If you are storing pesticides for use on your farm, it is essential that you obtain adequate
storage in order to become compliant with the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE)
guidelines.
You may have thought about using a standard shipping container as a solution; however,
there are many reasons why this is not an appropriate form of storage. For example:
– Standard shipping containers are fitted with wooden flooring. If a spillage occurs, the
chemicals would seep into the wood and become virtually impossible to remove.
Additionally, the wood poses a fire safety issue.
– It’s unlikely that a standard container has sufficient ventilation for chemical storage,
creating a health hazard for anyone entering the container.
– The seals on these containers create a gap which, without proper bunding, can allow
chemicals to leak out if there is a spillage.
Proper storage of chemicals will help you avoid costly callouts to a chemical spill response
team or, at worst, fines, legal costs and disassociation with organisations such as
Associated Food Standards.
Luckily, it’s very easy to ensure you are meeting the HSE’s criteria with Billie Box’s
dedicated chemical storage containers, which provide an instant solution to your needs.
According to the HSE, containers need to be ‘large enough to hold your peak pesticide
requirements, any part-used containers, and able to cope with stock being held over due to
poor weather’. So, if you’re using storage which is only large enough to hold the amount of
pesticides which you’re currently using, you are already going against guidance. Our
chemical storage containers are available in two sizes: 10ft long or 20ft long.
Whether it’s a single container you require, or any combination of these sizes, you should
find that you have ample space for your stock.
Not only that, but your container should be large enough to ‘retain leakage or spillage to a
volume of 110% of the total quantity of products likely to be stored (185% if you are in an
environmentally sensitive area)’. Our containers are fitting with bunding – 6 inches high in a 10ft container, and 12 inches high in a 20ft – so in the event of a leakage, provided you have adhered to the capacity regulations, our chemical storage containers will be able to prevent a disastrous overspill.
In addition to installing bunding, we either remove or cover wooden flooring with a steel
checkerplate or steel raised mesh floor. This adheres to fire safety requirements, as well as
making any spillages easy to clear up.
Security is also an issue that should not be overlooked. The HSE warns that you are
responsible for the secure storage of your own chemicals. With a standard container,
security is not always guaranteed, as not all containers are fitted with lock boxes. Our
chemical storage containers, however, do carry this feature. We fit lock boxes as standard,
which deter bolt cropper access, so that you can feel safe in the knowledge your chemicals
are protected, and that you are responsibly securing your stock.
We know how busy you are as a farmer, and so we construct our chemical storage
containers to tick every box – so that you don’t have to. Once you place your order, we have
a four to five week lead time which allows for sourcing, modification and delivery. You can
arrange a delivery time to fit in with your schedule. Upon delivery, the container will need to be offloaded to your storage point; we can arrange this if you do not have an offloading
vehicle – just ask us when ordering!
We understand how it’s imperative to keep costs down when it comes to running a farm,
which is why we work with local farming associations to help farmers achieve the best price possible. We are particularly proud to work with Fram Farmers, a not for profit organisation owned by its members who are equal shareholders, cooperating together for mutual benefit. They offer trusted and transparent market information, aimed at achieving the best value and gross margin for your business. For farmers who are part of the Fram Farmers co-operative, Billie Box would like to extend a helping hand by offering our most competitive rate. If you are part of this co-operative, please let your purchasing contact know that you would like to place an order with us, and their knowledgeable and helpful staff will be able to organise your order.
For more information on how we can help you properly store your chemicals, call us on 01473 557409.
About Jane Billing
Jane Billing has over 30 years in shipping container supply. During that time Jane has earned a very broad knowledge of the whole shipping container industry. From construction, to shipping, to adaption and conversions, if you have a question about any aspect of the shipping container industry Jane will likely have the answer for you. After many years working for some of the biggest names in the shipping container industry Jane set up her own company, Billie Box Ltd in 2012. Since launching in 2012 Billie Box Ltd has sold well over 1500 new and used containers.
