STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM010
Page 1 of 6
Version: 1.0
Date:
16/07/2010
Revise by: 16/07/2013
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
LABORATORY CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
1.
Introduction
This SOP discusses the procedure and safety guidelines for laboratory chemical
management in the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory.
2.
Scope
This SOP sets out the procedures for use of the Laboratory Chemical Inventory,
Inventory Update Form, Chemical Borrowing Form, Researcher Cupboard Inventory, and
the Materials and Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) folders.
3.
Safety
When filling in the Inventory Update Form, Chemical Borrowing Form or Researcher
Cupboard Inventory, or when consulting the Laboratory Chemical Inventory or the
MSDS folders, care should be taken to ensure that chemical residues do not become
transferred to these documents.
4.
Licences and Permits
It is expected that any and all relevant licences and permits for chemicals listed in the
Laboratory Chemical Inventory, Inventory Update Form, Chemical Borrowing Form,
Researcher Cupboard Inventory, and the Materials and Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
folders must have been obtained by the end-user, are current, available for view, and
were obtained/granted before the chemical was brought into the Advanced Porous
Materials Laboratory.
Permits and Licences may include AQIS import permits, AQIS Quarantine Approved
Premises Certification, OGTR licence for work and certification for facility, Poisons
Licence and Poisons Control Plan, Dangerous Goods notification, etc.
Chemicals requiring such licences and permits may include scheduled carcinogens and
hazardous substances, biological chemicals, drugs of addiction (including drug precursor
compounds), etc. In the first instance, the School of Chemistry Safety Manual and School
of Chemistry Safety Officer must be consulted.
5.
Training and Competency
All new personnel of the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory should be shown where
the Laboratory Chemical Inventory, Inventory Update Form, Chemical Borrowing Form,
copies of the Researcher Cupboard Inventory forms, and the MSDS folders are kept soon
after commencing work, and be introduced to the inventory manager. It should be
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM010
Page 2 of 6
Version: 1.0
Date:
16/07/2010
Revise by: 16/07/2013
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
explained to new members that they must obtain an MSDS for any new chemical which
they bring or cause to bring into the laboratory (either through purchase or borrowing
from another laboratory). It should also be explained that it is the member’s own
responsibility to complete the Inventory Update Form and the Chemical Borrowing Form
as appropriate, and ensure that their Researcher Cupboard Inventory is up-to-date.
Training for these documents can be handled by any experienced member of the
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory.
Assessment of competency: N/A.
Persons found to be flouting this SOP may be excluded from the laboratory.
6.
Risk Assessments
N/A
7.
Equipment and Maintenance / Handling and Storage / Labelling
The Laboratory Chemical Inventory, Inventory Update Form, Chemical Borrowing Form,
and MSDS folders are kept in appropriately labelled folders on the shelves in front room
405.
8.
Operating Procedures
Laboratory Chemical Inventory:
Name
 Chemicals are listed in alphabetical order.
Class
 The inventory also states the dangerous goods class and subrisk (if applicable) of the
chemical.
Location
 This is the place where the chemical is kept within the Advanced Materials
Laboratory; some chemicals are kept in multiple locations or other laboratories.
Grade, Amount, and Notes
 The inventory includes, where known, the grade, amount, and notes about the
chemical (including but not limited to chemical formula, handling, ownership, risk,
use, or volume of material available).
Permanent move of a chemical
 Within the laboratory
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM010
Page 3 of 6
Version: 1.0
Date:
16/07/2010
Revise by: 16/07/2013
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne


If a chemical is being moved permanently from one location to another (a
temporary move is ‘borrowing’: the Chemical Borrowing Form should be
completed), it is sufficient to cross out the old location and write in the new
location.
Out of the laboratory
 If a chemical has been permanently removed from the laboratory and is not being
replaced, the appropriate entry in the inventory should be crossed out.
Disposed/Used-up chemical
 If a chemical has been disposed of or used-up and is not being replaced, the
appropriate entry in the inventory should be crossed out.
Inventory Update Form:
Whenever a chemical is brought into the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, the
Inventory Update Form must be filled in. This is for both replacement/extra amounts of
an existing chemical in the laboratory, including different amounts, as well as for new
chemicals (i.e. never existed in the laboratory before).
Chemical name
 Write the name which you wish entered into the laboratory inventory.
 MSDS should be filed alphabetically to match this name.
 Abbreviations should be given in square brackets.
Amount
 This should be known.
Class
 The dangerous goods class, and subrisk (if applicable) must be given.
 Consult the transport section of the MSDS for this information. Symbols on the
container may be risk rather than dangerous goods class symbols.
Supplier
 This should be known.
Grade
 For organics, reagents and solvents.
 Include this if known. For example, > 99%, AR (analytical reagent), Tech.
(technical grade).
Formula
 For surfactants only.
 Give the chemical formula if known.
Location
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM010
Page 4 of 6
Version: 1.0
Date:
16/07/2010
Revise by: 16/07/2013
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne

Every chemical in the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory has a unique location.
If not in a researcher cupboard, this will be on the shared chemical shelves or in the
shared cupboards, or other specific location. For chemicals going to the shared
shelves/cupboards, the location will match the dangerous goods class. Some classes
have multiple locations.

Possible locations include:
 Corrosives (acid)
 Corrosives (base)
 Corrosives (other)
 Corrosives (solid)
 Flammable liquids – use the yellow
cabinet for 2.5 L bottles (2.5 L);
wooden cupboards for 500 mL
bottles or less.
 Flammable solids
 Floor (southwest) – for 20 L
ethanol drums, and spill control
chemicals








Freezer
Fridge
Gas rack – usually in other
laboratories
Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods
Oxidizing agents
Toxic (liquids)
Toxic (solids)
Researcher cupboard (give
researchers name
Brought in by
 This is the name of user of the chemical. For chemicals ordered by a specific
researcher, their name must go here. This individual is also expected to supply an
MSDS for the chemical. If it is general lab chemical (e.g. ethanol), then the name of
the person who collected the order should be entered.
Date
 The date on which the chemical was brought into the laboratory.
Chemical Borrowing Form:
The Chemical Borrowing Form must be filled in if a chemical is being temporarily
shifted from its location on either the shared shelves/cupboards or from a researcher
cupboard. Borrowing covers both moving a chemical within the Advanced Porous
Materials Laboratory (including relocation into a researcher cupboards), or moving the
chemical to another laboratory. There is no need to fill in the Chemical Borrowing Form,
if the chemical is to be returned within a short time (for example, < 1 h).
When completing the form, please be precise about where the chemical is being moved
to. For example, Davies Lab or Chem. Eng. is not sufficient. Better is Davies Lab
(Chemistry East wing, lab. 313), photocatalysis fume cupboard; Chemical Engineering 1,
lab X, specific location within this lab.
It is requested that the borrower of the chemical indicate if the chemical was used up.
Researcher Cupboard Inventory:
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM010
Page 5 of 6
Version: 1.0
Date:
16/07/2010
Revise by: 16/07/2013
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
All personnel of the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory must have a Researcher
Cupboard Inventory form displayed on their cupboard. It is the researcher’s own
responsibility to ensure that the cupboard inventory is kept up-to-date.
Chemical (name), Amount, and Class
 Please see the appropriate headings under Update Inventory Form in this section for
more information.
Original supplier/location
 If the chemical was borrowed from within the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory
or another laboratory, specify the original location. If the chemical was purchased, list
the supplier.
Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS):
Every chemical currently in, or brought into the Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory
must have a printed MSDS available in the laboratory.
 MSDS should be printed out.
 To save paper, double-sided printing, with two pages to the page, is encouraged.
 MSDS consisting of multiple sheets should be stapled.
 It is helpful to highlight or circle the chemical name for easy viewing on the page.
 The MSDS should be put in a plastic pocket.
 File the MSDS alphabetically in the appropriate MSDS folder.
 The place in the folder should match with the alphabetically ordered chemical
name in the Laboratory Chemical Inventory.
 MSDS must be checked annually to ensure that they are within five years of
publication.
 Any MSDS out of date must be reprinted.
9.
Controls and Calibrations
N/A
10.
Waste Disposal
Old or out-of-date copies of the Laboratory Chemical Inventory, Inventory Update Form,
Chemical Borrowing Form, and MSDS should preferably be (i) crossed-through, and (ii)
clearly labelled VOID. These documents may also be torn into pieces or otherwise
defaced so as to leave no doubt that they are not current.
11.
Relevant Documents / References
School of Chemistry Safety Manual:
http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/safman.pdf
ChemWatch (for MSDS):
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
SP # APM010
Page 6 of 6
Version: 1.0
Date:
16/07/2010
Revise by: 16/07/2013
Replaces: N/A
Written by:
William A. McMaster
Authorised by: Rachel A. Caruso
Advanced Porous Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
http://www.pb.unimelb.edu.au/ehs/workplace_ehs/chemwatch/
Common websites for MSDS:
http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/MSDS.php
12.
Signage / Summaries / Templates
N/A
13.
Appended Material
Chemical Storage and Handling – Quick Reference guide.
http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/Chemical_Storage_Handling_Quick_Reference.pdf