Safety Office Chemical Safety

Chemical Safety is achieved by undertaking all activities involving chemicals in such a way as to ensure the safety of human health and the environment. It covers all chemicals, natural and manufactured, and the full range of exposure situations from the natural presence of chemicals in the environment to their extraction or synthesis, industrial production, transport use and disposal.

Chemical safety has many scientific components. Among these are toxicology, ecotoxicology and the process of chemical risk assessment which requires a detailed knowledge of exposure and of biological effects.

Publications

General information on safe working with chemicals is provided in section 9 of the Safety Handbook.

• Control of Hazardous Chemicals under Chemicals Weapons Act P04/02A (April 2002)
• Approved Supply List (2002) to support the CHIP3 Regulations - a listing of chemicals identifiying their approved hazard classification, risk and safety phrases.
• Approved Classification and Labelling Guide (5th Edition - 2002) in support of the CHIP3 Regulations. This also supports the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 to assist in determining whether the waste is hazardous.
• Some chemicals that can be used for illicit manufacture of narcotic or psychotropic drugs (drug precursor substances) are subject to Home Office licencing. The Safety Office co-ordinates the University's licence in this respect. The arrangements for working with these materials are contained in the Drug Precursor Policy.
• Silica - Respirable Crystalline
• Policy and guidance on use of carcinogens, mutagents and substances toxic to reproduction [inluding cytotoxic drugs]
  • Appendix I
  • Appendix II
  • Appendix III
  • Appendix IV
  • Appendix V
  • Appendix VI

 

• Safe Storage of Chemicals in Laboratories. The purpose of this document is to explain the principles of safe chemical storage in laboratories and to provide guidance on best practice.

Chemical Waste Disposal

• Disposal of chemical waste is subject to the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 - further information.

Quick Links

COSHH

External Links

HSE - Chemicals