Chemical Hazard Approvals

You are required to consider health and safety issues related to your research or teaching and comply with work health and safety regulatory requirements. The use of certain hazardous chemicals or engineered nanomaterials, including any highly toxic chemicals that require special precautions to be taken in their use or storage, requires approval from the University Chemical Advisory Safety (UCAS) Committee

Chemicals and nanomaterials meeting the following criteria require approval by the committee:

• Hazardous chemicals with a Chemwatch hazard rating of 4 for toxicity, reactivity or chronic
• Cytotoxic drugs
• Carcinogens (GHS Carcinogenicity categories 1A, 1B)
• Reprotoxins (GHS Reproductive toxicity categories 1A, 1B)
• Carbon nanotubes or other engineered nanomaterials used or handled as a dry powder or administered to animals/ humans in any form.

Application process

For chemicals and nanomaterials meeting the criteria above, you must gain approval prior to conducting teaching or research involving their use, by completing a Chemical Process Risk Assessment using the online Chemical Risk Assessment system.

Please watch the training videos for instruction in completing your chemical process risk assessment. If you require further assistance or advice, email: chemsafety@unisa.edu.au

Applicants seeking a renewal of a previously approved application are required to submit a new a Chemical Process Risk Assessment using the online Chemical Risk Assessment system.

Please note in the case of carcinogens which are also prohibited or restricted carcinogens as defined in the WHS Regulations, such carcinogens may only be used for genuine research or analysis, and prior approval is needed from the UCAS Committee and SafeWork SA before purchase, storage or use of the chemical.

For detailed risk management information on chemicals, including Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and labelling requirements, use the Chemwatch GoldFFX chemicals management database. Research and teaching must comply with advice in SDSs or other relevant guidelines.

Timelines

Once you submit your application, three members of the UCAS Committee will be nominated to review the chemical process. The comments will be recorded in the online chemical risk assessment system and the University Chemical Officer will review the comments prior to either approving the chemical process or recommending further actions are considered. Feedback will take a minimum of 5 working days. If you have not had a response after this timeframe, please contact chemsafety@unisa.edu.au.

Training

There are several identified risk-based training courses available including:

• Chemical Safety (mandatory for working with any hazardous chemicals)
• Chemical Spills Management (mandatory for working with any hazardous chemicals)
• Environmental Awareness (recommended for work where chemical waste is generated)
• Liquid Nitrogen (mandatory for working with liquid nitrogen)
• Fume Cupboards (recommended when using fume cupboards)

Please refer to Learnonline Safety and Wellbeing Training for further details.