although it is probably the most frequent method of storage. Doing so often brings incompatible materials into close proximity. While this is certainly the easiest storage method, it is potentially dangerous since i t increases the possibility for an unplanned, hazardous comhination of chemicals. As a result, teachers have little choice but to make ease of retrieval secondary to considerations of safety and security. Many of us oersist in this oractice simolv . .because we have not been fully aware of all t
