Government Guidelines
PGS are series regulations for the safe storage of hazardous substances. The abbreviation PGS stands for Publication Series Hazardous Substances. For example, PGS 15 describes the storage of packaged hazardous substances, PGS 9 the storage of cryogenic gases and PGS 8 the storage of organic peroxides. The internal regulations for the storage of hazardous substances of your umc follow the guidelines of the PGS. Ask your occupational health and safety advisor about these internal regulations.
When do you have to comply with PGS 15?
GS 15 has so-called threshold limits. These threshold limits depend on the hazards presented by these substances and their quantities. Above this limit, hazardous substances must be stored in accordance with PGS 15. See the table below for some examples.
Class | Definition | Packaging group | Threshold limit |
N/a. | CMR substances | N/a. | 25 kg or litres |
2 | Gas cylinders | N/a. | 125 litres |
2 | Flammable gases in gas cylinders | N/a. | 125 litres |
2 | Toxic or corrosive gases in gas cylinders | N/a. | 25 litres |
3 | Extremely flammable liquids | I | 1 kg or litre |
3 | Flammable liquids | II | 25 kg or litres |
3 | Highly flammable liquids | III | 50 kg or litres |
6.1 | Toxic substances
| I II and III | 1 kg 50 kg |
6.2 | Specific Hospital Waste (UN3291) | N/a | 1000 kg |
8 | Corrosive substances | I II and III | 1 kg 250 kg |
Take into account that the maximum permitted quantities of hazardous substances are added together. If you have 25 litres of highly flammable liquid in a room, you are at the maximum amount that is allowed. In that case adding extra UN3291 waste bin is not allowed.
Another example: with 62.5 litres gas cylinders and a 0.5 kilo of highly flammable liquids, the maximum amount has also been reached.
In addition to the PGS guidelines, it is possible that your umc or other regulations (for hazardous waste, you must take into account the Genetically Modified Organisms regulation and the European Animal By-Products Regulation) impose stricter requirements.