What are dangerous goods?

Dangerous goods are classified on the basis of immediate physical or chemical effects on property, the environment or people, such as fire, explosion, corrosion and poisoning. These are often conflated with hazardous substances - which are classified only on the basis of health effects. They may be solids, liquids or gases. In the workplace, they are often in the form of fumes, dusts, mists and vapours.

Some substances are both hazardous substances and dangerous goods.  In Victoria, dangerous goods and hazardous substances are managed by different laws. Hazardous substances are covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act) and related regulations. Dangerous Goods are covered by the Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (DG Act) and related regulations. Some substances are considered both dangerous goods and hazardous substances. In these cases you will need to comply with both sets of legislation.


What are dangerous goods?

Dangerous goods are substances that are corrosive, flammable, combustible, explosive, oxidising or water-reactive or have other hazardous properties. Dangerous goods can cause explosions or fires, serious injury, death and large-scale damage. The Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (DG Act) defines which substances are dangerous goods.

Examples of common dangerous goods:

  • Flammable liquids (petrol, kerosene, turpentine, flammable paints etc.)
  • Corrosives (hydrochloric acid)
  • Flammable gases (LP Gas)
  • Non-flammable non-toxic gases (CO2)
  • Asbestos
  • Explosives


Dangerous goods, hazardous substances – what’s the difference?

Dangerous goods and hazardous substances are covered by different laws. Some substances are both hazardous substances and dangerous goods. Both sets of laws apply. For some duties, complying with one set of regulations will be enough to ensure compliance with the other.

The Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling) Regulations 2012 set out the legal duties for manufacturers and suppliers, and for occupiers of workplaces where dangerous goods are stored or handled. The Code of practice for storage and handling of dangerous goods provides practical information on how to comply.


Are there dangerous goods in your workplace?

As an occupier, your first step is to identify all dangerous goods stored and handled at your premises. That includes any dangerous goods generated during a manufacturing process.

Manufacturers and suppliers must supply you with a safety data sheet (SDS) with dangerous goods. There must also be package markings and class or hazard class information. These will help you identify what’s in a product, precautions for use, and safe storage and handling requirements.

 

Storing certain quantities of dangerous goods

You must notify WorkSafe if your workplace stores or handles quantities of dangerous goods in excess of the relevant quantities specified in the table in Schedule 2 of the Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling) Regulations 2012.  Industrial sites that store, handle or process large quantities of hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods may be deemed to be major hazard facilities in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017.

 

SDSs and what they mean

  • The product (its name, ingredients and properties) who manufactured or imported it how the product can affect your health how to use and store it safely.
  • Who manufactured or imported it
  • How the product can affect your health
  • How to use and store it safely

 

Employers’ responsibilities

Employers using or storing dangerous goods or hazardous substances on their premises must ensure that:

  • They obtain an up-to-date SDS for each of these products
  • Their employees, contractors and emergency services personnel have access to the SDS

 

Manufacturers’ and suppliers’ responsibilities

Manufacturers and importers of dangerous goods and hazardous substances must:

  • Prepare an SDS for each of their products
  • Give the current SDS to employers or occupiers of premises where the product is used or stored
  • Review and revise each SDS as often as necessary (at least every 5 years) to make sure that the information is accurate and up to date

Downstream suppliers of dangerous goods and hazardous substances must also give SDSs to buyers, which they can get from the manufacturer or importer. This does not apply to suppliers who are retailers (for example, hardware stores). You can (and should) request SDSs for products you are uncertain of how to manage or are otherwise concerned about.

 

Requirements of a compliant SDS

An SDS must be written in English, be legible and include:

  • Product identifier and chemical identity
  • Manufacturer or importer details
  • Emergency telephone number
  • Date of preparation or last review
  • Hazard identification
  • Hazard statement(s) and precautionary statement(s)
  • Composition of the substance and information on hazardous ingredients
  • First aid measures
  • Firefighting measures and accidental release measures
  • Exposure control, including exposure standards, engineering controls and personal protection information
  • Information relating to handling and storage, including how the substance may be safely used
  • Disposal considerations
  • Information relating to the physical and chemical properties of the substance
  • Stability and reactivity information
  • Toxicological information, including health effects.

If an SDS is developed to meet another Australian jurisdiction’s hazardous substances legislation (eg NSW) then it will also comply with the Victorian OHS Regulations.

 

For more details, view Uniform Safety Sign's blog posts on Dangerous Goods and the storage thereof