Hazardous Substances on the Farm: How Farmers Should Store Chemicals Safely (and Stay Compliant in NZ)

Hazardous Substances on the Farm: Storage Rules Every NZ Farmer Should Actually Follow

Every farm in New Zealand stores hazardous substances. Some are obvious — fuel tanks, sprays, acids. Others are so normal they get ignored — drenches, dairy sanitisers, welding gas, old sheds full of “stuff”.

The danger isn’t farming with hazardous substances.
The danger is storing them badly, mixing incompatible products, or not knowing what you’re responsible for when something goes wrong.

This guide explains:

• how hazardous substances should be stored on farms

• what the law expects of farmers

• how to find the right storage information

• when storage becomes a professional compliance issue, not a DIY one

What the Law Says (Yes, Storage on Farms Is Regulated)

Under NZ law, farms are workplaces, whether you have staff or not.

Key legislation includes:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA)

• Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017

• HSNO Act

• Asbestos Regulations 2016 (very relevant for older farm buildings)

These laws require farmers to:

• store hazardous substances safely

• prevent exposure to workers, family, contractors, and visitors

• manage spills, fires, and incompatible substances

If a chemical spill, fire, or exposure happens, WorkSafe will look first at storage.

Common Hazardous Substances Stored on NZ Farms

Most farms have several of these:

• Agrichemicals (herbicides, pesticides, fungicides)

• Animal remedies, drenches, dips

• Dairy chemicals (acids, alkalis, sanitisers, CIP products)

• Fertilisers and seed treatments

• Fuels (diesel, petrol, oils, LPG)

• Welding gases and refrigerants

• Cleaning chemicals

• Old roofing, sheds, cladding, lagging (possible asbestos)

Each category has different storage requirements. One shed does not suit everything.

The Core Storage Rules for Hazardous Substances on Farms

1. Store Substances in Original, Labelled Containers

Never decant chemicals into:

• drink bottles

• feed bins

• unlabelled containers

Original containers:

• identify the hazard

• show correct storage conditions

• link directly to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Unlabelled chemicals are one of the fastest ways to cause serious injury.

2. Separate Chemicals from Feed, Milk, and Living Areas

Hazardous substances must be stored:

• away from feed, silage, grain, and milk rooms

• out of living spaces and smoko rooms

• in areas with restricted access

Cross-contamination is a major compliance failure on farms.

3. Separate Incompatible Substances

Some products must never be stored together.

Examples:

• acids and alkalis

• oxidisers and fuels

• pool chemicals mixed together

• pesticides stored next to animal feed

If you don’t know what reacts with what — that information lives in the SDS.

4. Control Heat, Sun, Moisture, and Ventilation

Chemical storage areas should be:

• cool

• dry

• ventilated

• out of direct sunlight

Heat and UV degrade containers and increase fire and fume risks.

5. Fuel Storage Has Its Own Rules

Diesel, petrol, and LPG must be:

• stored in approved containers or tanks

• located away from ignition sources

• protected from impact and vehicles

• bunded where required

Fuel storage is one of the first things checked after farm fires.

6. Limit Quantities

Over-stocking chemicals increases:

• fire load

• spill risk

• environmental harm

Buy what you need, not what was cheap in bulk.

How Farmers Know the Correct Storage Requirements

This is where many farms fall over.

Every hazardous substance supplied in NZ must have a Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

An SDS Tells You:

• how and where the substance must be stored

• temperature limits

• incompatible materials

• spill and emergency response

• shelf life and disposal requirements

Where Farmers Can Get SDS Information

• Supplier or manufacturer websites

• Product name + “SDS NZ”

• Platforms like ChemMatrix, designed to centralise NZ-specific hazardous substance information for farms

If you don’t have the SDS, you don’t actually know how to store the product safely.

Asbestos on Farms: Storage Is Not an Option

Many farms still contain asbestos in:

• old sheds

• roofing

• cladding

• pump houses

• yards and buildings built pre-2000

Here’s the reality:
Asbestos must not be stored, stockpiled, or “kept until later.”

Under the Asbestos Regulations 2016, disturbed asbestos must be:

• identified

• controlled

• removed and disposed of correctly

👉 PropertyHelp Ltd, a Class B Asbestos Removalist, assists farmers with:

• asbestos identification

• safe removal

• compliant packaging and disposal

• documentation that protects you if WorkSafe ever comes knocking

Trying to store asbestos on a farm isn’t compliance — it’s deferred risk.

Why ChemMatrix Makes Sense for Farmers

Most farmers don’t want:

• filing cabinets of SDS

• conflicting advice

• compliance guesswork

ChemMatrix is being developed as a NZ-specific hazardous substances platform to help farms:

• see what chemicals are on site

• understand correct storage and segregation

• access SDS information easily

• reduce compliance risk without admin overload

It’s about keeping farms productive without ignoring risk.

When Farmers Should Stop and Get Help

Stop and get advice if:

• chemicals are unlabelled or leaking

• storage areas are shared with feed or living spaces

• you don’t know what’s compatible

• quantities have grown beyond control

• you suspect asbestos

• workers or contractors may be exposed

This is where specialists like PropertyHelp Ltd and H&S advisors step in — to reduce risk properly, not slow the farm down.

Final Word: Good Storage Is Quiet, Boring, and Effective

Safe chemical storage doesn’t look impressive.
It looks organised, boring, and controlled.

But it:

• prevents injuries

• avoids fires and spills

• protects stock and land

• keeps WorkSafe off your back

That’s not red tape. That’s professional farming in New Zealand.