Chemical Acquisition, Inventory, Storage, Transport & Disposal

When chemicals are purchased, the shipment must follow the requirements of Transport Canada as well as any other requirement that may be set by international, federal and provincial regulators or the Department of Safety & Risk Services. Once a chemical is received, proper storage is a proactive means to mitigate the risk associated with the hazards of the chemical. An accurate inventory can provide the basis for ensuring that appropriate safety measures are in place. Lastly, when a chemical nears the end of its lifecycle, proper disposal is crucial to maintain compliance with the relevant legislation.

Acquiring & Transporting Chemicals

All persons who import, handle, offer for transport, or transport dangerous goods must have documented training specific to the TDG Class(es) they are dealing with. This documentation must include a valid TDG training certificate, the training course materials and an orientation specific to the tasks and workplace they work in. Without facility and task-specific training, personnel will be considered by Transport Canada as being untrained regardless of the training certificates held.

This means any UBC employee or student ordering reagents, putting compressed gas cylinders in storage areas for pick up by Praxair or packaging chemical waste for pick up must have certified, documented training specific to the class of dangerous goods and the means of transport used. Check Schedule 3 of the TDG Regulations, an alphabetized, searchable list of dangerous goods to see if your chemical of interest is a dangerous good. If yes, please ensure that the purchaser has a valid TDG training, certification & orientation prior to placing the order.

Chemical Inventory

A chemical inventory must identify all hazardous substances like:

• Controlled products covered by WHMIS
• Explosives
• Pesticides
• Radioactive materials
• Compressed gases
• Consumer products

The chemical inventory must include the following information:

• Chemical identifier (i.e., name, formula, CAS number)
• Physical state of substance (e.g., solid, liquid, gas)
• Location (building, room number, lab locator)
• Specific location (chem shelf, fridge number, flammable cabinet)
• Original container size
• Location of the SDS sheets

SRS has developed a chemical inventory template which can be downloaded below. The inventory must be maintained and reviewed at least once a year. At the same time, check to see that adequate emergency supplies and procedures are available to handle spills and exposures to any chemical in your inventory.

Chemical Storage

Chemicals should be stored under the correct condition and segregated from other incompatible chemicals as a proactive means to minimize the formation of unstable or toxic products.

General storage guidelines

• Only purchase small quantities, in the concentrations required, that can be used up in a year
• Working quantities (small containers of chemicals that are used daily or frequently) can be stored in cupboards or low shelving (below eye level) equipped with either sliding doors or lips to prevent containers from falling off the shelves
• Do not store chemicals, other than dilute reagents, in work areas such as open work benches or shelving

Segregate based on:

• WHMIS hazard class
• BC Fire Code Separation of Dangerous Goods for Storage

Corrosive and Flammable Cabinets

• Corrosive and Flammable Cabinets should be located away from egress routes, emergency equipment, and drains
• The corrosive cabinet(s) must be clearly labelled and have a physical separation of acids and bases
• Flammable cabinets must not be vented without approval of SRS (contact research.safety@ubc.ca for more information)
• Stock bottles of flammable chemicals must be stored in a flammable cabinet
• A very limited volume of flammable material should be outside the flammable cabinet at any time

Hazardous Waste Disposal

All products, substances, wastes, and byproducts that are dangerous to the environment or to human beings and are no longer of use must be disposed of safely and in a timely manner. It is important to know what and how much waste will be generated by an experiment or set of experiments and how to dispose of it in advance of doing the experimental work.

There are many categories of chemical waste and so many different waste streams. Refer to Hazardous Waste Management for information about chemical waste disposal

Chemical Safety Resources & Documents

• See the Chemical Safety Resources & Documents section