Storage Compatibility

Module: ChemIQ

The Storage Compatibility screen scans every chemical in a site's inventory and flags products that shouldn't be stored together. Instead of manually cross-referencing dozens of Safety Data Sheets to figure out which chemicals react with one another, Tellus does the analysis for you and shows you exactly where the conflicts are — down to the specific storage location.

You'll find it under ChemIQ > Review > Compatibility.

Why Storage Segregation Matters

Storing incompatible chemicals together is one of the most dangerous — and most overlooked — hazards in any workplace. An acid next to a base, an oxidizer next to a flammable, or a water-reactive material near a water source can lead to fires, toxic gas releases, or violent reactions.

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.106 and the Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) expect employers to store chemicals safely, and fire codes require proper segregation of incompatible materials. Storage Compatibility gives you a continuously updated map of where those risks live, so you can act before an inspector — or an accident — finds them first.

How Conflicts Are Detected

Every conflict on this screen traces back to the hazard classification of your Safety Data Sheets. When an SDS is added to your library, Tellus automatically classifies the chemical from its GHS hazard data — pictograms, signal words, and H-code hazard statements. Those classifications are then mapped to established chemical-segregation taxonomies:

NRC Prudent Practices — the National Research Council's chemical storage groupings
USCG 46 CFR 150 — the U.S. Coast Guard compatibility chart for bulk chemicals

When two chemicals stored in the same location fall into groups that are known to be incompatible, Tellus surfaces the pair as a conflict — along with the reason, the expected reaction, and the source citation.

Because this all runs off your SDS data, the single most important thing you can do to keep the analysis accurate is to keep a current, classified SDS attached to every product. Chemicals without an attached or classified SDS can't be evaluated.

Reading the Screen

Summary Banner

At the top, a summary banner gives you the big picture at a glance:

Indicator	Meaning
Severe	Prohibited combinations — do not store together under any circumstances
Conflicts	Incompatible chemicals that need to be separated
Best Practice	Combinations you should separate as a precaution
Tentative	Conflicts based on lower-confidence classification — verify the chemical's identity before acting
Unlocated	Inventory with no storage location assigned, so it can't be checked

The banner also tells you how many locations and sites have conflicts, along with the compatibility ruleset version and its publication date.

Severity Levels

Conflicts are grouped into three severity tiers, each with its own color and icon so they're easy to tell apart:

Severe — Do not store together; separate immediately.
Conflict — Incompatible; separate.
Best Practice — Best practice is to separate.

Two Ways to Group

A toggle lets you view conflicts however is most useful for the task at hand:

By severity — See your worst problems first. Severe and Conflict groups open by default; Best Practice is collapsed.
By location — Group conflicts by physical storage area so you can plan a walkthrough and fix them location by location.

Conflict Cards

Each conflict appears as a compact card showing the two chemicals involved and their hazard groups. Click any card to expand it for the full detail:

What to do — A clear action prompt (for example, "Do not store together — separate immediately")
Reaction — What happens if the chemicals are combined
Why it's flagged — The rationale behind the severity rating
Sources — The taxonomy and citation the rule is based on
Audit stamp — The ruleset version and publication date, so every conflict carries its own paper trail

Cards marked Possibly are tentative — the classification behind them is lower confidence, so verify the chemical's identity before you separate anything.

Unlocated Inventory

Chemicals that don't have a storage location assigned appear in their own Unlocated inventory panel. These items can't be checked for conflicts until you tell Tellus where they live. You can assign a location to a single item, or use Assign all to place several items into the same location at once — right from this screen.

How to Use It

Go to ChemIQ > Review > Compatibility.
Review the summary banner to see how many conflicts exist and how serious they are.
Start with the Severe group — these are your highest-priority fixes.
Expand any conflict card to understand why the two chemicals are incompatible and what to do about it.
Switch to By location to plan a physical walkthrough and separate incompatible chemicals.
Clear out the Unlocated inventory panel by assigning storage locations, so every chemical is included in the analysis.
Click Refresh after making changes to regenerate the report.

Important: Informational Only

Storage Compatibility surfaces potential conflicts based on published taxonomies and documented chemistry. It does not prevent conflicts, and it is not a substitute for professional judgment.

Always verify SDS Section 7 (Handling and Storage) and consult qualified EHS personnel before making storage decisions. The customer remains responsible for compliance. This disclaimer is shown on the screen at all times.