Chemical Safety
- Forms/guidelines
- Online systems
- High Consequence Dangerous Goods (HCDG)
- Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Supply) Regulations
- Workplace chemicals regulatory framework
- Useful chemical safety links
Forms/guidelines
- Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods Register Form (49 KB)
- Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods Training Record Form (60 KB)
- WorkSafe Victoria: Chemical Safety Self Assessment Tool
- Hazardous Substances Guidelines (63 KB)
- Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment - Individual chemical (77 KB)
- Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment - Process (72 KB)
- Dangerous Goods Guidelines (173 KB)
- Dangerous Goods Risk Assessment (120 KB)
- Dangerous Goods Manifest (Excel) Template (29 KB)
- Carcinogen Guidelines (52 KB)
- Carcinogens' Log (42 KB) (form for tracking carcinogens)
- Poison Guidelines (49 KB)
- Poisons' Register (43 KB) (form for tracking poisons)
- Asbestos information sheet
- OHS Manual: Chemical Safety
Online systems
This online system takes you through the steps in carrying out a hazardous chemical risk assessment. The system relies upon you having a material safety data sheet that uses European risk statements.
ChemWatch - refer to ChemWatch webpage for login details.
High Consequence Dangerous Goods (HCDG)
Chemicals scheduled under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) are tightly controlled. These chemicals are divided listed into 3 categories (schedules). Research and development activities are included in the Convention. Further details are contained in the Chemical Weapons Convention: A Guide for Australian Industry Producing, Using or Trading Chemicals
The term high consequence dangerous goods (HCDG) has been given to dangerous goods that may used for to build weapons. Tertiary education institutions in Victoria are exempt from licensing approvals under the following conditions:
- the HCDG is for the purposes of educational instruction, research or testing; and
- that the quantity does not exceed 3 kg per area.
At present only two chemical are declared to be HCDG are:
- ammonium nitrate in concentrations > 45%
- calcium ammonium nitrate in concentrations > 45%.
More information can be found on the WorkSafe website including the Dangerous Goods (HCDG) Regulations 2005.
Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Supply) Regulations
Since 1 January 2011 End User Declarations (EUD) are mandatory for prescribed Precursor Chemicals and Equipment under Part VB of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981. The Regulations prescribe precursor chemicals and precursor apparatus. The supply of precursor chemicals mixed with other substances is excluded.
Suppliers of chemicals and equipment (such as Merck and Sigma Aldrich) will need an End User Declaration from the purchaser for every request to supply. Note: If an EUD is not received, the chemical/equipment cannot be supplied until it is obtained. The EUD needs to be completed by the receiving person responsible for the end use, i.e. the person who receives and knows the intended use of the chemical or equipment (e.g. the research scientist or lab manager), not the transport or store persons in between.
Further details including the Schedules can be found in the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Supply) Guidelines (45 KB). A blank EUD can be found at End-User Declaration (EUD) Illicit Drug Precursors. (38 KB)
Workplace chemicals regulatory framework
In July 2009 Safe Work Australia members agreed to use the Draft National Standard for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals as the policy basis for new model OHS regulations for workplace chemicals. The new workplace chemicals model regulations will be supported by a suite of additional regulatory material.
Proposed revisions to the workplace chemicals regulatory framework
Useful chemical safety links
- University of Melbourne: Chemical Management Guidance Material
