What constitutes a safe transfer system for chemicals or any other fluids? A safe transfer system is one that protects both the operator and the environment. For a system to be safe, the operator should not be subjected to pumps that can leak or cause spills. Likewise, the environment should not be subjected to the results of unsafe pump systems through spillages or through loss of chemicals into the atmosphere.
A third consideration is that there should be no normal chance of foreign matter finding its way into the container holding the subject fluids, be they costly chemicals, liquids used in human consumption or those used in the manufacture of drugs or semiconductors. Such desired systems are frequently referred to as sealed systems.
The majority of hand-operated pumps being used today do not provide these safety features. They fall into three categories: