Chemical work touches every part of operations, from maintenance to R&D to cleaning. Getting it right protects people, uptime and reputation.
This guide explains the importance of chemical safety, what good practice looks like under WHS laws, and how to reduce risk with simple, workable controls.
What “chemical safety” means for your business
Everyday decisions that control real risks: Chemical safety is the set of practices that identify hazards, reduce exposures, and prepare people to respond when things go wrong.
In workplaces covered by the model WHS Act and Regulations, this centres on risk assessment, control measures and practical training that workers can use in real tasks like decanting solvents, changing cylinders or neutralising spills.
Safe Work Australia’s Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace outlines the framework: registers, labelling, SDS, exposure standards, health monitoring and emergency plans.
Hazard is not the same as exposure: A corrosive or carcinogenic substance is a hazard. Risk comes from exposure through inhalation, skin contact, ingestion or injection. Control decisions rely on this distinction, guided by workplace exposure standards (WES) and the transition to workplace exposure limits (WEL) taking effect 1 December 2026. Until then, PCBUs must still comply with the WES list.
Effect of chemical safety on workers, business uptime & cost control
1) Prevent injuries and fatalities
Safe Work Australia’s latest snapshot reports 200 worker fatalities in 2023, with transport, construction and agriculture over-represented. Vehicle incidents remain the largest contributor. These figures reinforce why prevention and strong controls matter.
2) Reduce unplanned downtime
Exposure incidents and near-misses trigger evacuations, investigations and rework. Good controls, such as effective local exhaust ventilation (LEV), robust permits and planning, reduce stoppages. The Model Code details how to assess risk, implement controls and prepare emergency plans so operations keep moving.
3) Control total cost of risk
Systematic chemical safety programs cut claims, waste and overtime while improving quality and retention. The WES→WEL transition clarifies that exposure values are limits not to be exceeded, supporting clearer compliance and fewer disputes.
What makes a chemical safety program effective
1) Build and maintain a live chemical inventory and SDS library
- Keep an up-to-date hazardous chemicals register matched to current Safety Data Sheets (SDS) in the GHS 16-section format. Using a centralized, digital SDS system with version control and mobile access makes SDS management easier.
- SDS must be reviewed at least every 5 years and include an Australian address and emergency telephone number for the manufacturer or importer.
2) Labelling workers can act on fast
- Labels must follow GHS 7 with product identifier, signal word, hazard and precautionary statements, pictograms and supplier details.
- From 1 January 2023, only GHS 7 may be used to classify and label newly manufactured or imported hazardous chemicals; SDS must also comply with GHS 7.
Model guidance explains how to apply labelling at decanting and secondary containers.
3) Hierarchy-first controls
Start with elimination or substitution, then engineering controls such as enclosures and LEV, administrative controls, and finally PPE as the last line. WHS guidance and the Model Code emphasise this order to achieve adequate control.
4) Storage and segregation that prevent escalation
Segregate incompatibles, minimise flammable storage in workrooms, and plan for spill containment. Placard and manifest quantities trigger extra duties; for example, Schedule 11 sets thresholds for many classes (e.g., flammable liquids Cat 2: placard 250 L, manifest 2,500 L). Check your jurisdiction’s adoption.
5) Training Your Team on Chemical Hazards
Train workers on hazards, labels, SDS and task-specific procedures; refresh when processes or chemicals change. Pair short learning with practical drills. The Model Codes for managing risks, labelling and SDS preparation provide the content baseline for training.
6) Exposure monitoring and health monitoring when required
Use personal air monitoring to verify control against WES (and later WEL). Provide health monitoring when there is significant risk from chemicals listed in Schedule 14 or where valid biological/medical tests exist (for example, isocyanates or certain metals). Health monitoring complements, not replaces, engineering controls.
7) Emergency planning, spill response and reporting
Base spill response on SDS instructions and pre-stage absorbents and neutralisers. For dangerous goods transport, align with the Australian Dangerous Goods (ADG) Code; Edition 7.9 can be used from 1 Oct 2024 and is mandatory from 1 Oct 2025 (jurisdictional commencement may vary).
8) Continuous improvement: audits, near-misses and metrics
Review near-misses, incident investigations and sampling data. Track leading indicators like SDS updates completed, training completion, LEV examinations and closed corrective actions to show progress and ROI. The Model Code supports systematic evaluation.
Rules you must track in 2024–2026
GHS 7 is now the baseline. From 1 Jan 2023, only GHS 7 applies for classifying and labelling newly manufactured or imported hazardous chemicals; SDS must align with GHS 7.
Exposure values are changing terminology and, in some cases, limits. Continue using the WES list until 30 Nov 2026, then shift to the WEL list on 1 Dec 2026. Monitor SWA updates for specific substance changes (for example, welding fume reduction already reflected in the WES list).
Registers, placards, manifests and health monitoring. Maintain a hazardous chemicals register, placard where required, keep a manifest at or above thresholds, and provide health monitoring where Schedule 14 criteria apply. Codes of Practice outline the details and templates.
Transport interface. If you consign or receive dangerous goods, implement ADG 7.9 by the mandatory date and keep emergency information current.
Bringing it all together for safer, smoother operations
A practical chemical safety program protects people and keeps work flowing. Build it on risk assessment, GHS 7 labelling, current SDS, and the hierarchy of controls, then verify with monitoring and health monitoring where needed. Keep watch on WEL implementation and ADG 7.9 timelines. The result is fewer incidents, better uptime and a healthier bottom line.
FAQs
1) What recent classification and labelling changes should we check?
From 1 Jan 2023 only GHS 7 is used for classifying and labelling newly manufactured or imported hazardous chemicals; update SDS accordingly.
2) Do we still need PPE if we install local exhaust ventilation?
Usually yes. LEV reduces airborne exposure but may not address splash or skin contact. WHS guidance places PPE as the final layer where risks remain.
3) Which exposure values should we follow on task assessments?
Use the current WES list and prepare for the WEL list from 1 Dec 2026. Monitor updates to limits and guidance.
4) What do we put on an SDS and how often do we review it?
Follow the 16-section format, include local supplier details and an Australian emergency phone number, and review at least every 5 years.
5) How does transport interface with our site controls?
If you consign or receive dangerous goods, align with ADG 7.9 (mandatory 1 Oct 2025). Keep emergency information current and coordinate with carriers.