Policy: Chemical management

Purpose

To set out the University's policy for managing chemicals, poisons and hazardous substances.

The University’s policy for managing chemicals, poisons, and hazardous substances.

This policy applies across the University.

The nature of research, teaching and operations at the Australian National University, may require many staff, students, contractors and visitors to deal with hazardous materials, including hazardous substances, dangerous goods, restricted and prohibited carcinogens, and scheduled medicines and poisons (hereafter referred to as chemicals). Through its policies and procedures the University endeavours to reduce the risk of working with these chemicals to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). This policy provides the University's rules for managing all chemicals for which the University is responsible to ensure there is no unacceptable risk to people's health and safety or to the environment.

All potentially hazardous research, teaching, or operational work involving chemicals shall only be undertaken after a hazard assessment of the work has been completed and the Dean and/or Director of the College, Research School, or Local area is satisfied that the risks associated with any chemicals are controlled to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
Deans and Directors shall ensure there is timely consultation, discussion and advice between knowledgeable parties to ensure they maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

All hazardous chemicals shall be registered and maintained in the ANU Chemical Management System (CMS). The University also encourages employing the CMS as the user's register for all other chemical items.

Deans and Directors, or their representatives, shall communicate clear expectations to staff, students, contractors and visitors on the appropriate and safe handling of chemicals. This includes, but not limited to, providing:

adequate information to all staff, students, contractors and visitors who handle or otherwise may come into contact with chemicals, including: information for the use of hazardous substances, dangerous goods, restricted and prohibited carcinogens, and scheduled medicines and poisons, appropriate labelling of all chemical containers, and access to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS);
location-specific and task-specific inductions, instruction and training to all staff, students, contractors and visitors who handle chemicals or processes involving such materials; and
adequate supervision for staff, students, contractors and visitors, to develop a positive and consistent safety culture.

Colleges, Research Schools and Local areas shall provide safe and secure storage arrangements for chemicals, in accordance with legal and other requirements.
Work Environment Group or local WHS Committees shall conduct spot inspections of the chemical storage locations, conditions and chemical containers.

Information	Printable version (PDF)
Title	Chemical management
Document Type	Policy
Document Number	ANUP_000384
Version	4
Purpose	To set out the University's policy for managing chemicals, poisons and hazardous substances.
Audience	Staff
Category	Administrative
Topic/ SubTopic	Health, Safety & Environment - Occupational Health & Safety

Effective Date	19 Feb 2018
Review Date	19 Feb 2024

Responsible Officer:	Director, Human Resources
Approved By:	Vice-Chancellor
Contact Area	Human Resources Division
Authority:	Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 Work Health & Safety Act 2011
Delegations	0
On 9 April 2021, the ANU Council assigned authority to approve academic policy to the Academic Board.