SECTION III. STORAGE QUALITY CONTROL
4.21 General. The general purpose of the storage quality control program is to assure
compliance with established DoD storage management principles, and regulatory requirements of
Titles 29, 40, and 49 CFR. In addition to the quality control procedures contained in local SOPs,
installation quality control programs should provide for rigid compliance with the principles
described in the following paragraph to assure achievement of hazardous waste minimization
goals.
4.22 First-In First-Out (FIFO) Method
A. The basic principle affecting the storage quality control plan is the FIFO method. Care must
be taken to ensure that hazardous materials items with the least remaining shelf-life are arranged
in the storage location in a manner that will allow access while minimizing the need to move or
handle such material.
B. Action will be taken to ensure that all hazardous materials shelf-life items are assigned a
shelf-life code. If a shelf-life code has not been assigned to an item that is in fact a shelf-life
item, it may deteriorate in storage and, in turn, introduce unnecessary safety or health risks and
disposition/disposal costs.
4.23 Surveillance Programs
A. Necessary surveillance will be provided to ensure that hazardous materials items are always
in a ready-for-issue condition in accordance with applicable DoD standards or other appropriate
technical documentation. Storage personnel performing routine surveillance should be alert for
expired shelf-life dates (Type I items) or for inspection/test dates which have past (Type II items)
and ensure that the appropriate office is notified when these stocks are discovered.
B. To assist in operating shelf life programs, the Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP),
Mechanicsburg, PA administers the Shelf-Life Extension System (SLES) which consists of two
major databases. They are the Material Quality Control Storage Standards (MQCSS) and the
Quality Status List (QSL). In addition, a course entitled DoD Shelf-Life Management is
available from NAVICP. This course explains how to use the databases and provides knowledge
and skills to determine the condition of shelf-life material upon receipt, in storage, during
surveillance, upon shipment, and when test or restorative actions are required to maintain or
return stocks to a ready-for-issue status. For further information contact DSN 430-1506, (717)
605-1506.
4.24 Disposal of Excess Stocks. Services operating HAZMIN centers and shelf life extension
programs shall follow guidelines and policy set forth by their respective headquarters. Once it is
determined that hazardous materials shelf-life items are excess and disposal action is required,
they should be processed through the DRMO or recoupment facility, as appropriate, without
delay. Prompt disposal action will reduce disposal cost and lessen other environmental
problems. Some States, under their environmental laws, interpret the expiration of shelf-life for
hazardous materials as the point at which the item becomes classifiable as hazardous waste. See
chapter 11 for procedures to process hazardous materials to DRMO.
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