If your workplace uses or handles hazardous chemicals, you are legally required by Australian WHS Regulations to keep a register of hazardous chemicals on the job site. This post will help you learn how to prepare and install a register of hazardous chemicals that complies with the law.
IMPORTANT: A hazardous chemical register is an essential requirement under WHS law. If your business doesn’t have the correct documents in place, you could face penalties of up to $30,000.
A register of hazardous chemicals is a list of all hazardous chemicals kept at the workplace, as well as the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each chemical product.
Under the Work Health and Safety Regulations, the register must be prepared and maintained, so that people can easily find the current information about all hazardous chemicals that are stored, handled or used in your workplace.
Your chemical register must be implemented and maintained so that all personnel understand which chemicals are onsite.
Your register must be easily accessible to any workers or contractors who are likely to be exposed to the chemical hazards. The register should also be accessible to emergency responders.
IMPORTANT: We recommend workplaces keep their essential chemical documents in a clearly marked document holder. This can be installed in a highly visible location, such as near the entry to the work area.
SDS are an essential part of your hazardous chemical register because they contain vital information about:
The first job in obtaining these Safety Data Sheets and creating your hazardous chemical register is to conduct a walk-around of the worksite and physically locate all the chemicals.
You might have already done this during your risk identification and assessment processes, but if you haven’t consider printing out a site map and walking around with the staff or contractors assigned to each work area.
Next you will create a master list of the chemical names and begin collating the SDS you have for each of the chemicals. You can also include additional information in your register, such as the onsite location where the chemical is used/stored; name of the manufacturer/supplier, and the issue date of the SDS.
Chemical manufacturers and importers are required to update the SDS for their chemicals at least once every five years. They must also update the SDS if changes in the manufacturing processes (or in scientific research) alter the risks and hazards of the chemical.
You are required by law to have the current SDS for every chemical, so if any of them are more than 5 years old, you should immediately know there is a problem.
SDSs should only be obtained from the actual supplier, importer or manufacturer of the chemicals because the chemical properties of a substance can vary (even between batches). This variance may be enough to increase or reduce the physical hazards and health hazards of a substance.
Once you have created your register, you need to find a safe, accessible space to keep the register.
Your register of hazardous chemicals should be available in both hard copy and electronic copy.
The register should be easily accessible in all relevant work areas of your business.
IMPORTANT: We recommend having your master register stored electronically on the company intranet, as well as implementing hard copies in locations where the chemicals are being used.
If you decide to use an electronic register of hazardous chemicals, please ensure that:
When using a hard copy paper register, we suggest you:
IMPORTANT: Don’t confuse a Register of Hazardous Chemicals with a Manifest of Hazardous Chemicals, as these are two different documents which have two distinct purposes. There are also different legal requirements for the preparation and implementation of the Manifest of Hazardous Chemicals.
There are some common mistakes that we see businesses make when they’re implementing a register in their own workplace. Read this list to find out what you should avoid doing, and make sure that your register is not following these examples.
IMPORTANT: The WHS Regulations require that ‘sufficient information about the safe use, handling and storage of the hazardous chemical is readily accessible to any worker at the workplace; any emergency service worker, or anyone else who is likely to be exposed to hazardous chemicals at the workplace.’
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