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Emergency Information Panel, EIP's
An emergency information panel (EIP) is a placard that includes warning and emergency information on dangerous goods. (see ADG7, Vol 2 Part 5.3.2 p 431) Placarding is required when a load of dangerous goods is designated a placard load. Eg dangerous goods in a receptacle with a capacity of more than 500L or 500kg of dangerous goods in a receptacle. Or the load comprises an aggregate quantity of dangerous goods of 250kg and/or litres or more and those goods include any dangerous goods of Class 2.1 that are not aerosols, dangerous goods of Class 2.3. Where the load comprises an aggregate quantity of Class 1.0 dangerous goods of 1000kg and/or litres or more. Placards must be affixed to the exterior of transport units that contain a placard load and to placard units to provide a warning of the contents.
A hazardous chemicals register is a list of hazardous chemicals at a workplace. It includes current SDS for each of the chemicals listed.
Under the model WHS Regulations, businesses using hazardous chemicals must prepare a register and keep it up-to-date so workers can easily find information about chemicals stored, handled or used at the workplace.
Use our hazardous chemical register template to help you prepare a register for your business.
Chemicals that must be included on the register
All hazardous chemicals that are stored, handled or used at a workplace must be listed on the register except where they are:
in-transit
consumer products.
Hazardous chemicals are in-transit if they are not used in a workplace and are not kept there for more than five consecutive days.
However, where a workplace frequently has in-transit hazardous chemicals present—or they are present in significant quantities—these should be listed on the register.
Consumer products are those that are packed primarily for use by a household consumer and are used in a way that is consistent with normal household use.
For example, laundry detergent packed in a 1 kg container and used once a week by individual staff for washing work clothes is considered a consumer product and would not need to be included on the register. But a 30 kg container of the same detergent used by a commercial laundering business is not considered to be a consumer product and must be included on the register.
Consumer products also include hazardous chemicals used in an office, for example printer toner and whiteboard cleaners.
Chemicals that are not hazardous do not need to be included on the register.
Access to the register
The hazardous chemicals register must be readily accessible to all workers involved in the use, storage and handling of the hazardous chemicals at the workplace.
SDS must be made available to emergency service workers and anyone else who is likely to be exposed to the hazardous chemical at the workplace.
Registers and SDS may be kept electronically, for example on an intranet, provided workers have ready access to a computer and know how to access the register. Otherwise a hard copy should be kept where chemicals are used.
Keeping registers up-to-date
Manufacturers and importers of hazardous chemicals are required to update their SDS at least every five years, and must supply the updated version when they next supply the chemical to a business or on request.
If the recorded SDS in a workplace has not been updated for five years or more, businesses should contact the chemical supplier, manufacturer or importer for the current version.
No qualifications needed to maintain the register
The person maintaining the hazardous chemical register does not need any specific qualifications, but they should to be competent to carry out the task.
For example, they should understand what chemicals must be included on the register and how to assess whether a compliant SDS has been recorded for each chemical.
While SDS prepared overseas usually doesn’t meet our requirements, some are prepared specifically for Australia and will meet our requirements.
Businesses should request a compliant SDS from the chemical’s supplier.
Importers of hazardous chemicals should review any international SDS to make sure they comply with the model Code of Practice: Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals. The SDS may need to be amended to make sure it includes the correct details, which include:
Australian emergency contact information
disposal considerations, transport information and regulatory information relevant to Australian laws.
Hazardous chemical manifest
A manifest is a written summary of hazardous chemicals with physical and acute toxicity hazards that are used, handled or stored at a workplace.
The primary purpose of a manifest is to provide emergency services with information on the quantity, classification and location of hazardous chemicals at the workplace. It also contains information such as site plans and emergency contact details.