A
hazardous chemicals register is a list of hazardous chemicals at a workplace.
It includes current SDS for
each of the chemicals listed.
§ Under
the model WHS Regulations,
businesses using hazardous chemicals must prepare a register and keep it
up-to-date so workers can easily find information about chemicals stored,
handled or used at the workplace.
Use
our hazardous chemical register template to
help you prepare a register for your business.
Chemicals
that must be included on the register
All
hazardous chemicals that are stored, handled or used at a workplace must be
listed on the register except where they are:
§ in-transit
§ consumer
products.
Hazardous
chemicals are in-transit if they are not used in a workplace and are not kept
there for more than five consecutive days.
However,
where a workplace frequently has in-transit hazardous chemicals present—or they
are present in significant quantities—these should be listed on the register.
Consumer
products are those that are packed primarily for use by a household consumer
and are used in a way that is consistent with normal household use.
§ For
example, laundry detergent packed in a 1 kg container and used once a week by
individual staff for washing work clothes is considered a consumer product and
would not need to be included on the register. But a 30 kg container of the
same detergent used by a commercial laundering business is not considered to be
a consumer product and must be included on the register.
Consumer
products also include hazardous chemicals used in an office, for example
printer toner and whiteboard cleaners.
Chemicals
that are not hazardous do not need to be included on the register.
Access
to the register
The
hazardous chemicals register must be readily accessible to all workers involved
in the use, storage and handling of the hazardous chemicals at the workplace.
SDS must
be made available to emergency service workers and anyone else who is likely to
be exposed to the hazardous chemical at the workplace.
Registers
and SDS may
be kept electronically, for example on an intranet, provided workers have ready
access to a computer and know how to access the register. Otherwise a hard copy
should be kept where chemicals are used.
Keeping
registers up-to-date
Manufacturers
and importers of hazardous chemicals are required to update their SDS at
least every five years, and must supply the updated version when they next
supply the chemical to a business or on request.
If
the recorded SDS in
a workplace has not been updated for five years or more, businesses should
contact the chemical supplier, manufacturer or importer for the current
version.
No
qualifications needed to maintain the register
The
person maintaining the hazardous chemical register does not need any specific
qualifications, but they should to be competent to carry out the task.
§ For
example, they should understand what chemicals must be included on the register
and how to assess whether a compliant SDS has
been recorded for each chemical.
International
safety data sheets
The model
WHS Regulations provide that the hazardous
chemical register must contain SDS.
These are usually prepared by the Australian manufacturer or importer, however,
in some cases you should have both an Australian and overseas SDS.
While SDS prepared
overseas usually doesn’t meet our requirements, some are prepared specifically
for Australia and will meet our requirements.
§ Businesses
should request a compliant SDS from
the chemical’s supplier.
Importers
of hazardous chemicals should review any international SDS to
make sure they comply with the model Code of
Practice: Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals.
The SDS may
need to be amended to make sure it includes the correct details, which include:
§ Australian
emergency contact information
§ disposal
considerations, transport information and regulatory information relevant to
Australian laws.
Hazardous
chemical manifest
A
manifest is a written summary of hazardous chemicals with physical and acute
toxicity hazards that
are used, handled or stored at a workplace.
§ A
manifest is only required where the quantities of those hazardous chemicals
exceed the threshold amounts listed in Schedule 11 to the model
WHS Regulations.
Use
our hazardous chemicals manifest template to
help you prepare a register for your business.
The
primary purpose of a manifest is to provide emergency services with information
on the quantity, classification and location of hazardous chemicals at the
workplace. It also contains information such as site plans and emergency
contact details.
A
manifest must comply with the requirements of Schedule 12 to the model
WHS Regulations and it must be updated as soon
as practicable after any change to the amount or types of chemicals being used,
stored, handled or generated at the workplace.
The
relevant WHS regulator must
be given written notice if hazardous chemicals that exceed the manifest
threshold quantity are used, handled or stored—or are to be used, handled or
stored—at the workplace.
Please
note that South Australia has a separate dangerous substances licencing scheme.
If you are located in South Australia please contact SafeWork
SA.
Manifest
versus register
A
manifest is different to a register: a manifest is only required where
hazardous chemicals present at the workplace exceed the specified manifest
threshold quantities. It is intended primarily for
emergency services personnel to use where they must respond to an emergency at
the workplace.
Hazardous
chemical placard
Placards
are special types of signage required at workplaces that store hazardous
chemicals above the placard quantities.
Placards provide warnings about the stored hazardous chemicals and contain
specific information for emergency service personnel.
Different
types of placards include:
§ outer
warning placards
§ placards
for packaged goods
§ bulk
storage placards.
Placards
must be legible and kept up-to-date.
Comprehensive
information about placarding requirements can be found in Schedule 13 to
the model WHS Regulations.
Placard
requirements under the model WHS Regulations
Placarding
of hazardous chemicals under the model WHS Regulations is
very similar to placarding under the previous laws.
The
form and dimensions of the placard remain the same and class labels from
the ADG Code continue
to be used to identify hazardous chemical storage locations at workplaces.
Hazard categories
under the GHS can
be used to determine the placarding and manifest quantities for hazardous
chemicals, however GHS pictograms
are not used for placarding.
Placarding
requirements are set out in Schedule 13 to the model
WHS Regulations.
Manifest and placard threshold quantities
Table
1 shows placard and manifest threshold quantities of hazardous chemicals, as
set out in Schedule 11 to the model WHS Regulations.
The
final column shows the equivalent classes of dangerous goods under the ADG
Code. A printable version of the table is
available here: Placard and manifest requirements under
the model WHS Regulations.
Table
1: Placard and manifest requirements of hazardous chemicals
Column 1
|
Column 2
|
Column 3
|
Column 4
|
Column 5
|
ADG code classification
|
Item
|
Description of hazardous chemical
|
Placard quantity
|
Manifest quantity
|
Hazard class
|
Hazard category
|
1
|
Flammable gases
|
Category 1A, 1B or any combination of categories 1A and 1B
|
200 L
|
5,000 L
|
2.1
|
2
|
Gases under pressure
|
with acute toxicity, categories 1, 2, 3 or 4 Note—Category 4 only up
to LC50 of 5,000 ppmV
|
50 L
|
500 L
|
2.3
|
3
|
with skin corrosion categories 1A, 1B or 1C
|
50 L
|
500 L
|
2.3
|
4
|
not specified elsewhere in this Table
|
1,000 L
|
10,000 L
|
2.2
|
5
|
Aerosols
|
Category 1, category 2, category 3 or any combination of these
categories
|
5,000 L
|
10,000 L
|
2.1 or 2.2
|
6
|
Flammable liquids
|
Category 1
|
50 L
|
500 L
|
3 (PG I)
|
7
|
Category 2
|
250 L
|
2,500 L
|
3 (PG II)
|
8
|
Category 3
|
1,000 L
|
10,000 L
|
3 (PG III)
|
9
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 6–8 where none of the items exceeds
the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
1,000 L
|
10,000 L
|
|
10
|
Category 4
|
10,000 L
|
100,000 L
|
Note 3
|
11
|
Self-reactive substances
|
Type A
|
5 kg or 5 L
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
GTDTBT—Note 4
|
12
|
Type B
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
500 kg or 500 L
|
4.1 (Type B)
|
13
|
Type C–F
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
4.1 (Type C–F)
|
14
|
Flammable solids
|
Category 1
|
250 kg
|
2,500 kg
|
4.1 (PG II)
|
15
|
Category 2
|
1,000 kg
|
10,000 kg
|
4.1 (PG III)
|
16
|
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 12–15 where none of the items exceeds
the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
|
17
|
Pyrophoric liquids and Pyrophoric solids
|
Category 1
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
500 kg or 500 L
|
4.2 (PG I)
|
18
|
Self-heating substances and mixtures
|
Category 1
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
4.2 (PG II)
|
19
|
Category 2
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
4.2 (PG III)
|
20
|
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 17–19 where none of the items exceeds
the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
|
21
|
Substances which in contact with water emit flammable gas
|
Category 1
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
500 kg or 500 L
|
4.3 (PG I)
|
22
|
Category 2
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
4.3 (PG II)
|
23
|
Category 3
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
4.3 (PG III)
|
24
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 21–23 where none of the items exceeds
the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
|
25
|
Oxidising liquids and Oxidising solids
|
Category 1
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
500 kg or 500 L
|
5.1 (PG I)
|
26
|
Category 2
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
5.1 (PG II)
|
27
|
Category 3
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
5.1 (PG III)
|
28
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 25–27 where none of the items exceeds
the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
|
29
|
Organic peroxides
|
Type A
|
5 kg or 5 L
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
GTDTBT—Note 4
|
30
|
Type B
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
500 kg or 500 L
|
5.2 (Type B)
|
31
|
Type C–F
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
5.2 (Type C–F)
|
32
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 30 and 31 where none of the items
exceeds the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
|
33
|
Acute Toxicity
|
Category 1
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
500 kg or 500 L
|
6.1 (PG I) – Note 5
|
34
|
Category 2
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
6.1 (PG II)
|
35
|
Category 3
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
6.1 (PG III)
|
36
|
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 33–35 where none of the items exceeds
the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
|
37
|
Skin corrosion
|
Category 1A
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
500 kg or 500 L
|
8 (PG I)
|
38
|
Category 1B
|
250 kg or 250 L
|
2,500 kg or 2,500 L
|
8 (PG II)
|
39
|
Category 1C
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
8 (PG III)
|
40
|
Corrosive to metals
|
Category 1
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
8 (PG III)
|
41
|
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 37–40 where none of the items exceeds
the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
1,000 kg or 1,000 L
|
10,000 kg or 10,000 L
|
|
42
|
Unstable explosives
|
|
5 kg or 5 L
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
GTDTBT—Note 4
|
43
|
|
Any mix of chemicals from Items 11, 29 and 42 where none of the items
exceeds the quantities in columns 4 or 5 on their own
|
5 kg or 5 L
|
50 kg or 50 L
|
|
Notes:
A.
South Australia has a separate dangerous substances licencing scheme. If you
are located in South Australia please contact SafeWork
SA.
B.
Where a placard is required under Schedule 13 to the model
WHS Regulations, the relevant dangerous goods class
label (or ‘diamond’) must be displayed on the placard, not the
corresponding GHS pictogram.
(1)
For the purposes of this table, if a flammable liquid category 4 is used,
handled or stored in the same spill compound as one or more flammable liquids
of categories 1, 2 or 3, the total quantity of flammable liquids in categories
1, 2 or 3 must be determined as if the flammable liquid category 4 had the same
classification as the flammable liquid in the spill compound with the lowest
flash point.
For
example: For placard and manifest purposes, a spill compound containing
1000 L of flammable liquid category 1 and 1000 L of flammable liquid
category 4 is considered to contain 2000 L of flammable liquid category
1.
(2)
For item 2 in the table, gases under pressure with acute toxicity category 4
only applies up to a LC50 of 5000 ppmV. This is equivalent to division 2.3
dangerous goods under the ADG Code.
(3)
Only flammable liquids with a flash point of up to 93 °C are classified as
hazardous chemicals under the WHS Regulations
and the GHS.
C1 combustible liquids with flashpoints between 93 °C and 150 °C are
not classified as hazardous workplace chemicals.
(4)
GTDTBT means goods too dangerous to be transported.
(5)
Division 2.3 under the ADG Code includes
gases and vapours classified as acutely toxic (categories 1, 2 and 3) and gases
that are corrosive to skin (category 1).
Further
advice
SWA is not a
regulator and cannot advise you about registers, manifests and placards
compliance. If you need help, please contact your state or territory work
health and safety authority.
Advanced Group is mainly located in Keysborough (in South-East Melbourne, Victoria) however we ship all over Australia & sometimes we can ship Australia Wide for Free! For example:
1. *Free Shipping for *All online orders over $300 to Victoria, Australia. (*Bulky Orders over 999kg do not qualify)
2. *Any order to anywhere in Australia MUST have all items with the Prefix/es in the Product Codes starting with "Barr-" & the order is over $300.
3. *Any order to anywhere in Australia with all "numerical (only) Product Codes" & the order is over $300 (for example Product Code:12345).
Phone & Email orders will incur shipping costs at cost.