Sometimes it is amazing how hard it is to find properly stored fertilizers and chemicals.

When LCM needed some pictures of proper storage for our February issue, we got several responses like this: "Well, I don't think I'm the one to talk to," or "There's no way I'd let you take pictures of my storage facility," or, "Yeah, right, not here."

We did get several contractors who were more than happy show off their organizational skills and safely stored items. Among the places that LCM visited, Tierra Verde Landscape, Inc. in Huntington Beach, Calif. and Loren Rossignol of the City of Santa Ana, Calif. had nice places . . . well, as nice as a fertilizer and chemical storage facility can be.

Storing fertilizers and chemicals is pretty simple, you just have to be organized. But then again, how many of us struggle doing that? Storing fertilizers and chemicals is most importantly a safety issue. So, how do you get organized and keep your storage facility safe? Here's a few tips:

First of all make sure that everything is up and off of the ground. This not only helps to keep the floor clean, but it prevents the potential deadly mix of chemicals when a spill occurs. Putting these items on a pallet or on a shelf will work just fine. Shelves can be built fairly inexpensively by using materials easily found at your local home improvement store. Pallets are a little harder to get a hold of. If you order your materials in bulk, they are probably shipped on a pallet. Your neighborhood grocery store will often have a few loose pallets hanging around the back of the store by the shipping and receiving area. You might be able to steal . . . errr . . . ask the store manager for a couple. Check all of your boxes, drums, cans and assorted containers should be stored in labeled containers. Be sure to cover those labels with some clear tape so they don't come off. Usually you can find replacement labels from your local dealer or the sales representative that you deal with.

It is good to have some personal protective equipment equipment on hand. A clean-up kit should have brooms, mops, disposable gloves and boots, goggles, respirators and decontamination solution.

Also, look into chemical storage cabinets. Most come in in 12 gallon, 30 gallon, or 45 gallon capacity. They should come with double doors that lock and are made from welded 18-gauge steel construction. The storage shelves should support at least 200 lbs. each and the unit meets OSHA requirements. There are also spill control pallets that keep spills off the ground. It is actually a pretty neat item to have around. The pallet has a sump capacity of 85 gallons and holds two 55-gallon drums. It is constructed of polyethylene and is lightweight.

Make available an assortment of eyewash kits, ranging from an eyewash station that flushes both eyes to to belt packs and wall-mount stations. You can also order replacements for all of the above items mentioned.

Another handy thing to have around is binders and a place to hang Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) materials. You must have this stuff around or it may be a violation OSHA's most cited standard. OSHA can inspect any business with 11 or more employees and if those workers are not informed of the hazards and protected you could be in big trouble. So get some binders or wall racks to keep MSDS sheets accessible to your employees. Portable MSDS binders with handy carrying cases are also available to take with you on the job site.

A great place to find most of this stuff is through the Gempler's Inc. Catalog. You can also order online at www.gemplers.com. Prices as well as product specific's are available through them.

The truck spill kit, top, comes with a yellow bag made of polyethylene-coated polypropylene for chemical resistance. The kit absorbs up to five gallons and includes two 3"x4" diking tubes, four 16"x9"x2" pillows and two hazardous materials bags. A complete emergency kit, above, should include a weatherproof drum, universal sorbent tubes, sorbent pillows and spill bags with labels. This material should be able to contain up to 30 gallons of liquid.

Remember it's a safety issue and it may even save you a few bucks in the long run. According to Kenneth Davis, Compliance Projects Manager with the Arizona Department of Agriculture, it is a fine in that state of $500 for every container that is not stored properly.

And here is one final tip: take a look at the February 2001 issue of LCM. Turn to page 52 where you will find an excellent article on pesticide storage and disposal safety written by Susan C. Cordell, M.S. and Paul B. Baker, Ph.D. from the University of Arizona, College of Agriculture. You can learn a lot more about safely storing your chemicals and fertilizers.