Chemical Procurement

It is a Charles Sturt University requirement when ordering new chemicals, that it is done through the Unimarket system, no credit card purchases are allowed for hazardous chemicals.

Information for Chemical Buyers

Hazardous chemicals

Purchase of hazardous chemicals is subject to completion and approval of appropriate Hazardous chemical risk assessment and identification of appropriate storage conditions. An approved risk assessments and SDS must accompany all requisitions on Unimarket. All chemical purchase orders must be reassigned to an approved chemical buyer.

What is a hazardous chemical? See Hazardous chemicals - Overview | Safe Work Australia

A hazardous chemical is any substance, mixture or article that satisfies the criteria for any one or more hazard classes in the GHS hazardous categories (including a classification referred to in Schedule 6 of the WHS Regulations), unless the only hazard class or classes for which the substance, mixture or article satisfies the criteria are any one or more of the following:

• acute toxicity—oral—category 5
• acute toxicity—dermal—category 5
• acute toxicity—inhalation—category 5
• skin corrosion/irritation—category 3
• aspiration hazard—category 2
• flammable gas—category 2
• acute hazard to the aquatic environment—category 1, 2 or 3
• chronic hazard to the aquatic environment—category 1, 2, 3 or 4
• hazardous to the ozone layer

Scheduled substances

Where the substances are regulated or controlled, evidence of appropriate purchasing authority must be provided prior to sign off. Please see Scheduled Substances Management Procedure and Schedule 8 and 9 Substances Information Sheet

Industrial chemicals

The use of industrial chemicals is regulated in Australia. Please see Australia's industrial chemicals roadmap: Better environmental management of chemicals (dcceew.gov.au)

All chemicals must be purchased from an Australian supplier where possible. This ensures that the chemical has come from a supplier required by Australian legislation to provide a compliant SDS and labelling. Where this is not possible, chemicals purchased from overseas suppliers will be considered, however this incurs significantly greater regulation.

As the importer or manufacturer you are required under the Model Code of Practice (Preparation of safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals: WHS Regulation 330) to prepare an SDS compliant with Australian standards.

- Registration

The introduction of industrial chemicals (import or manufacturing) is regulated by the Australian Industrial Chemical Introduction Scheme (AICIS).

Charles Sturt University is registered with the AICIS.

If purchasing chemicals from overseas suppliers, as the introducer of chemicals you are legally obligated to adhere to the regulations relating to the importation of chemicals. Please consult the AICIS website for detailed information.

- Categorising chemical introductions

You must categorise your chemical introductions and follow procedures relating to importation.

- Record keeping for introductions

Keep records as per the chemical category requirements

To facilitate record keeping you must complete the CSU Industrial chemical introduction register

- Annual declaration

The technical support unit will make an annual declaration (before November 30^th of each year). It is important that all chemical introducers keep the CSU Industrial chemical introduction register up-to-date.