10 Apr Create an Inventory – Using the Chemical Module
Getting started…
Make a list of all of the substances/chemicals used, handled, manufactured or stored at your workplace and how much you have of each substance.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Check that you have a current SDS for each substance/chemical – and if you don’t, contact your chemical supplier for a digital copy of these.
The SDS should always be the go-to for information in an emergency.
What your inventory must include
- Product or chemical name (see Section 14: Transport information on your SDS)
- United Nations (UN) number (if available) (see Section 14: Transport information on your SDS)
- The maximum amount likely to be at the workplace
- Its location
- Any specific storage and segregation requirements (see Section 7 and 10 on your SDS)
- An SDS or a condensed version of the key information from the SDS.
It could also include:
- The hazard classification
- The substance state (gas, liquid or solid)
- Information about flammable liquids:
- container size
- whether the container is open or closed.
The inventory (and each SDS) must be readily accessible to workers, and any emergency service worker attending your workplace during and an emergency, and after the workplace has been evacuated.
There are some businesses that do not need to keep an inventory – go to the WorkSafe website to find out more.
Hazardous waste
Your inventory must include hazardous waste (waste likely to meet the classification criteria for substances with explosive, flammable, oxidising, toxic or corrosive properties in the Hazardous Substances (Classification) Notice 2017), and must include:
- an identifier describing the waste as closely as possible (e.g. flammable waste, corrosive waste, chlorinated solvent waste)
- the maximum quantity of the waste likely to be at the workplace
- its location
- any specific storage and segregation requirements for the waste
Adding hazardous substances into the Hasmate program
There are a lot of fields in the “Chemicals” module (more than mentioned as required above), but we recommend that you fill in the following;
- Common name (see Section 14: Transport information on your SDS)
- CAS Number
- HSNO Approval Number (see Section 15: Regulatory information on your SDS)
- UN Number (see Section 14: Transport information on your SDS)
- Chemical Type (this is a Master File dropdown – should be Liquid, Solid, Gas, and other options to cover hazardous waste).
- SDS Expiry Date (see Section 16: Other information on your SDS – this should show the date of preparation of the SDS, add 5 years to this date)
- Controls Required (these can be taken from the SDS)
- Emergency Procedure (this can be taken from the SDS – but we also recommend you make a note that says “In an emergency, please refer to the current SDS for more information”.
- Signage Required
- Segregation Required (see Section 7: Handling and storage and Section 10: Stability and reactivity on your SDS)
- Health Monitoring Required
- Bunding Required (see Section 7: Handling and storage and Section 10: Stability and reactivity on your SDS)
- Test Certificate Required
- Test Certificate Expiry Date
- Storage Location (where the chemical is located in your business)
- Storage Method (see Section 7: Handling and storage and Section 10: Stability and reactivity on your SDS)
- SDS Available (choose Yes or No from the dropdown, and then save a copy of the SDS in Attachments)
- Container Open (are the substances stored open or closed?)
- Containers < 5L and Containers > 5L (for more information about what should be noted here, please click here)
- Max Likely Amount (what is the maximum amount of the chemical that you are likely to have at your workplace?)
- Max Likely Amount Units (choose the appropriate unit from the dropdown, e.g. litres, kilograms, etc)
- Required PPE (see Section 8: Exposure controls/personal protection on your SDS)
- Chemical HSNO/GHS Classifications (see Section 2: Hazard identification on your SDS)
- Chemical Handlers (choose the appropriate employees from the dropdown)
- Chemical Hazards (choose each hazard that is appropriate for this chemical)
- H&S Controls (this should be the controls that your business has put in place for dealing with this chemical – likely to be similar to the controls taken from the SDS)
- Attachments (attach the current SDS and note the date from the SDS in the Comments)
Each printable chemical profile in the Hasmate program can be used as a training procedure for all employees using chemicals.
Printing an inventory
In the “Community Reports” in the Reports module, there is a new “Basic Chemical Worksheet” report – this can be found by searching for “Chemicals” reports.
It can be printed off as a whole, or saved as a .pdf.
References:
Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017