University of Brighton
Health and Safety Department
SIB
Safety Information Bulletin
Subject: Chemical weapon precursor Number: G.01.2015
register
Priority: High
Date: 29th January 2015
Circulation to: Heads of School and cc: Safety List
School Technical Managers
Guidance Note:
Chemical weapon precursors
This Safety Information Bulletin contains details of what Schools need to do in order
to register chemical weapons precursors and comply with the Chemical Weapons
Act 1996.
Certain toxic chemicals and their precursors are subject to legal requirements under
the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). There are three classifications of
chemicals:
Schedule 1:
Chemicals with little to no use outside the production of
chemical weapons
Schedule 2:
Chemicals that can be used in the production of chemical
weapons with small-scale industrial uses
Schedule 3:
Chemicals that can be used in the production of chemical
weapons with large-scale industrial uses
Schools that produce, process, consume, import or export any of these chemicals
must complete an annual return to the CWC and notify the Health and Safety
Department of their use within the institution.
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Requirements under schedule 1
Use of Schedule 1 chemicals is restricted to pharmaceutical, research, medical and
protective purposes related to the protection again toxic chemicals. The CWC places
a limit on the aggregated annual amount of Schedule 1 chemicals that each CWC
State Party may produce:
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production for research, medical, pharmaceutical or protective purposes must be
carried out at a single small scale facility (SSSF) that is approved by the State
Party.
production in aggregate quantities not exceeding 10kg per year may be carried
out for protective purposes at one facility outside of the SSSF that is approved by
the State Party.
production in quantities of more than 100g per year for research, medical or
pharmaceutical purposes may be carried out at facilities outside of a SSSF that
are approved by a State Party. The aggregate quantity of production must not
exceed 10kg per facility.
synthesis of Schedule 1 chemicals for research, medical or pharmaceutical
purposes, but not for protective purposes, may be carried out at laboratories in
aggregate quantities of less than 100g per facility.
the total national aggregate amount of Schedule 1 chemicals that are produced at
any given time must be equal to or less than one tonne.
Schedule 1 chemicals may only be transferred to other CWC States Parties, and
only for research, medical, pharmaceutical, or protective purposes. Any chemicals
transferred cannot then be transferred to a third State Party.
If you produce, use, import or export Schedule 1 Chemicals you must be covered by
a licence. With the exception of Export licences, all are granted by the CWC UK
National Authority.
Annual Declarations
Users of chemical weapon precursors are legally required to submit a declaration to
the UK National Authority if they:
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produce, process, consume, import or export any quantity of CWC Schedule 2
chemicals
produce, import or export any quantity of CWC Schedule 3 chemicals
produce above 200 tonnes of Discrete Organic Chemicals (DOC), or above 30
tonnes of any DOC containing the elements Phosphorus, Sulphur or Flourine
(DOC/PSF)
Learning, living and working in a safe environment
Action
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School Technical Managers to circulate this SIB to relevant staff.
School Technical Managers to check chemical inventories to identify chemical
weapon precursors.
If chemical weapons precursors are being used and or stored then they need
to be identified and a registration form completed and sent into the Health and
Safety Department.
A nil return is required from Schools declaring that they possess no chemical
weapons precursors.
Schools to complete the required annual return to CWC UK (the UK National
Authority) declaring the use of chemical weapon precursors.
For more information visit:
https://www.gov.uk/chemical-weapons-convention-guidance
http://www.opcw.org/
http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/safety
Health and Safety Department
Exion 27,
Hollingbury,
Brighton,
BN1 8AF
Email: healthandsafety@brighton.ac.uk
Telephone: 01273 643144
Learning, living and working in a safe environment