Compliance code: Hazardous substances

What it contains

If your work involves hazardous substances, there are specific duties and obligations you need to comply with under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) 2004 and Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (OHS Regulations) 2017. This compliance code gives you practical guidance on how to comply with those duties and obligations.

This information is particularly relevant if you are an employer or self-employed person who uses hazardous substances, or a manufacturer, importer or supplier of hazardous substances. It is also relevant for employees and health and safety representatives who work with hazardous substances. It uses examples and tools you can apply to your own situation.

It includes information on:

• what hazardous substances are
• what substances are not covered by the OHS Regulations
• what the duties are for manufacturers, importers and suppliers of hazardous substances
• how to determine hazardous substances, prepare safety data sheets (SDS) and label containers
• what the duties are for employers working with hazardous substances
• how to control risks associated with using hazardous substances
• an employer’s duties to monitor exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace

It is recommended that you follow the compliance code. If you comply with a code, you are deemed to comply with the Act or Regulation duty covered by the code. However, codes are not mandatory and duty holders may choose to use some other way to achieve compliance.