Hazardous Storage

COSHH-compliant cabinets and cupboards for the safe storage of hazardous substances — flammable liquids, acids, pesticides, agrochemicals, petroleum and lithium-ion batteries. Every unit is built from rigid powder-coated or galvanised steel with an integral leak-proof sump, lockable doors and clear hazard labelling, so you can meet your duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 and DSEAR without compromise.

What makes a cabinet COSHH-compliant?

Under COSHH and the supporting HSE guidance, any cabinet used to store hazardous substances should be: lockable to restrict access to trained personnel; manufactured from a rigid, non-corrosive material (typically heavy-duty steel); fitted with a sump base that retains spills and leaks; and clearly marked with the relevant hazard signage. A liquid-tight sump rated to contain at least 110% of the largest single container — or 25% of the total volume stored, whichever is greater — is the practical benchmark used across UK industry. Our range is engineered around these requirements rather than retro-fitted to them.

Our hazardous storage range

Flammable & highly flammable cabinets — Yellow COSHH-standard cabinets for solvents, fuels, paints and aerosols, with welded sump bases and perforated reversible shelves that drain spills back to the sump. The GPC Heavy Duty Highly Flammable range covers small wall-side units through to full-height double-door cabinets.

Acid & corrosive cabinets — Dedicated white-marked units (GPC Heavy Duty Storage Cabinets – Acid) that keep concentrated acids and alkalis segregated from flammables, preventing the dangerous reactions that occur when incompatible chemicals share a cabinet.

Pesticide & agrochemical stores — Green-marked GPC heavy-duty units sized for farm, grounds-care and amenity chemical storage, with deep sumps for larger container volumes.

Petroleum chests — Low-level GPC petroleum storage chests for petrol and petroleum-spirit containers where a top-opening, sump-bunded chest suits the working area better than an upright cabinet.

Lithium-ion battery storage & charging cabinets — A growing risk category. Our GPC Lithium-Ion storage containers, cabinets and charging cabinets isolate batteries and powered devices during charge and storage, helping contain thermal-runaway events away from the wider workplace.

COSHH security cupboards — GPC CoSHH and Hazardous Substance Security Cupboards combine substance segregation with heavier locking for sites where pilferage or tampering is a concern, plus the premium Bott Verso Hazardous Substance Cupboard for workshop and engineering environments.

How to choose the right cabinet

Start with your substance type — flammables, corrosives, pesticides and lithium batteries each need their own segregated cabinet; never mix incompatible classes. Size the capacity to the volume you hold on site, remembering that fire and building rules often cap highly flammable liquids kept indoors (commonly around 50 litres in a single working area) before a dedicated store is required. Check the sump volume against your largest container, decide between floor-standing or wall-mounted to suit the space, and position the cabinet in a well-ventilated area away from heat, ignition sources, food and escape routes. If volatile vapours are a concern, specify a unit suitable for connection to local exhaust ventilation (LEV).

Standards we build to

Our cabinets are designed around BS 5993 construction practice for hazardous-substance cabinets, the COSHH Regulations 2002, DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations) and CLP hazard-labelling requirements. For full guidance on assessing and controlling exposure, refer to the official HSE COSHH pages alongside the safety data sheet for each substance you store.

Hazardous storage buying guides

Not sure which cabinet or store you need? Our guides cover the rules and the choices in plain English:

• COSHH cabinet requirements — a UK compliance guide.
• COSHH cabinet sizes & capacities — which cabinet do you need?
• Flammable cabinet vs COSHH cabinet — what's the difference?
• Lithium battery storage cabinets — what UK guidance expects.
• COSHH symbols and their meanings — a UK guide.
• IBC storage — choosing containment pallets & bunded units.

Need help specifying? Read our COSHH cabinet requirements guide, or browse related gas cylinder storage and spill containment ranges. Our team are former engineers — call us with your substance list and we'll point you to the right compliant unit.