Chemical Management

4. Controlling the risk

The principal or their delegate must:

• put controls in place to mitigate the risks of dangerous goods and hazardous substances
• develop and circulate safe work procedures (SWPs) for any products with a risk rating of 3 or above
• ensure staff have the knowledge, training or qualifications to use and manage dangerous goods and hazardous substances safely
• ensure that staff are not exposed to atmospheric concentrations of hazardous substances that are above the exposure standard.

Once the level of risk associated with the use, storage and disposal is understood by following Chapter 3, the principal or their delegate must make decisions about the product and what steps are to be taken next.

• If the product is rated 0-2 (low or medium risk), and the instruction label provides adequate instructions for use, storage and disposal, then follow label directions for use. A SWP is not required but can be developed if it’s helpful.
• If the product has a risk rating of 3 or above (high or extreme), but the school wishes to continue using it, then a SWP must be developed with suitable and effective controls.
• If the product is too unsafe regardless of the available controls, then it must be correctly disposed of and not ordered again (see Chapter 12).

Training and qualifications

The principal or their delegate must ensure staff have the relevant knowledge, training or qualifications to use and manage dangerous goods and hazardous substances safely. The training required for staff depends on the complexity and risk of products and chemicals being used and stored at the school. Training could include but is not limited to:

• eLearn modules and webinars in chemical management
• introductory courses in chemical management
• certificates in laboratory skills or techniques
• diploma in laboratory technology or applied science
• advanced diploma of laboratory management
• Chemwatch offers an accredited course in chemicals management. For more information on training available, refer to the Resources page.

No formal training is needed if a school's dangerous goods or hazardous substances are:

• common consumer products
• in quantities expected for household use.

Information from a product’s safety data sheet (SDS) is sufficient to use, store, and safely dispose of these products.

More information about identifying and scheduling OHS related training is outlined in the OHS Induction and Training policy and procedure.

Developing safe work procedures

To develop a safe work procedure (SWP), operating instructions can be added to the chemical or product’s risk assessment in Chemwatch GoldFFX (staff login required). These can be saved and printed for display. SWPs generated from Chemwatch include:

• a hazard and risk rating
• hazard statement(s)
• first aid response requirements
• identification of persons most at risk
• a pictogram of required personal protective equipment.

Alternatively, the available SWP templates, including the Safe work procedure – science and laboratory chemicals (DOCX) can be used. The SWP uses the information from the completed risk assessment and the product SDS as a reference. Section 2 (Hazard identification) of a product’s SDS provides information about recommended risk controls and how the product is used, stored, and disposed of safely. These directions, as well as details from other sections of the document provide relevant information for developing a SWP.

For information to develop SWPs, refer to Control considerations when developing safe work procedures.

It is important to consult with staff and any elected health and safety representatives when writing and developing SWPs. Hands-on support with the development of SWPs can also be accessed through the Statewide OHS Services Team and the OHS Advisory Service.

SWPs must be circulated and communicated to all relevant staff once completed or when updated. This will ensure that relevant school staff are aware of key safety information. New or updated SWPs can be circulated informally or tabled during health and safety committee meetings or other staff forums.