Chemical Inventory & Security Information

University areas require certain precautions to ensure security for hazardous materials and agents. The following guidelines were established in October 2001 in the document “Access to Hazardous Materials and Pathogens”

Security Guidelines:

  • All indoor areas where hazardous materials and pathogens are stored and used must be provided with limited access when in use and must be locked and secured at all times when not staffed by authorized personnel.
  • An inventory of hazardous chemicals should be in place and updated periodically to permit ready identification of any missing materials which may occur. If regarded as significant by the responsible individual, missing materials must be reported to Campus Security without delay. Samples, solutions, synthetic intermediates and waste may be excluded from the inventory.

The following measures should also be taken:

  • Approach any visitor that appears to be wandering in laboratory areas and ask them if you can help direct them. If suspicious activity persists, call Campus Security.
  • Lock all secondary rooms such as walk-in freezers and chemical storage rooms as well as equipment (e.g. freezers, cabinets, incubators, and scintillation counters) that may contain hazardous materials and/or pathogens. Please note that it is contrary to good management practices for such units to be located in hallways or areas outside of laboratories.
  • Post on or near the main entrance to each laboratory, the name of the responsible person, a second person knowledgeable about the laboratory and a 24-hour contact telephone number.

Available Reference Materials:

  • Chemical Inventory: A laboratory shall maintain and update annually an inventory of all chemicals, including all containers of chemicals in use or in storage, but excluding working solutions, synthetic intermediates, biological samples, chemical extracts, and waste. Alternatives for chemical inventory management are:
    1. UH Safety Solutions Chemicals Application https://hawaii.risksafety.solutions/signin
    2. A hard copy of the chemical inventory kept in the laboratory safety notebook / information binder and/or via an electronic file accessible by all laboratory personnel and updated annually. The inventory should include, at a minimum, the chemical name, the amount, the storage location, and the hazard class (see CHP Appendix 10 for chemical storage guidelines).
  • HMMP Approval For Use of Hazardous Material in Research: If your research project will involve explosive, water reactive, flammable/poison gases, organic peroxides, flammable liquids(>60 gallons) or highly toxic materials, please see Attachment 2 of the HMMP Manual. This information in needed to ensure the materials are stored, used and disposed of in accordance with applicable Federal and State regulations.