HEALTH & SAFETY
EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED POISONS CONTROL PLAN – PART TWO
This example of a completed Poisons control plan – Part two is published as an attachment to the
University of Melbourne’s Chemical Management Guidelines (Section 7.4.3. Develop and Maintain a
Poisons Control Plan).
The original Poisons Control Plan (blank) document is published by the Department of Health and
Human Services and available via http://www.health.vic.gov.au/dpcs/industrial.htm
I If you are converting this example document into an actual Poisons control plan, please ensure it is
the most current version on the Department of Health and Human Services website:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/dpcs/industrial.htm
You will also need to remove this first page.
safety.unimelb.edu.au
HEALTH & SAFETY: EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED POISONS CONTROL PLAN – PART TWO 1
Date: November 2015 Version: 1.0 Authorised by: Associated Director, Health & Safety Next Review: November 2018
© The University of Melbourne – Uncontrolled when printed.
Poisons Control Plan
For a Permit – Part Two
Poisons Control Plan (PCP) for a Permit to Purchase or Obtain and Use
Poisons or Controlled Substances for Industrial, Educational, Advisory or
Research Purposes – Part Two
Note: Part Two is only applicable to permits with Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons.
Note: This section is for the Department of Health, Drugs and Poisons Regulation use ONLY
Permit Number of the permit to which this Poisons Control Plan relates:
7. Storage and Access
Notes:

The Regulations require a lockable facility for the storage of Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons that
must provide not less security than a storage facility (e.g. Drug Cabinet) that is—
• constructed of mild steel plate of 10 millimetres thickness; and
• constructed with continuous welding of all edges; and
• fitted with a door constructed of mild steel plate of 10 millimetres thickness, swung on hinges welded to
the door and body of the cabinet, the door being flush fitting with a clearance around the door of not more
than 15 millimetres; and
• fitted with a fixed locking bar, welded to the inside face of the door near the hinge edge, which engages in
a rebate when the door is closed; and
• fitted with a 6 lever lock securely affixed to the rear face of the door; and
• securely attached to a wall or floor in such a manner that it will resist attack by hand tools for 30 minutes
or power tools for 5 minutes.
Expert advice received by the department indicates that the requirement for the cabinet to be ‘securely
attached’ is satisfied by -
• HARD CORE WALL: The cabinet to be secured by use of four (4) Loxin or Dyna Bolts (each 10mm by
50mm minimum).
• STUD and PLASTER WALL or HOLLOW BLOCK WALL: The cabinet to be secured by use of four (4)
10mm coach bolts through the wall and through 3mm mild steel backing plate. This backing must, at
minimum, be the same size as the back of the drug cabinet.

The lockable storage facility must not be used for the storage of anything else other than for the storage of
Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons, and drugs of dependence.

In Victoria, the term ‘drugs of dependence’ refers to those substances in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 that are
also listed in Schedule 11 of The Act (e.g. pseudoephedrine, benzodiazepines, anabolic steroids) in addition
to many Schedule 8 and Schedule 9 poisons. The Act may be accessed at
http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/
7.01 Indicate how Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons are to be stored:
A Drug of Addiction Cabinet secured to a wall or floor by bolts on the inside of the cabinet.
Special Considerations for Diluted Schedule 8 Items:
-
Any Schedule 8 Poison which has been made into a cocktail with other materials and diluted below its initial
concentration may be stored as a Schedule 4 for the time that it is in use over working period.
The storage facility must remain locked and secured to prevent access by any unauthorised person at all times,
except when it is necessary to open it to carry out essential operations.
7.02 Indicate how unauthorised or unsupervised access to Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons is to
be prevented:
The cabinet will be located in a lockable facility.
The keyholder will be the permit holder or nominee.
The keyholder will hold the key on their person at all times within the facility.
8. Records of Transactions
Notes:

The definition of a "transaction" includes the preparation, use, transfer within and between premises,
administration, disposal or destruction of a substance.
Details of all transactions, relating to substances in Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 must be kept for a
minimum of 3 years and produced on demand to an Authorised Officer of the Department of Health, Drugs
and Poisons Regulation.

The Regulations specify the details required to be contained in records of transactions involving Schedule 8
and/or Schedule 9 poisons. Records of transactions involving Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons must
not be able to be altered, obliterated, deleted or removed without detection and must show the true and
accurate balance remaining after each transaction.
8.01 Indicate the manner in which records of transactions in Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons are
to be maintained to achieve the necessary requirements:
Records will be kept in a Drug of Addiction Register – a bound book with consecutively numbered pages - with
the following conditions:
Each transaction record will contain the following information:
-
name of person receiving the scheduled poison
signature of person
signature of supervisor
amount taken
date used
amount remaining
Page 3
9. Disposal/Destruction of Schedule 8 and/or
Schedule 9 Poisons
The Regulations specify that the destruction of a Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poison may only be carried out
by specified categories of person in the presence of a witness with the same or similar qualifications. Medical
practitioners, nurse practitioners (Schedule 8 only, not Schedule 9), pharmacists, veterinary practitioners or
dentists may carry out the destruction in the presence of another person who is a medical practitioner,
pharmacist, veterinary practitioner, dentist, nurse or midwife. Records of the details and method of the
destruction of Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons are also specifically mandated.
Notes:

Some agencies are licensed or permitted to possess scheduled poisons for the purposes of destruction of
those poisons (e.g. industrial incineration). Such licences or permits do NOT include Schedule 8 and/or
Schedule 9 poisons. Consequently, destruction of Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons at such premises
must be in the presence of authorised persons, in combination, as detailed above.

Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons, if not incinerated, must be destroyed by being rendered
unidentifiable and unrecoverable. This may be achieved in a number of ways; liquids might be adsorbed
onto shredded cardboard (e.g. kitty litter) whilst solids might be rendered so by, for example, crushing and
diluting with liquid and then adsorbed onto cardboard. The resultant ‘slurry’ might then be burnt or disposed
of in another appropriate method, ensuring that the poisons are not identifiable or recoverable.
9.01 Indicate how Schedule 8 and/or Schedule 9 poisons are to be disposed of or destroyed:
Unwanted Schedule 8 or 9 poisons are held in the Drug of Addiction Cabinet until they can be directly destroyed
in the presence of two medical practitioners, two dentists or two pharmacists or a combination of the above.
Records of transactions for the disposal of Schedule 8 or 9 Poisons to the waste contractor will be held by the
Permit Holder.
Note: Parts Two and Three of the PCP are applicable only to permits that relate to those specific activities of
the permit holder (or applicant) and may otherwise be discarded.
Authorised by the Victorian Government, Melbourne. To receive this publication in an accessible format phone
1300 364 545 Drugs and Poisons Regulation.
Page 4