Containers and flood risk on the Richmond — what steel can and cannot do
What watertight actually means, why an empty container floats, and what a container genuinely offers on low ground on the Northern Rivers.
Dangerous Goods containers
Dangerous Goods Storage Containers
Bunded, ventilated and signed units for storing chemicals, fuel and flammables — the class of storage that has an inspector attached to it rather than just a padlock.
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What you get
- Bunded floors to contain a spill rather than let it reach the ground
- Cross-flow ventilation sized for the class being stored
- Class signage and placarding fitted to suit the goods
- Available for hire as well as purchase — common on defined-term projects
- Suited to farm chemical, fuel, oils, paints and flammable liquids
- Quoted against the actual goods and quantities, not from a catalogue
02
Why the Northern Rivers asks for these more than most districts
Agriculture, largely. The macadamia country behind Alstonville and Wollongbar, the cane along the Richmond, the tea tree, blueberries and cattle right through the valley — all of it runs on chemical. Spray, fertiliser, fuel for the pumps and the gear to apply it, and all of it has storage rules attached. A bunded, ventilated, correctly signed container is the cheapest way most properties get from non-compliant to compliant, and it can be moved when the operation moves.
The second driver is contract work. Civil and infrastructure jobs across this region arrive with a compliance schedule that specifies chemical and fuel storage before anyone turns a sod, often at short notice and usually for a defined period. That is hire territory rather than sales and we quote a fair bit of it.
Placement deserves more thought here than almost anywhere. Ground that has been under water is ground that will be under water again, and a chemical store is the last thing you want on the low part of a property. Site it on the highest practical ground you have, well clear of any watercourse, drain or dam, and with room around it for the truck to return when you want it moved.
One honest limitation: we can supply the unit built and signed to suit the class you nominate, but the compliance obligation stays with you. Tell us the goods, the quantities and the classes and we will tell you what the unit needs to have — and if what you are describing needs an engineer or a licensed consultant rather than a container, we will say so.
Grades matter
Cargo-worthy is the grade we check wind and watertight before it goes on a truck. As-is units are cheaper again and are not sold watertight — one may have a patched repair, a soft floor section or a door seal that no longer seats, and we will tell you exactly what is wrong with it before you buy. New single-trip units are sealed and unmarked. If the container has to keep rain off what is inside it, buy cargo-worthy or better.
03
Dangerous Goods — common questions
- What makes a container a dangerous goods unit?
- Three things, mainly: a bunded floor that will hold a spill instead of letting it reach the ground, ventilation sized and positioned for the class of goods, and correct class signage. Depending on what is being stored there may also be requirements around shelving, separation, earthing and fire equipment. We build to the classes you nominate, so the conversation starts with what is actually going in.
- Can I hire one instead of buying?
- Yes, and for a defined-term project it is usually the better answer. A compliance schedule that runs for eight months does not justify buying a purpose-built unit that then sits empty. Ring with the classes, the quantities and the duration and we will quote hire and purchase side by side.
- Where should a chemical store go on a property?
- On the highest practical ground, clear of watercourses, drains and dams, on a surface that carries the weight, with truck access preserved for the day it has to move. In this district that last point is worth taking seriously: an access track that is fine in September may not be trafficable after a wet fortnight, and a unit you cannot reach is a unit you cannot relocate.
- Do you handle the compliance paperwork?
- No — we supply the unit built and signed to the classes you specify, and the storage obligation remains yours. What we will do is be straight with you about what the container needs to have for what you have described, and tell you plainly when the situation calls for a licensed consultant rather than a bigger box.
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Prices across the range
| Size | Used from | New from | Hire from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10ft Containers | $4,350 | $6,400 | POA |
| 20ft Containers | $2,200 | $3,300 | $27/wk |
| 40ft Containers | $2,600 | $5,500 | POA |
Guide pricing only, ex GST. What you actually pay delivered depends on the grade, where you are and what is standing in the yard that week. Ring 02 6622 1322 and we will give you a real number instead of a range.
Worth reading first
Which grade for what you are storing? Cargo-worthy, as-is and single-trip by contents
Match grade to load: what single-trip, cargo-worthy and as-is each promise, which contents need a checked watertight box, and when as-is suits.
No-obligation quote
Dangerous Goods containers, priced for your address
One call covers the type, the grade, the size and the cartage.
02 6622 1322