Chemical Safety

Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods

All staff and students working with chemicals must be familiar with the Introduction to Dangerous Goods Guideline and must abide by the directions of the Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods Procedure  and Hierarchy of Chemical Risk Controls. Staff and students must also undertake the 'Hazardous Substances' training course (to register log into myUNSW and click on 'My Staff Profile'. Under 'My Staff Services' click on 'Training Registration').

All laboratories using such chemicals must have the following documentation:

• Emergency Procedures flip chart

• Register of Chemical Substances

• Material Safety Data Sheets (within date) for all chemicals – see below

• Risk assessments (OHS017) for all chemicals – irrespective of the quantities used

• Safe Working Procedures (OHS026) for all chemicals

• Laboratory Layout plan indicating location of OHS documentation, dangerous goods storage, spills kit, first aid box, fire extinguishers, the exits.
  

Chemical Storage and Labelling

All chemical substances are to be appropriately stored in relation to Dangerous Goods classes, packing groups and quantities, as outlined in the Introduction to Dangerous Goods Guideline. Chemicals from different packing groups, even in small amounts, may not be stored alongside each other.

Supervisors must ensure that all containers of hazardous substances supplied to, used, or handled in the workplace are appropriately labelled, and that  MSDS’s are readily accessible to all staff and students.  Appropriate labels maybe downloaded from ChemAlert.

Spill kits must be available in all laboratories where hazardous substances are stored. 

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

MSDS’s must be available for all Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods.  They must be comprehensive and up to date, that is, not less than five years old.  The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that MSDS’s are in date and readily available, either as hard copy or electronically.  A laboratory layout plan must be placed within the laboratory showing where MSDS’s are stored.

All newly acquired chemicals must have an MSDS supplied with them or have the MSDS otherwise available, as defined by the OHS Purchasing Guideline.

MSDS’s will specify as a minimum:

• The ingredients of the product

• The health effects of the product, and first aid instructions

• Precautions to follow when using the product

• Safe handling and storage information

The MSDS should be read, and a risk assessment made, before using a product. MSDS and risk assessments may be downloaded from ChemAlert.