Hazardous Chemicals Register

Purpose. The controlled list of every hazardous chemical held at each site, its location, quantity, hazard classification and safety data sheet date, as required by the hazardous chemicals regulations.

1.Purpose

The register allows anyone in the laboratory, and emergency services, to know what hazardous chemicals are on site, where they are and what hazards they present. It supports the manifest that is required when quantities exceed the thresholds in the regulations, and it is the basis for placarding at the site entrance and the chemical store.

2.What is listed

Every chemical classified as hazardous under the Globally Harmonised System, including acids, bases, solvents, oxidisers, compressed gases, reference standards containing heavy metals, and reagents supplied as kits. Consumer products used in small quantities for cleaning are excluded unless decanted or used in a laboratory process.

3.Register fields

Each entry shows the chemical name, supplier, hazard classification and pictograms, physical form, container size, maximum quantity held, storage location and storage class, the date of the current safety data sheet and the person responsible. Safety data sheets must be less than five years old and held at the point of use and in the register.

• Chemical name and supplier
• Hazard classification and pictograms
• Maximum quantity and container size
• Storage location and class
• Safety data sheet date
• Responsible person

4.Adding a chemical

A chemical must not be purchased until the section manager has assessed the risk, confirmed a storage location compatible with its class and added it to the register with the current safety data sheet. Sample reception must not accept a chemical delivery that is not on the register.

5.Storage

Chemicals must be stored in the cabinet or store designated for their class. Flammables in the flammable liquids cabinet, oxidisers separately from flammables and organics, acids and bases in separate corrosives cabinets, and compressed gases restrained upright in the gas store. Quantities on the bench must be limited to a day's use.

6.Review

The Quality Manager reviews the register every six months, removes chemicals no longer held, updates safety data sheets and checks the manifest and placarding thresholds. The review is recorded and reported to the health and safety committee.