Chemicals
Chemicals are elements, chemical compounds or mixtures that may present hazards depending on their inherent properties and how they are used. Chemicals can be handled safely if safety and protective measures are followed before work begins.
Hazardous chemicals are substances or compounds that may pose a risk to health, safety or the environment. MN therefore operates a zero-discharge policy for drains. No hazardous chemicals or environmentally harmful substances must be poured down the sink.
Classification and labelling of chemicals
- Chemicals are classified and labelled in accordance with European legislation (REACH and CLP). The classification identifies the harmful effects that a chemical may have. Mixtures, dilutions and similar products must also be labelled if they are hazardous.
- Chemicals are labelled with H (hazard) statements and P (precautionary) statements.
- H-statements describe what may go wrong, such as fire, explosion, health and environmental hazards.
- P-statements describe what you should do to prevent something from going wrong, and what to do if something does go wrong.
Handling chemicals
- Everyone who handles chemicals must complete the online course Safe Handling of Chemicals.
- All use of chemicals must be risk assessed. See the "Risk Assessment".
- The use of chemicals can be risk assessed by using the risk assessment module in the Chemical Register or an SOP template.
- An overall risk assessment must also be in place for each laboratory/room, or for a group of laboratories. The risk assessment must be made available to the users of the laboratory/room and used as a basis for preparing laboratory signage; see the separate section below.
Use the chemical’s safety data sheet (SDS) as the basis for the risk assessment. Frequently used chemicals, i.e. chemicals used extensively and in large quantities in a laboratory, should be risk assessed in the Chemical Register. It must be possible to document the risk assessment for all chemicals.
Chemical Register and safety data sheets
General
All organisations are legally required to maintain a chemical register: an overview of all hazardous chemicals present in the organisation. At UiO, we use the electronic Chemical Register, Work Place Safety (WPS). The Chemical Register contains safety data sheets (SDSs) for all hazardous chemicals. Each laboratory has its own location in the Chemical Register.
Safety data sheets provide information about the chemical’s inherent properties, the precautions and protective equipment that must be used, and information on storage and disposal. For further information, see The Chemical Register (Norwegian) at UiO.
Chemicals in the Chemical Register must be registered with a valid supplier data sheet, i.e. an SDS with the correct article number. Chemicals without a valid data sheet must be disposed of. SDSs should not be more than three years old.
The person responsible for the room must assess the hazard labelling of the room on the basis of the chemicals stored and used there.
Locations
All locations must have a name beginning with the building number, followed by the room number. For example:GA24-035N002-Synthesis Lab.
Maintenance
The Chemical Register must be maintained. New chemicals must be registered, while empty containers and chemicals that have been disposed of must be archived. Check who is responsible for maintaining the Chemical Register in the laboratory where you work.
Have you used up a chemical? Ensure that the person responsible for maintaining the Chemical Register in your laboratory receives this information.
Moving chemicals
Chemicals must be registered in the room in which they are stored. If a chemical is to be stored at a new location, ensure that the move is registered in the Chemical Register by informing the person responsible for maintaining it in your laboratory.
Inheriting chemicals
If your laboratory inherits chemicals from another user at UiO, it is important that:
- the person responsible for the room is informed and approves the transfer; and
- the Chemical Register is updated.
This is regarded as an internal transfer within UiO. The chemicals must be archived at their original location and registered at the new location. The person responsible for the room is responsible for ensuring that this is done.
It is not permitted to inherit chemicals from organisations outside UiO.
Hazard labelling
To maintain safety in the laboratory, all hazardous chemicals and solutions must be labelled correctly. They must also be packaged safely and appropriately.
Bottles, flasks, jars and similar containers used to store chemicals that require labelling must be labelled in accordance with the CLP Regulation. CLP stands for Classification, Labelling and Packaging. This applies both to solutions you prepare that require labelling and to chemicals requiring labelling that are transferred from their original packaging. Labels for chemicals from original packaging can easily be generated from the Chemical Register and printed, for example, on self-adhesive labels.
GHS stands for the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. Under this system, chemicals are divided into three hazard groups, each consisting of several classes. GHS01–GHS09 are the codes for the hazard pictograms used on packaging to indicate inherent hazards.
Chemicals are labelled with pictograms. As an employee, you must be familiar with the hazard pictograms so that you can respond quickly in the event of an incident. You must also know them in order to use the correct protective equipment. All pictograms and their meanings are shown below.
Working with toxic and chronically hazardous chemicals
There are strict requirements for chemicals labelled as toxic or presenting a chronic health hazard (GHS06 and GHS08). All work involving such chemicals must be carried out in a fume hood to avoid exposure.
Some chemicals classified as presenting a chronic health hazard are defined as CMR substances because they may cause cancer, genetic defects and/or have reproductive toxicity. Work involving these substances is subject to particular requirements regarding fume hoods, cf. the Workplace Regulations, section 7-3, and exposure registration. These chemicals have the following H-statements: H340, H350, H360, H360FD, H360Fd and H360Df.
Accidents or spills outside a fume hoods must be reported through Report HSE deviations. Anyone working with such chemicals must also register their use in the exposure register, which is part of the WPS Chemical Register.
Overview of all H-statements associated with chemicals that are toxic or chronically hazardous to health:
- May cause cancer, genetic defects and/or reproductive toxicity (CMR): H340, H350, H360, H360FD, H360Fd and H360Df.
- Suspected of causing cancer, genetic defects and/or reproductive toxicity (CMR): H341, H351, H361, H361f, H361d and H361fd.
- May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled: H334.
- Toxic/fatal if inhaled: H330 and H331.
- Toxic/fatal if swallowed or in contact with skin: H310, H311, H300 and H331.
- Specific target organ toxicity: causes damage to organs following single exposure (H370), repeated exposure (H371), or may cause respiratory irritation, drowsiness or dizziness (H335 and H336).
Working with diisocyanates
Everyone who uses or handles diisocyanates, and mixtures and products containing diisocyanates, must have completed training in their safe use. The training must be documented.
If you are to work with diisocyanates or mixtures and products containing diisocyanates, contact the HSE coordinator to gain access to the online course.
The training requirement applies regardless of:
- how often diisocyanates and diisocyanate-containing mixtures are used;
- whether the employee has a permanent or temporary position;
- or the employee’s percentage of full-time employment.
Working with mercury
It is prohibited to manufacture, import, export, sell or use substances or mixtures containing mercury or mercury compounds. The prohibition also applies to substances and mixtures intended for analytical and research purposes.
There are some exemptions under the Product Regulations (Lovdata)(Norwegian).
Working with lead and lead compounds
Contact your HSE coordinator before starting work involving lead. Work with lead may entail a legally required targeted health examination.
Duty of substitution: replacing hazardous chemicals
One of the most important measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of harm to health and the environment when handling chemicals is to replace hazardous chemicals with alternatives that pose a lower risk. Under the duty of substitution, everyone handling hazardous chemicals is required to assess whether the chemical can be replaced.
The substitution assessment must be documented in writing and carried out in the WPS Chemical Register.
- Read more about the duty of substitution on the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) website
- Norwegian Environment Agency guidance on replacing hazardous chemicals (Norwegian)
- Merck webpage on “Greener Solvents” and “Greener Alternatives”
Transporting chemicals
Chemicals transported between laboratories and along corridors must be transported safely. They must be secured against accidents by using trolleys, trays and buckets. Incompatible chemicals must be transported separately, for example in separate buckets. Do not carry chemicals in your arms.
Storing chemicals
Chemicals that are used regularly must be stored in approved chemical cabinets in the laboratory. Chemicals that are not used on a daily basis must be stored in suitable storage rooms. Chemicals must always be stored in suitable chemical packaging, preferably the original packaging, and must be clearly labelled in accordance with the CLP Regulation (environmentagency.no)(Norwegian). Dedicated chemical storage rooms must always be kept locked.
Chemicals must be stored according to their inherent hazards, and chemicals that may react with one another must be stored separately. Information on chemical storage can be found in section 7 of the safety data sheet. Information on reactivity and stability can be found in section 10 of the safety data sheet.
- All flammable substances should be stored together in suitable fire-resistant chemical cabinets connected to ventilation.
- Inorganic acids must be stored separately from inorganic bases in suitable chemical cabinets connected to ventilation.
- Acids and bases must not be stored with other chemicals and must be kept in suitable ventilated chemical cabinets.
- Oxidising and toxic substances must be stored separately from flammable substances, in chemical cabinets connected to ventilation where necessary.
- Inorganic and organic chemicals must not be stored in the same cabinet.
However, many chemicals have several hazards and may therefore be incompatible for storage despite sharing some hazards. It is therefore recommended that you identify the primary hazard and then check the safety data sheet further.
Purchasing and receiving chemicals
Before ordering
Before purchasing new chemicals, check the following:
- Is the chemical already available in your laboratory?
- Is the chemical listed in the Chemical Register?
- Is there space for the chemical?
- Have the person responsible for the room and the person maintaining the Chemical Register in your laboratory been informed?
- Is the safety data sheet available in Norwegian or English?
Ordering procedures
The following requirements apply when ordering chemicals:
- Only employees may order chemicals.
- Chemical orders must be approved by the supervisor, project manager or laboratory manager responsible for the cost centre. The person responsible for the cost centre must be copied into the order.
- A risk assessment of the chemical must be attached to the order.
- The order must include the room number in which the chemicals will be stored.
- Orders for explosive substances must be approved by the Head of Department, and only small quantities may be ordered. Explosive chemicals are chemicals with H-statements H201 to H208, and H242 with UN number 3234 – self-reactive solid, type C, temperature controlled; see section 14 of the SDS.
Sustainability and chemical use
Do not order more than you need, or more than will be used within 12 months. It is not sustainable to order more than is needed or to order chemicals that are already available in the laboratory.
Always consider using less hazardous chemicals; see the section on substitution.
Receiving chemicals
Safety data sheets for chemicals and gases must be registered in the Chemical Register before they are used.
Receiving procedures vary between buildings.
- LVB (FAI, IBV and KI):
- Chemicals are delivered to the Central Storage area. The user will be notified upon arrival and can collect the chemicals.
- For other buildings, contact your purchaser.