Chemical Management Requirements for Specific Chemicals: Chemicals of Security Concern
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Weapons of Mass Destruction
What is a Chemical Associated with Weapons of Mass Destruction?
Chemicals associated with Weapons of Mass Destruction have been scheduled by an international treaty called the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
The CWC schedules, which list the chemicals in question, are available from the Commonwealth Department of Foreign Affairs' publication, The Chemical Weapons Convention: A Guide for Australian Industry Producing, Using or Trading Chemicals [.pdf].* [6/10/09: This document has been taken offline temporarily for review by DFAT - interim reference http://www.dfat.gov.au/cwco/]
Compliance requirements for Chemicals Associated with Weapons of Mass Destruction
To use or store chemicals associated with Weapons of Mass Destruction in a workplace, you must meet the following requirements:
- All general requirements, as described in Chemical Management Key Topics.
- A further set of strict laws and constraints, which are described in The Chemical Weapons Convention: A Guide for Australian Industry Producing, Using or Trading Chemicals [.pdf].* [6/10/09: This document has been taken offline temporarily for review by DFAT - interim reference http://www.dfat.gov.au/cwco/]
- Special Access Arrangements: in addition to the general safety precautions described in section 1.18 Access Arrangements of the Chemical Management Guidelines [.pdf], consider reducing the opportunity for theft or other illegal behaviour with further security measures such as inventory tracking systems.
* Please check the Department of Foreign Affairs website at http://www.dfat.gov.au/cwco/ to confirm you are referring to the most current edition of this document.
High Consequence Dangerous Goods (HCDG)
What are HCDG?
The term High Consequence Dangerous Goods refers to dangerous goods that are of security concern due to their potential to cause mass casualties and/or destruction.
The following chemicals have been declared to be HCDG:
- ammonium nitrate in concentrations > 45%; and
- calcium ammonium nitrate in concentrations > 45%.
Compliance requirements for HCDG in the workplace
To use or store HCDG in a workplace, you must meet the following requirements:
- All general requirements of chemical management, as described in Chemical Management Key Topics.
- All requirements for dangerous goods, as described in Dangerous Goods.
- Licensing requirements:
- Victorian tertiary education institutions are exempt from licensing requirements if: the HCDG are used for the purposes of an educational institution, research or testing; and the quantity does not exceed 3 kg per area (laboratory).
- If these criteria cannot be met, a license will be required. Contact your laboratory manager or your EHS Adviser/Manager in the EHS Unit for further advice.
- Special Access Arrangements: in addition to the general safety precautions described in section 1.18 Access Arrangements of the Chemical Management Guidelines [.pdf], consider reducing the opportunity for theft or other illegal behaviour with further security measures such as inventory tracking systems.
More information
- Further detailed information is available in section 6 Chemicals of Security Concern 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.