Storing Cleaning Chemicals Safely in a Food Business

Store cleaning chemicals well away from food, packaging and food-contact surfaces — ideally in a separate, ventilated, lockable cupboard, never above or beside food. Keep every container clearly labelled (including decanted spray bottles), keep Safety Data Sheets accessible, and never reuse food containers for chemicals. Doing this helps you meet your obligations under the Food Standards Code and work health and safety law, and prevents dangerous chemical contamination. Key takeaways: Cleaning chemicals should be stored separately from food, packaging and food-contact surfaces — never on shelves above food or in food prep areas.. Every chemical container needs a clear, English label, and this includes any chemical you decant into a spray bottle or bucket.. Keep Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each hazardous chemical current and easily accessible to staff who use them.. Never reuse food or drink containers to hold chemicals, and never store chemicals in unlabelled containers that could be mistaken for food.. Requirements sit across the FSANZ Food Standards Code and state/territory WHS law — confirm the detail with your local council and work health and safety regulator, as rules vary by jurisdiction.. Why chemical storage is a food safety issue, not just a cleaning one Cleaning and sanitising chemicals are among the most common causes of chemical contamination in food businesses. A sanitiser stored above an open food container, a degreaser decanted into an unlabelled bottle that looks like cordial, or a caustic cleaner splashing onto a prep bench can all make food unsafe — and unlike bacteria, chemical contamination is often invisible and can cause immediate harm. Under Standard 3.2.2 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, a food business must take all practicable measures to prevent the likelihood of food being contaminated, and contamination expressly includes chemical contamination. Storing cleaning products correctly is one of the clearest, cheapest ways to help meet that duty. It also overlaps with your work health and safety (WHS) obligations, because most cleaning chemicals are classified as hazardous chemicals for the people who handle them. Chemical contamination can cause acute illness and is a recognised cause of food recalls and complaints.. The risk is highest where chemicals and food share the same space, shelving or containers.. Good storage protects both your customers (food safety) and your staff (WHS).. Keep chemicals physically separate from food The single most important rule is separation. Cleaning chemicals should be stored in a dedicated area that is physically separate from where food is stored, prepared, displayed or served — and from food packaging and single-use items like cups and containers. In practice this usually means a designated chemical cupboard or store that sits outside the food preparation flow. Where a separate room isn't possible in a small kitchen, use a clearly designated low shelf or cupboard well away from food, and never store chemicals above food, food-contact surfaces or clean equipment, because leaks and drips fall downward. A lockable cabinet is strongly recommended, and secure storage may be required for certain hazardous chemicals under WHS rules — check the SDS and your state or territory regulator's guidance. Store chemicals below and away from food, packaging and clean utensils — never above them.. Use a dedicated, clearly identified cupboard, shelf or store room for chemicals only.. Keep the area dry, ventilated and, where practical, lockable to prevent tampering and accidental access.. Keep incompatible chemicals apart — for example, don't store acids next to chlorine-based (bleach) products, which can release toxic gas if mixed.. Label everything clearly — including decanted containers Every chemical container in your business should carry a clear, legible label in English identifying what it is and its hazards. Manufacturer containers arrive labelled to the Globally Harmonised System (GHS), and you should keep those labels intact and readable. The step most businesses get wrong is decanting. When you pour a concentrate or bulk chemical into a smaller spray bottle, bucket or container, WHS law generally requires that new container to be labelled too — at minimum with the product name in English and the key hazard information. There is a narrow exception where the chemical is used immediately and the container is then thoroughly cleaned afterwards. Where a container is repeatedly used for decanting as part of normal procedures, a permanent label should be attached. For anything left sitting on a shelf or trolley, label it — unlabelled spray bottles are a genuine poisoning and contamination risk in busy kitchens. Keep original manufacturer labels intact, clean and legible.. Label every decanted spray bottle, bucket or container in English with the product name and hazard information.. Use consistent, waterproof labels that survive a wet kitchen environment.. Never leave a chemical in an unlabelled container overnight or between shifts.. Never reuse food or drink containers for chemicals Reusing an empty ice-cream tub, water bottle or sauce container to hold a cleaning chemical is a recipe for a serious incident. Someone can easily mistake the contents for food or drink, and residues can transfer between uses. This practice should be banned outright in your business. Equally, don't store food in containers that previously held chemicals. Purpose-made, correctly labelled chemical containers and dispensers are inexpensive and remove the ambiguity entirely. If a container's label is missing or unreadable and you can't reliably identify the contents, treat it as unknown and dispose of it according to the SDS and your local requirements rather than guessing. Prohibit reusing any food or drink packaging for chemicals — put it in writing in your procedures.. Use only purpose-made, labelled containers and dispensers for decanted chemi