Code of Practice Labelling of workplace hazardous chemicals
SafeWork NSW
This Code of Practice on labelling hazardous chemicals is an approved code of practice under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act (the WHS Act).
An approved code of practice provides practical guidance on how to achieve the standards of work health and safety required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulation (the WHS Regulation) and effective ways to identify and manage risks.
A code of practice can assist anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described in the code of practice. Following an approved code of practice will assist the duty holder to achieve compliance with the health and safety duties in the WHS Act and WHS Regulation, in relation to the subject matter of the code of practice. Like regulations, codes of practice deal with particular issues and may not cover all relevant hazards or risks. The health and safety duties require duty holders to consider all risks associated with work, not only those for which regulations and codes of practice exist.
Codes of practice are admissible in court proceedings under the WHS Act and WHS Regulation. Courts may regard a code of practice as evidence of what is known about a hazard, risk, risk assessment or risk control and may rely on the code in determining what is reasonably practicable in the circumstances to which the code of practice relates. For further information see the Interpretive Guideline: The meaning of ‘reasonably practicable’.
Compliance with the WHS Act and WHS Regulation may be achieved by following another method if it provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety than
the code.
An inspector may refer to an approved code of practice when issuing an improvement or prohibition notice.
This Code is intended to be read by a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU). It provides practical guidance to PCBUs on how to label hazardous chemicals that are being manufactured or imported for use, handling or storage in Australia.
This Code may be a useful reference for other persons interested in the duties under the WHS Act and WHS Regulation.
This Code applies to a person conducting a business or undertaking involved in the manufacture or import of hazardous chemicals that will be used, or could reasonably be expected to be used, in workplaces covered by the WHS Act.
Contents:
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: Labelling Hazardous Chemicals - General Information
Section 3: Special Labelling Situations
Section 4: Labelling Design And Layout
Section 5: Other Labelling Duties
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Checklist For Preparing A Label
Appendix C: Guide For Selecting Generic Names
Appendix D: Application Of Label Elements
Appendix E: Precedence Rules For Label Elements
Appendix F: Hazard Pictograms
Appendix G: Comparison Of Hazard Pictograms With ADG Class Labels
Appendix H: Example Labels
Amendments
