# Chemical Storage Incompatibility Reference Table

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/chemical-storage-incompatibility-reference
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

Look up which chemical classes must be segregated and the hazard created if they mix, with a segregation action for each pair.

## Category

ehs-workforce

## Industry

Chemical Manufacturing

## Audience

- EHS manager
- Warehouse supervisor
- Process safety engineer

## Tool

**Kind:** worksheet

**Mode:** reference

**Columns:**

#### Material A

**Key:** a

**Type:** text

#### Keep apart from

**Key:** b

**Type:** text

#### What can happen on contact

**Key:** hazard

**Type:** text

#### Storage action

**Key:** action

**Type:** text

**Rows:**

**A:** Mineral acids (hydrochloric, sulfuric)

**B:** Strong bases (sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide)

**Hazard:** Violent exothermic neutralization, spattering and heat

**Action:** Separate cabinets or bunded areas, never share a spill tray

**A:** Hypochlorite bleach

**B:** Acids

**Hazard:** Releases toxic chlorine gas

**Action:** Store in different rooms or bunds, label clearly

**A:** Hypochlorite bleach

**B:** Ammonia and ammonium compounds

**Hazard:** Forms toxic chloramine vapors

**Action:** Segregate and prohibit shared transfer hoses

**A:** Cyanide salts

**B:** Acids

**Hazard:** Releases highly toxic hydrogen cyanide gas

**Action:** Dedicated locked storage, no acids in the same area

**A:** Sulfides

**B:** Acids

**Hazard:** Releases toxic hydrogen sulfide gas

**Action:** Keep in separate cabinets, ensure ventilation

**A:** Nitric acid

**B:** Organic solvents and organic acids (acetic acid)

**Hazard:** Strong oxidation, heat and possible violent reaction or fire

**Action:** Store nitric acid apart from all organics

**A:** Strong oxidizers (nitrates, peroxides, chlorates)

**B:** Flammable liquids and combustibles

**Hazard:** Fuel and oxidizer give intense fire that is hard to extinguish

**Action:** Separate rooms or fire-rated barriers, keep wood shelving away

**A:** Hydrogen peroxide (concentrated)

**B:** Organics, metals, metal salts

**Hazard:** Catalytic decomposition releasing oxygen and heat, container pressurization

**Action:** Vented caps, store cool, away from contaminants

**A:** Water-reactive metals (sodium, potassium, lithium)

**B:** Water and aqueous solutions

**Hazard:** Releases flammable hydrogen and heat, may ignite

**Action:** Store under mineral oil or inert gas, away from sprinklers and sinks

**A:** Organic peroxides

**B:** Heat, amines, acids, reducing agents

**Hazard:** Self-accelerating decomposition and fire

**Action:** Temperature-controlled storage per supplier limits, no stacking

**A:** Azides (sodium azide)

**B:** Heavy metals such as copper, lead and their salts

**Hazard:** Forms shock-sensitive metal azides

**Action:** Avoid metal piping and drains, store separately

**A:** Ammonia (anhydrous or aqueous)

**B:** Halogens, acids

**Hazard:** Violent reaction, toxic and corrosive fumes

**Action:** Segregate and provide ventilation

**A:** Chlorine gas cylinders

**B:** Hydrogen, ammonia, fuel gases

**Hazard:** Violent reaction and fire

**Action:** Separate cylinder bays by distance or fire barrier

**A:** Flammable gas cylinders

**B:** Oxygen cylinders

**Hazard:** Fire intensifies sharply in oxygen enriched air

**Action:** Maintain separation distance or a fire-rated wall per local code

**A:** Acetylene

**B:** Copper, silver, mercury and their alloys

**Hazard:** Forms explosive acetylides

**Action:** Use approved regulators and fittings only

**A:** Peroxide-forming solvents (diethyl ether, THF)

**B:** Air, light and age

**Hazard:** Peroxides can accumulate and detonate on concentration

**Action:** Date on opening, test before distillation, discard on schedule

**A:** Perchloric acid

**B:** Organics, dehydrating agents, reducing agents

**Hazard:** Explosive perchlorate compounds can form

**Action:** Dedicated storage with glass or ceramic secondary containment

**A:** Glacial acetic acid

**B:** Oxidizing acids, peroxides, nitrates

**Hazard:** Heat and violent oxidation of an organic acid

**Action:** Store with organic acids, not oxidizers

**A:** Hydrofluoric acid

**B:** Glass, silicates, strong bases

**Hazard:** Attacks glass and releases heat on neutralization

**Action:** Plastic containers and secondary containment, separate cabinet

**A:** Isocyanates

**B:** Water, amines, alcohols

**Hazard:** Exothermic reaction and carbon dioxide pressure build-up

**Action:** Keep sealed and dry, store under dry nitrogen if required

**Notes:** This is a general screening list, not a complete compatibility matrix. Always consult the SDS section on incompatible materials and your local code on segregation distances.

## Content

**Intro:** Most chemical storage incidents come from ordinary materials meeting each other: bleach and acid, acid and cyanide, oxidizer and solvent. This table lists common incompatible pairs, what happens on contact and a practical storage action, so you can check your warehouse layout in minutes.

**Sections:**

#### How to use the table

**Body:** Search for any chemical or class you store and read across to see what it must be kept away from. Export the filtered rows to Excel and compare them against your storage location map or the ERP warehouse bins where each item is held. Any pair that shares a bin, a spill containment area, a drain or a common transfer hose deserves a documented decision.

**Bullets:**

- Segregate by hazard class first, alphabetical order never
- Check shared secondary containment and shared floor drains
- Include satellite accumulation points and waste containers

#### Why segregation beats labeling

**Body:** Labels help people choose correctly, but segregation protects you when someone gets it wrong, when a forklift hits a rack, or when a sprinkler discharges. The aim is that a leak from one container cannot reach an incompatible one. Distance, separate bunds, fire-rated walls and dedicated cabinets each work in different situations. Where you cannot separate completely, reduce quantities and keep incompatible stock on opposite sides of the room with independent containment.

#### Common mistakes

**Body:** Typical errors include storing acids and bases in one cabinet because both are 'corrosives', sharing one spill tray, forgetting that waste streams are also incompatible, and mixing at transfer points through shared hoses or pumps. Another recurring one is ignoring age: peroxide-forming solvents become more dangerous over time. Review the list whenever a new product, a new supplier packaging or a new warehouse layout is introduced.

**Bullets:**

- Treat waste containers with the same segregation rules
- Review segregation after every layout change
- Train temporary staff on the top five incompatible pairs for your site

**Cta:** Netray can help flag incompatible storage in your ERP by linking hazard classes to warehouse locations, so a put-away or transfer order can warn the user before the mistake happens.

**Faq:**

#### Is there one official chemical compatibility chart?

**Answer:** No single chart covers every chemical. Public charts, supplier SDS section 10 data and local codes are combined in practice. This list covers common high-consequence pairs and should be extended with your own site materials.

#### Can acids and bases be stored on the same rack?

**Answer:** It is better not to. They can be in the same room if each has its own containment and a barrier or distance between them, but sharing a shelf or spill tray risks a violent neutralization during a leak.

#### Are waste containers covered by the same segregation rules?

**Answer:** Yes. Mixed waste is a common cause of incidents because contents may be unknown. Keep waste streams separated by compatibility and label them with the contents and hazards.

#### Where do I find incompatibility data for a specific product?

**Answer:** Check section 10 of the SDS, stability and reactivity, and section 7, handling and storage. If the information is vague, ask the supplier or run a compatibility study before storing the product near other chemicals.

## Search terms

chemical incompatibility chart, chemical storage compatibility table, incompatible chemicals list, segregation of hazardous chemicals, acids and bases storage separate, bleach and ammonia mixing hazard, chemical warehouse segregation

---
Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json