Question: How do you recommend bonding and grounding drums of flammable wastes in a central accumulation area? I currently have them stored on plastic containment pallets. Do I just ground the drums or should I also ground the pallets?
Answer: The danger involved in this situation is that static electricity can build on drums and create a spark that could ignite flammable vapors and even cause an explosion. There is no way to eliminate static electricity, but bonding and grounding of drums prevent sparks in the following ways:
- Grounding drums of flammable wastes provides a path for static electricity to be safely dissipated into the earth
- Bonding containers prevents sparks between them by equalizing their potential energy
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Both the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) require drums and other containers to be bonded and grounded during fluid transfer. However, neither has formal requirements for containers in storage. Most facilities do ground drums in storage as best practice, and many insurance carriers require the practice.
When you do bond or ground containers, be sure that each end of the bonding or grounding wire makes metal-to-metal contact. Paint, rust, dirt and other non-conductive surfaces can negate bonding and grounding. Grounding wires can be connected to unpainted water pipes that are grounded or to grounding rods that are sunk several feet into the earth. Both methods will safely channel static electricity.
This question also concerns drums stored on plastic pallets. As a non-conductive material, plastic is not suitable for bonding or grounding because static electricity cannot flow through it into bonding or grounding wires. Steel containment pallets are conductive and will complete the channel.
Ensuring proper ventilation will also help minimize hazards in waste storage areas. This helps prevent flammable vapors from building up and creating the potential for explosions.
6 Comments
Richard Gammansays:
03/28/2019 at 10:42 amDo you offer any “kits” or hardware solutions for drum grounding?
Isabella Andersensays:
04/02/2019 at 10:01 amHi there! Thanks for the question. Here are the grounding and bonding solutions we think might fit your needs.
Mitchellsays:
05/29/2019 at 2:21 pmIn addition to grounding a 55-gall closed top drum, does the drum funnel need to be bonded as well?
Isabella Andersensays:
07/02/2019 at 12:14 pmHi there, yes, drum funnels should be bonded to the drum. The funnel should also be bonded to the container that is being emptied into the funnel.
Thanks,
Isabella
Dereksays:
05/18/2023 at 10:51 amIf I have poly pails (not metal drums) as secondary waste containers — and they’re also on plastic pallets —
do I still need to ground them and why?
And if so, do you have any products that can assist with that?
Thank you in advance!
Wendy Walterssays:
05/18/2023 at 4:08 pmThank you for your question Derek. Our Technical Experts will be in touch with an answer to your question shortly.
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