Highlights
Chemical Storage Cabinets: A Buyer’s Guide for Factories and Laboratories
Choosing chemical storage cabinets starts with the substances you hold, not simply the available space. Check each Safety Data Sheet (SDS), storage quantity, container size, and any site or insurer requirements before requesting a cabinet. The table below is a starting point, not a substitute for your risk assessment.
| Hazard or storage need | Cabinet feature to assess | Segregation note |
|---|---|---|
| Non-hazardous, non-flammable substances | Adjustable shelves, lockable doors, ventilation and a spill tray | Confirm compatibility and storage conditions on each SDS |
| Flammable liquids | A cabinet specifically documented for the required fire performance and spill containment | Keep apart from oxidizers and corrosive materials where required |
| Corrosive substances, including acids | Compatible construction and suitable containment, confirmed for the specific chemicals | Separate incompatible substances; do not assume all corrosives can share a cabinet |
| Oxidizers | A cabinet and storage arrangement suitable for the oxidizer’s specific hazards | Keep away from flammable materials and other incompatible substances |
| Bottles, cans or larger containers | Shelf spacing, load capacity, access and containment sized for the containers | Store by compatibility, not just by container size |
Chemical storage cabinets: Start with the SDS
A chemical storage cabinet provides a designated, lockable place to organize compatible substances and help contain leaks. Cabinet selection must match the chemical’s hazards and storage instructions. A standard metal cabinet is not automatically suitable for hazardous, flammable, or corrosive substances.
Read the SDS for every product. Check storage conditions, incompatibilities, temperature limits, ventilation instructions and any container-specific requirements. The HSE COSHH assessment guidance advises employers to identify hazards from product labels and SDSs, plan storage, and separate incompatible materials.
Important Loxmet product limitation: Loxmet’s listed chemical cabinets are designed for non-hazardous and non-flammable chemical substances. The product pages state they are not intended for hazardous, flammable, or explosive substances. If your inventory includes those materials, request documentation for a cabinet designed and certified for the relevant hazard, or select another suitable storage arrangement.
Match the cabinet to the chemicals
Segregation comes first
Do not group substances solely by department or product name. Acids, solvents, oxidizers and other materials can react dangerously if containers leak or are damaged. Check the SDS compatibility information, then define separate storage locations and clear cabinet signage. HSE’s small-scale chemical storage guidance recommends segregating chemicals that may react together and keeping acids and alkalis apart.
A corrosive storage cabinet or acid storage cabinet is not suitable simply because its name matches a hazard class. Confirm that the cabinet materials, shelves, and containment are compatible with the actual chemicals. Never assume different acids can be stored together without checking their SDSs.
Select the right cabinet type
A flammable storage cabinet is a specific safety product, not a generic metal cupboard. For flammable liquids, HSE guidance calls for suitable fire-resisting cabinets or bins designed to retain spills. It also highlights separation from substances such as oxidizers and corrosives. Review the HSE guidance for flammable liquids in work areas and laboratories, and verify local requirements with your regulator, insurer, and competent safety adviser.
The term chemical cupboard can describe many kinds of storage furniture. Confirm the intended chemicals, construction, containment and evidence for any performance claims rather than relying on a broad product label. The same caution applies to any hazardous material cabinet description: the label alone is not evidence that a cabinet matches the substances you hold.
Confirm the capacity and container format
Count the bottles, cans and containers you need to store. Record their dimensions, total quantity and the heaviest expected shelf load. Check that shelves have suitable spacing and that containers can be removed without unsafe lifting or handling.
Cabinets for bottles and small containers are not interchangeable with drum storage. If you need to store drums, ask for a design and containment specification for those sizes and quantities. Do not assume a cabinet’s shelf or tray capacity based on appearance.
Check construction, containment and ventilation
A spill-containment base helps collect leaks inside a cabinet, but its capacity and chemical compatibility matter. Ask the supplier for documented containment details and compare them with your SDS requirements. HSE guidance for flammable liquids refers to spill retention of 110% of the largest vessel normally stored in a suitable cabinet or bin; confirm which requirements apply to your specific site and storage use.
Ventilation is also a specification, not a general guarantee of safe air quality. Loxmet’s listed chemical cabinet models have ventilation holes in the doors. Ask whether this arrangement suits the substances and room, and whether additional room ventilation or another control is required. The product pages do not list an unvented option.
Loxmet offers two standard cabinet configurations:
- 2 adjustable shelves: 920 mm wide × 430 mm deep × 1,200 mm high.
- 4 adjustable shelves: 920 mm wide × 430 mm deep × 1,950 mm high.
Both listed models include a bottom liquid-collecting tray and keyed two-point locking. See the 2-shelf chemical substances storage cabinet and 4-shelf chemical substances storage cabinet for product details. Request the current datasheet to verify the specification for your order.
Verify certifications and placement
Do not assume a chemical cabinet has fire-resistance certification because it is metal, yellow, or described as a safety cabinet. Loxmet’s product pages do not state a fire-resistance rating or claim compliance with EN 14470-1, FM, OSHA or NFPA cabinet standards. If your risk assessment or insurer requires a named standard, ask the supplier for the applicable test and certification documents before purchase.
Loxmet publishes a 2026 Declaration of Conformity listing chemical substance storage cabinets within its product scope, and an ISO 9001:2015 certificate for its quality management system. These documents are not a claim that the listed cabinets are fire-rated or suitable for flammable or hazardous substances. Review the company information and certificates and confirm any project-specific requirements directly.
Place cabinets in a designated area on a suitable, level floor. Keep storage clear of exits and escape routes, and consider access, ventilation, spill response and proximity to heat or ignition sources in the site assessment. HSE’s chemical warehousing guidance covers segregation, storage arrangements and risk controls for packaged dangerous substances.
Loxmet production and ordering
Loxmet manufactures metal storage furniture in Istanbul, Turkey, with more than 100 standard products and custom metal fabrication capability. For a project with unusual dimensions or layout requirements, send your specifications for a custom design.
Standard products in catalogue colors are generally delivered within 10 working days. Custom colors and made-to-order products typically require approximately 10 additional working days. You can order a single product; special pricing is available for orders exceeding two container or truck loads. Loxmet provides a 10-year warranty against production faults.
These lead times are general guidance. Confirm availability, product documentation, order details and delivery schedule with the team. Contact Loxmet with your SDS requirements, container dimensions, quantity and destination.
Buyer FAQs
Are Loxmet’s listed chemical cabinets suitable for flammable liquids?
No. The listed models are for non-hazardous and non-flammable substances and are not intended for flammable or explosive materials. Request a cabinet specifically documented for your flammable-liquid storage requirements.
Do the cabinets include spill containment?
Yes. The two listed models include a bottom liquid-collecting tray. Ask for its capacity and chemical compatibility details, then compare these with your SDS and risk assessment.
Are the Loxmet models ventilated?
Yes. Their product pages specify ventilation holes on the doors. Confirm whether this design suits your chemicals and room ventilation plan.
Can acids and solvents be stored in the same cabinet?
Do not assume they are compatible. Check each SDS and your site’s segregation rules. Where there is doubt, separate them and obtain advice from a competent safety professional.
What information should I send with a cabinet enquiry?
Share the chemical types and SDSs, container dimensions, quantities, required cabinet location, and any regulator or insurer specifications. This helps the supplier confirm whether a listed cabinet is suitable or whether you need another design.
Can Loxmet make a custom cabinet?
Loxmet offers custom metal fabrication. Contact the team with your required dimensions and storage details. Customization does not establish a cabinet’s suitability for hazardous or flammable chemicals; confirm the required documentation separately.
Select the cabinet only after matching its documented specification to your chemicals, SDS instructions and site requirements. Review Loxmet’s chemical cabinet range for the listed non-hazardous, non-flammable options, or contact the team to discuss your project and request the relevant datasheet.