Planning your farm chemical storage?
Considering a chemical shed?
Wondering what the requirements are for storing chemicals on-farm?
Farm chemical storage requirements can vary between states.
So, in this article, we have collated some useful information and resources outlining the requirements in place for farm chemical storage.
We have also included some handy resources such as the VFF Making Our Farms Safer Chemical Handling & Storage Guide.
What Are The Requirements For Farm Chemical Storage?
If you store under 1000 kilograms or 1000 litres of chemicals on-farm, this is classified as ‘Minor Storage’ as per the Australian Standard AS2507 – 1998.
Quantities of chemical greater than 1000 kilograms or 1000 litres are required to comply with the storage requirements of the Dangerous Goods Act 1985 and Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling Regulations 2012).
As we have already mentioned the requirements and recommendations for chemical storage can vary from state to state.
Here’s an overview of requirements by state.
Requirements For Storing Chemicals On-Farm In Victoria
Below are links to requirements and resources from Agriculture Victoria on responsible chemical use and on-farm storage.
- Working with chemicals
- Registered chemicals
- Farm chemical transport, storage, mixing and disposal
- Giving advice on chemical use
- On-farm pesticide storage (minor storage)
You can access more information about on-farm chemical usage, here, including reporting issues, licenses and permits and record keeping.
Requirements For Storing Chemicals On-Farm In New South Wales
Listed below are resources available for download from the NSW Department of Primary Industries on chemical storage and handling.
- Storing pesticides safely on farm (PFD Download)
- Preventing and treating pesticide poisoning (PDF Download)
- Safe disposal of empty pesticide containers (PDF Download)
- Managing chemical spills (PDF Download)
Requirements For Storing Chemicals On-Farm In South Australia
The Government of South Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions has some helpful information on:
Requirements For Storing Chemicals On-Farm In Tasmania
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania On-farm Pesticide Storage Guidelines provide information on site selection, storage structure and construction and signage.
You can access these guidelines here.
Next up we discuss chemical shed design.
Farm Chemical Storage Design Checklist
Designing a new chemical shed? Here is a back-to-basics checklist for your chemical storage shed design.
- Built from fire-resistant materials such as steel and concrete.
- Provides all weather shelter and protection from sunlight.
- Located away from dwellings, neighbours, waterways and away from fodder and machinery storage.
- Can be securely locked up to prevent unauthorised access and theft.
- Includes ventilation to provide safe working conditions and reduce the risk of fire.
- Includes a bunded concrete slab that satisfies volume and drainage requirements.
- Safe and compliant pallet racking to utilise the height of the shed for storage.
- Install hi-bay lighting in the shed to make tasks like mixing chemicals easier and safer. Lights installed on the shed exterior can also allow the shed to be used during low light hours.
- Consider including a concreted wash-down area with drainage to help maintain a high level of hygiene and prevent contamination.
There will be other details to address to ensure your chemical shed design meets requirements, particularly for safety. This could include the distance from outdoor chemical storage, relevant signage, safety showers and eyewash stations.
This checklist from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries is a good way to assess if the safety measures you have in place are adequate and compliant.
It is also a good idea to consult with your state government and workplace safety authorities to ensure the design addresses every detail.
Chemical Storage Shed Examples
Browse the gallery below to view some recent farm chemical storage shed builds. These may provide you with some ideas for your project.
Useful Resources
Here are some additional industry resources and related articles that you might find useful.
Victorian Farmers Federation Making Our Farms Safer Hazardous Chemical Handling And Storage Guide
This guide aims to provide farmers with a basic level of understanding of what compliance looks like, with links to more specific information as required.
Information includes key laws, storage recommendations and additional resources such as drumMuster and ChemClear.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Chemical Shed?
Wondering about the cost to build a chemical shed?
The average cost of a chemical shed is approx. $90,000 including GST, footing concrete and erection.
Please note, this is an average price, and it does cover a number of different size chemical sheds.
Here are some popular chemical storage shed sizes and price guides:
- A 16m x 12m x 6m fully enclosed chemical shed with sliding doors costs approx. $60,000 – $80,000.
- A 24m x 12m x 6m fully enclosed chemical shed with sliding doors costs approx. $75,000 – $95,000.
- A 24m x 15m x 6m fully enclosed chemical shed with sliding doors costs approx. $90,000 – $115,000.
- A 32m x 18m x 6m open front shed with one bay enclosed for chemical storage costs approx. $115,000 – $135,000.
- A 40m x 24m x 6m open front shed with one bay enclosed for chemical storage costs approx. $160,000 – $195,000.
We hope these price guides help with your budgeting. But remember they are only guides. For an accurate costing of your chemical shed, please request a quote and we’ll be in touch!
For more information on chemical shed prices, read our article – How Much Does It Cost To Build A Chemical Shed?
Safety is incredibly important when it comes to chemical usage and on-farm storage.
This article – How To Safely Store Chemicals – provides some recommendations and ideas for safe farm storage.
Top 10 Questions About Building A Chemical Shed, Answered
Answers to the top ten questions our building consultants are asked about chemical sheds, including chemical shed sizes, chemical shed designs and more!
2023 Farm Shed Guide (Brochure Download)
Our latest Farm Shed Guide is the perfect starting point for any new farm shed build including farm chemical storage sheds.
We have included best-practice design suggestions and options.
We hope you have found this article on farm chemical storage requirements useful! For more articles like this, check out the Learning Hub. Or for a price on your shed build, give us a call or REQUEST A QUOTE.
