Chemical Management Summary

The School Chemical Management System aims to provide a system of chemical management which produces"best practice" levels of safety and compliance with regulations. This summary serves to inform Supervisors of what must be done.

The system is a series of linked documents (on our web site) starting with a Guideline Document and continuing to a set of detailed documents to guide the labworkers.

Supervisors must ensure that:

1. All chemicals, in areas supervised by them, are stored appropriately.
2. All chemicals are properly labelled
3. Chemicals are handled in a safe manner using documented procedures.
4. All chemicals are secured.
5. Licenses are held for controlled substances schedules 8 & 9.
6. Chemicals are properly disposed of.

1. Storage

The storage documentation is explicit and using it and the Group chemical register, the procedure is straight forward. Organisations in the first instance may need consultation with the safety co-ordinator. The School will provide storage equipment where necessary.

Supervisors are urged to have new chemicals documented in their chemical registers as they are received. The relevant information is on the ChemWatch database. Decisions on storage can then be made immediately.

Alert your lab-workers to note the difference between chemicals being stored and used.

2. Labelling

All chemicals and reagents must be labelled as per the School labelling document. All purchased chemicals should have a "legal" label. There can be questions about imported chemicals. Alert labworkers to check and add any required information.

3. Chemical Handling

Every procedure using a chemical must be analysed for risk and any control measures needed put in place. This evaluation should be recorded (so it need not be repeated and it can be proved that it has been done) and the controls integrated into the procedure document. Integrating the control instructions into lab procedure documents is considered "best practice".

The resources available to do this are:

• The ChemWatch Database
• Chemical registers
• Web documents

Properly instructed, virtually all our lab workers will be able to do this for themselves. Supervisors should apply some checks, to see that this work is being done to an appropriate standard.

4. Chemical Security

Legislation (in particular for Controlled Substances schedules 2 - 7) demands certain levels of security for chemical stocks. This affords no safety to our workers but prevents our chemicals being stolen. Our management system uses the normal security of our labs to provide the required level of security. It is vital for this part of our management system that all doors, to our labs, are locked when no staff are present (as per our security documents).

5. Controlled Substances 8 & 9

An individual must seek permission, from the government regulators, to possess these materials. The Chemical Management System requires the Head of School's permission to seek a licence, and the provision of a management plan for the particular substance/s.

6. Chemical Waste Disposal

Chemical waste must be disposed of as per our documented system.

Supervisors should direct their staff/students to read the School Chemical Management Guidelines and use the linked documents to assist them with their particular chemical management tasks.