Chemical Registers
It is important for workplaces to know the types of chemicals that are located on their premises, as well as the quantities present and where they are stored. Chemical registers and manifests are required to assist workplaces to monitor and manage these chemicals. You are correct that it is the quantities of certain chemicals that determine whether a register or manifest is required. Safe Work Australia have produced a very helpful factsheet concerning this topic see http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documen...
Chemical Register:
A chemical register is an inventory of hazardous chemicals that are used, handled and stored at a workplace. In order to produce a chemical register, a chemical stocktake is usually carried out in all areas of the workplace. The Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations 2011 states that a hazardous chemical register needs to be produced and kept up to date. It must be readily accessible to all staff and be available in the event of an emergency. The minimum information that a chemical register should contain according to the WHS Regulation is a list of all the hazardous substances in a workplace and SDSs for all the hazardous substances listed.
Chemical Manifest:
A manifest is more detailed than a chemical register and is only required where hazardous chemicals, that are also classified as dangerous goods##, are present at the workplace and where their quantities exceed certain amounts. You must prepare a manifest if 'any Schedule 11 hazardous chemicals are above the prescribed limits’ (see Appendix D of the Safe Work Australia ‘Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace – Code of Practice’, July 20142). In the event of an emergency at a workplace, manifests are intended to inform emergency services personnel of the amount, location and types of chemicals that they may be dealing with. Compared with the requirements for a register, a manifest will contain additional information such as the Australian Dangerous Goods (ADG) classes, ADG packing group, size of containers and the location on the worksite.
Recommendations for school science areas
It is a legal requirement for all workplaces, including schools, to produce a hazardous chemical register, which is reviewed annually and is available to all staff. It is also a legal requirement that your school should have a chemical manifest, if your school has hazardous chemicals that exceed the specified limits. This requirement can also be used to determine if a licence is required to hold the hazardous chemicals in the exceeded limits.
The majority of schools do not store anywhere near the quantity of dangerous goods requiring a chemical manifest. Exceptions may be schools with large quantities of dangerous goods, for example schools with LPG tanks with a capacity of 5000 L or more, or manifest quantities of other hazardous chemicals, such as swimming pool chlorine.
Science ASSIST recommends for school science areas, that the chemical register contains a complete list of all the chemicals that are stored and used. This is a good source of information for science staff and is helpful for the management of the chemicals.
When producing a chemical register Science ASSIST recommends the following information is included:
Items to include |
Reason for inclusion |
Chemical name |
required by WHS Regulations |
Manufacturer/supplier |
to know where to source the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) |
SDS available and date issued |
required by WHS Regulations |
Hazardous nature of the chemical Yes/No |
to indicate its hazardous nature |
A note that a risk assessment is available |
required by some jurisdictions** |
Location of each chemical |
to know where it is stored |
Quantity of each chemical |
to know how much you have for stocktake/security purposes |
ADG class(es) |
to help with storage and segregation required by some jurisdictions** |
Packing Group |
required by some jurisdictions** |
Poison schedule |
required by some jurisdictions** |
GHS classification |
to help with GHS labelling requirements |
Signal word |
to help with GHS labelling requirements |
Additional optional inclusions |
|
CAS Number |
For unambiguous identification of the chemical Recommended by some jurisdictions |
UN number |
Useful for when labelling chemical waste Recommended by some jurisdictions |
Chemical formula |
|
Size of container |
|
Date of purchase |
|
This register will then provide:
- documentation that is required by law;
- a check of the type and quantity of all chemicals stored;
- a check that a current SDS is available for each chemical;
- a check that chemicals are stored and segregated properly;
- a check that chemicals are labelled correctly.
As part of a chemical management system, the register can be produced and maintained as an electronic spreadsheet (e.g. MS Excel or by using an online chemical inventory database such as Chemwatch Gold FFX or ChemAlert). Additional information may be included, but may make the spreadsheet difficult to manage.
It is also a good idea to keep a printed copy in the area where the chemicals are generally used.
A good source of information that may help in the development of a chemical register is the Science ASSIST List of recommended chemicals for science in Australian schools resource.
The chemical register should be:
- updated when new chemicals are purchased or disposed of, or their location changes; and
- reviewed annually to ensure all information is current.
State specific information
**Notes for jurisdictions not under the WHS:
It is important to confirm with your jurisdiction the requirements for your chemical registers.
Both Victoria and WA have a requirement to note the hazardous nature of the chemical as well as the provision of a risk assessment.
For some state-specific information see the following links.
Qld: See https://education.qld.gov.au/initiativesstrategies/Documents/navigating-chemical-guideline.PDF and http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au/corp/hr/workplace/Pages/Managing-Risks-with-Chemicals-in-Department-of-Education,-Training-and-Employment-(DETE)-Workplaces.aspx (Link updated July 2019)
SA: See https://myintranet.learnlink.sa.edu.au/library/document-library/procedure/hr/health-and-safety/hazards/hazardous-chemicals.pdf (login required)
Vic: See http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/management/Pages/chemica...
WA: See http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/worksafe/hazardous-substances-faqs
## Dangerous goods are substances that have been classified as dangerous goods in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail (ADG Code). For more information on dangerous goods see http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/whs-information/hazardous-chemicals/dangerous-goods/pages/hazardous-substances and https://infrastructure.gov.au/transport/australia/dangerous/dg_code_7e.aspx
References:
1 NSW Department of Education and Communities ‘Chemical Safety in Schools (CSIS)’ resource package. NSW DEC website https://education.nsw.gov.au/ DEC Intranet, login required.
2 Safe Work Australia ‘Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace – Code of Practice’, July 2014, NSW WorkCover website https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/52155/Managi... (Link updated October 2019)
‘Hazardous chemicals register fact sheet’ Safe Work Australia website. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/hazardous-chemicals-register-fact-sheet (Accessed August 2015)
WorkCover NSW http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/
Work Health and Safety Act 2011: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2014C00471
Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2015C00519
Work Health and Safety Codes of Practice 2011: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2011L02804
Thank you for a very clear, detailed answer to my question. The information is really apprecaited.