Chemical Management Requirements for Specific Chemicals: Hazardous Substances
On this page:
- What is a Hazardous Substance?
- Storage and Handling: Quick Reference
- Compliance requirements for Hazardous Substances in the workplace
- More information
What is a Hazardous Substance?
A Hazardous Substance is a chemical that has the potential to cause harm to a person's health, and which meets the following criteria:
- it is listed on the Safe Work Australia Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS), and it has a concentration equalling or exceeding the cut-off level for health effects listed in the HSIS; or
- it meets the Approved Criteria for Classifying Hazardous Substances (NOHSC:1008[2004[) [.pdf]*
Exposure to Hazardous Substances usually occurs through inhalation and skin contact or absorption, and can cause immediate or long term health effects.
* Please check the Safe Work Australia website at http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au to confirm you are referring to the most current edition of the Approved Criteria. It is necessary to check the Approved Criteria as well as the HSIS because it is not guaranteed that all hazardous substances are found in the HSIS.
Storage and Handling: Quick Reference
Quick Reference information for handling and storing Hazardous Substances is available from:
- Chemical Storage and Handling: Quick Reference poster [.pdf for A3 print]
Detailed safety requirements for Hazardous Substances in the workplace should be determined by chemical risk assessment with reference to the Material Safety Data Sheet.
Compliance requirements for Hazardous Substances in the workplace
Hazardous Substances have the same general requirements for chemical management as all chemicals, which are described in Chemical Management Key Topics.
Hazardous Substances also have further requirements, which are described below.
Register of Hazardous Substances
A Register of Hazardous Substances in the workplace must be kept.
You can fulfill this requirement by keeping a chemical inventory as described on the Chemical Inventories page.
Labelling
The word HAZARDOUS should be displayed clearly and prominently on the label of all Hazardous Substances.
This is in addition to general labelling requirements set out in section 1.11 Labelling in the Chemical Management Guidelines [.pdf].
Health Surveillance
If any of a certain list of Hazardous Substances is in use in the workplace, health surveillance is required.
Costs of health surveillance are borne by the relevant Division or Faculty.
A list of Hazardous Substances requiring health surveillance is available in section 2.6. Health Surveillance of the Chemical Management Guidelines [.pdf]. However, for the most current list, consult the Occupational Health Service.
More information
- Further detailed information is available in section 2, Hazardous Substances in the Chemical Management Guidelines [.pdf].
- For advice and assistance, please contact your EHS Adviser or Manager in the EHS Unit.
- For advice about the chemical management systems that are in use in your workplace, please consult your laboratory manager, EHS Coordinator or supervisor.