Chemical Safety General Information

The Chemical Safety Program incorporates the entire lifecycle of the chemical beginning with purchasing and ending with disposal. The aim is to ensure chemicals are used and handled properly to prevent injury, illness, disease, fire, explosions or property damage.

The Principal Investigator’s (PI) responsibilities are:

The Principal Investigator is legally responsible for identifying hazards, including chemical hazards and managing risks. They must:

• Ensure that safety policies are put into effect
• Ensure that all users are made aware of all hazards known or reasonably foreseeable
• Ensure that all users (staff, faculty, students and visitors) have the appropriate documented orientation and training for the specific hazardous material being handled and/or processes being performed
• Follow proper procedures for disposal of hazardous waste
• Ensure all incidents/accidents are reported via the UBC Centralized Accident Incident Reporting System (CAIRS)

Risk Assessments for Chemical Hazards

Risk assessment is a term used to describe the overall process or method where you:

• Identify hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm (hazard identification)
• Analyze and evaluate the risk associated with that hazard (risk analysis, and risk evaluation)
• Determine appropriate ways to eliminate the hazard, or control the risk when the hazard cannot be eliminated (risk control)
• Keep all assessment documents and periodically review/update to ensure that control measures remain effective

There are several reasons a risk assessment for chemical hazards is needed, including:

• Before a new research project involving hazardous chemicals is introduced
• Whenever you have safety concerns regarding the use of a hazardous chemical
• When required as part of a permit application

SRS has developed templates for risk assessments, safe work procedures, chemical safety forms, checklists, guidelines, exposure control plans that work groups can customize to work for their specific tasks and work site.

Upon request, SRS will come to your worksite to assess your safety needs and help review any site-specific documents or procedures that your group has created.

Chemical safety resources and documents

• See the Chemical Safety Resources & Documents section