Chemical Management System
This section contains obligations for all managers and staff who store, use or dispose of chemicals, whether in administrative, teaching or research duties.
Manager's responsibilities - working with hazardous substances and dangerous goods
A manager of a staff member who works with hazardous substances or dangerous goods shall, for each chemical:
- ensure that either a paper copy of the (Safety Data Sheet) SDS is kept close to where the chemical is used or stored, or can be readily computer accessed "close to / readily" means the SDS can be accessed within three minutes by people using the chemical in research or areas such as Campus Services, and supervisors and demonstrators in teaching situations if required.
- implement the SDS precautions for safe use, storage and disposal, including the avoidance of exposure above the safe exposure limit.
- identify from the SDS any uncontrolled residual risks, including possible exposure above the safe exposure limit and need for atmospheric or other monitoring, and discuss with the HWS Unit.
- check that first aid supplies, and special requirements such as burns kits and antidotes, are adequate as identified in the risk assessment and SDS.
- check that fire extinguishers and spill kits are suitable and appropriate special emergency arrangements are in place.
- update any laboratory manual or work instructions with information from the SDS
- ensure all containers in use and decanted and made up solutions are labelled according to GHS requirements
- if the SDS is more than five years old, obtain a current version (from the manufacturer or online at ChemWatch)
- review/ go through the above steps every 6 months.
- consult with staff on management of the identified risks.
The same actions, where relevant, must be taken in respect of contractors (e.g. cleaners).
Faculties and Institutes' responsibilities for students using hazardous substances and dangerous goods
Each Faculty or Institute shall make sure that staff who supervise students who use chemicals at the University are instructed in the required health and safety matters, including safety precautions, first aid and emergencies and access to SDS.
Registers and University dangerous goods manifest
Faculties, divisions and other organisational areas shall keep current registers of all hazardous substances and dangerous goods used and/or stored in their area/s. This shall be done using the ChemWatch âManifestâ module.
To examine your register:
- Open Chemwatch
- Press the white triangle next to Manifest
- Select campus
- Press white triangles to select required building or room location
- A listing of all chemicals in the designated area will be shown.
Registers in required Hazardous Substances or Dangerous Goods format can be downloaded from Chemwatch and exported into Excel format. Write access to Chemwatch is provided to designated users by HWS team members; - e.g. Laboratory Managers and Technicians. The register shall be kept up to date by the designated staff, and be accessible by all stakeholders: staff, students and contractors who may be exposed to or use the chemicals.
The Health, Wellbeing and Safety team attends to the legislative requirement for keeping a whole of University dangerous goods manifests for the use of emergency services. This manifest is maintained on the basis of information obtained from other organisational areas Chemwatch records.
Chemical Safety Nominated Officers
The Executive Deans of the Faculties of Arts and Education, Health, and Science, Engineering and Built Environment, the Executive Directors, Institute for Technology Research and Innovation and the Infrastructure and Planning Group, Deakin eSolutions and Campus Services Division shall each nominate a Senior Officer to coordinate the health and safety matters relating to chemicals. These officers will also be points of contact for the Health, Wellbeing and Safety team. In default of a nomination, contact will be made directly with the relevant Executive Dean or Director.