Policy for gas and chemical handling

Requirements for UiO

Organisation of the work

The University Director is responsible for:

• The work on handling gas and chemicals at UiO is appropriately organised
• UiO has an electronic substance register, which is suitable for registering and following up on gases and chemicals.
• UiO has an exposure register for recording exposure to gases and chemicals.
• Analyses of the substance register are used in the continuous improvement work at UiO.

Requirements for faculties, museums, the university library and LOS

Organisation of the work

The unit's senior manager is responsible for:

• The work on managing the use of gas and chemicals is appropriately organised and in accordance with the regulations.
• The premises are appropriate and correctly marked.
• Procedures have been drawn up at the unit for gas and chemical handling, from acquisition to disposal, and that these are maintained.
• A risk assessment has been carried out in collaboration with the users for the use of substances that may pose a risk to health or the environment and that substitution assessments have been conducted.
• A risk assessment has been carried out, with a focus on security, for substances that can be used to make bombs, toxic substances and explosives, and that the necessary security measures set down in legislation or identified in the risk assessment have been implemented.
• There is a local plan for handling alarms, evacuations and efforts in the event of unwanted incidents involving gas or chemicals.
• The information on all gases and chemicals is registered and updated in the substance register (EcoOnline). This does not include medicinal products used as medicinal products described in the joint catalogue and joint catalogue for veterinarians, as well as cosmetic products.
• The local substance register is updated.
• A sufficient number of chemical contacts have been appointed to assist the manager in the practical implementation of chemical management and to be a contact person for the Unit for HSE and emergency preparedness.
• A room manager with a job description is designated for premises where gas and chemicals are stored and used.
• Those who handle gas or chemicals are subject to as little exposure as is practically possible.
• Transport, both internal and external, of gas and chemicals takes place in a responsible manner and in accordance with the regulations.
• That declarable waste is correctly declared.

For units that have gas systems, the senior manager is responsible for:

• Providing an overview of all gas systems in use in the unit and who owns the systems, and ensuring that there are technical drawings that are kept at EA.
• All gas installations are reported to the owner of the building.
• There is a plan for control and maintenance of the gas installations.

Training

• The unit's senior manager is responsible for ensuring:
• Training is carried out according to the HSE training policy.
• Regular exercises in handling unwanted incidents with gas and chemicals.

Reporting

The unit's senior manager is responsible for:

• Ensuring that exposure of employees or students to chemical substances with such a degree of danger that the regulations require them to be registered separately, is reported to the Unit for HSE and preparedness for registration in the exposure register.
• An overview of completed risk assessments is sent by the manager to the LWEC and the board/management of the unit.
• Storage of gas or chemicals in quantities exceeding the limits in the legislation is registered with the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB).

Deliveries from the units in LOS

Unit for HSE and Emergency Preparedness

Must ensure that:

• UiO has an electronic substance register that is available to all UiO units that use chemicals.
• UiO has an exposure register
• There is an established methodology for risk assessment of chemical use.
• Training is available in the substance register for chemical contacts.
• It is a network for the exchange of experience and skills development for chemical contacts.
• General procedures are drawn up and maintained at UiO for handling chemicals, including an exposure register.

The Estate Department

Must ensure:

• Provision of an appropriate number of waste rooms.
• That UiO has a framework agreement for the delivery of chemical waste.
• Coordination with users in the buildings owned by UiO, so that the safety work overall is adapted to the building's size, complexity, use and risk.
• That a framework agreement has been established for the maintenance of gas facilities that the units can also make use of.
• Storage of technical drawings for drainage, gas, exhaust and ventilation systems.

Department for administrative support/Procurement section

Assist the units in the establishment and follow-up of framework agreements for the purchase of gas and chemicals with requirements for safety data sheets (SDS). SDS must not be older than 3 years and shall be made available electronically.

References

1. Arbeidsmilj?loven
2. Brann- og eksplosjonsvernloven
3. Produktkontroll loven (¡ì3a)
4. Forskrift om systematisk helse-, milj?- og sikkerhetsarbeid i virksomheter (Internkontrollforskriften)
5. Forskrift om organisering, ledelse og medvirkning
6. Forskrift om utf?relse av arbeid
7. Forskrift om utforming og innretning av arbeidsplasser og arbeidslokaler
8. Forskrift om tiltaks- og grenseverdier
9. Forskrift om registrering, vurdering, godkjenning og begrensning av kjemikalier (REACH)
10. Forskrift om h?ndtering av utgangsstoffer for eksplosiver  
11. Forskrift om sivil h?ndtering av eksplosjonsfarlige stoffer
12. Forskrift om h?ndtering av brannfarlig, reaksjonsfarlig og trykksatt stoff samt utstyr og anlegg som benyttes ved h?ndteringen
13. Forskrift om brannforebygging    
14. Forskrift om helse og sikkerhet i eksplosjonsfarlige atmosf?rer
15. Forskrift om landtransport av farlig gods (ADR/RID)

Document info and change log

Responsible unit: Unit for HSE and Emergency Preparedness