Hazardous Materials in the Home

When you think of hazardous materials, you think of things like sulfuric acid and liquefied natural gas, not nail polish, paint thinner, or mothballs. But if they're exposed to fire, many ordinary household products can become very dangerous. And if stored or used the wrong way, they can even start a fire.

How do you tell if a household product qualifies as a potential hazard? Read the label. If the ingredients include petroleum distillates or mineral spirits, assume that product will burn vigorously.

When you use hazardous materials, keep the area where you're working well ventilated and make sure you can get out  of the room quickly and easily.

Aerosol cans of hair spray, deodorant, and other personal care products are flammable - because of the product they spray and/or the propellant that makes them work. Don't smoke while applying hair spray or other aerosol products. Don't discharge aerosol cans near an open flame or heat source. Aerosol cans will explode at high temperatures, so never throw them into apartment-building incinerator systems or out with any trash that's going to be burned.

Nail polish, polish remover, and mothballs all give off vapors that can be ignited. Seal containers tight when they're not in use and keep them away from flames and high heat.

Floor polishes, furniture polishes, and spot removers, can burn. They should be stored and used carefully and kept away from high heat or flame. And that includes the cloths you use to apply those products - never try to dry saturated cleaning rags in the clothes dryer.

Some drain cleaners can burn the skin on contact. Store drain cleaner out of children's reach and use it according to the instructions printed on the label. The same goes for many disinfectants, such as toilet bowl cleaners.

Workshop Hazards

Your workshop is likely to have flammable or combustible liquids, such as oil-based paint, stains, varnishes, turpentine, mineral spirits, and other solvents. If your work area is in the basement, beware - heat or flame from you furnace could ignite vapors from a liquid spill.

Where possible, store these liquids outside your home (in a shed or garage) closed tight in their original containers or in approved safety containers (never in glass jars, which can break).

Rags soaked with oil or paint thinner can catch fire easily; let them dry before disposing.

If your community forbids you to dispose of hazardous materials with the rest of your trash, contact your department of public works about special collection days and disposal requirements.

Flammable Gases

Don't fill cigarette lighters with butane near an open flame; when not in use, seal butane containers tight and store them away from flame or high heat that could ignite leaking vapor.

Natural gas and propane are extremely flammable. Call the gas company or fire department immediately if you suspect a leak.

Gasoline

Even a tiny spark can ignite gasoline vapors, so use and store gasoline outside your home only in approved containers.

Add fuel to lawn mowers and other machinery outdoors, away from flames and other heat sources, and away from buildings and foliage. Let your machinery cool before refueling it - engine heat could ignite gasoline vapors.

Don't use gasoline as a cleaning solvent and never smoke near gasoline.

Outdoor Grills

Both propane and charcoal-lighter fluid are hazardous materials. If you use a propane barbecue grill, follow the manufacturer's instructions and tighten all connections securely.

To start a charcoal fire, soak your briquettes with fluid and let them sit for a few minutes before lighting. Never add fluid to hot, glowing, or flaming charcoal. (Re-ignite a sluggish fire with paper and kindling.)

Fighting Hazardous Materials Fires

Flammable gas or liquid fires can spread quickly and are difficult to control, so use a portable fire extinguisher only on small contained fires (and only if you know how to use an extinguisher and have a sure way to escape the fire area).

Portable fire extinguishers are rated according to the type of fire they're designed to fight and labeled A, B. or C. (see Home Fire Extinguishers)

If you fight a flammable-liquid fire, be sure your extinguisher is a dry-chemical type labeled B:C, or A:B:C. If it's labeled for Class A only, don't use it on a flammable-liquid fire.

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