Chemical inventories
WorkSafeBC requires employers to maintain an inventory of all hazardous substances at the workplace. The inventory must identify the nature, location and approximate quantities of substances, including all controlled products regulated under WHMIS.
- All labs are encouraged to review their chemical inventory on a regular basis to ensure compatible storage, proper labeling, removal of surplus or expired chemicals and to maintain current records in the event of an emergency.
- At minimum, each lab is required to update their full inventory annually through the online database.
- Each individual lab will be responsible to maintain their current inventory by adding all new chemical purchases or acquisitions to the database and deleting the item when a chemical has been used up.
NEW! Click here to review or update your inventory:
For more information, please contact Troy Hasanen or hasanent@uvic.ca at 250-721-8875.
Frequently asked questions
How do I let others access my inventory?
As the owner of an inventory you have control of who can access your inventory. You must add an individual as a delegate for them to have access to your inventory. The individual must have a Netlink ID to be added.
How do I add a delegate to my inventory
You can add an individual as a delegate by entering their Netlink ID in the Delegates box found when you scroll to the bottom of the page. The addition is completed when you click the Add Delegate button. The example below shows an individual with the Netlink ID ‘student.test100’ being added as a delegate.
How do I remove someone's access to my inventory?
At the bottom of the web page you will see a list of your Delegates. In the example below there are three delegates. Find the Netlink ID of the individual that should no longer have access to your inventory and click the red X in the remove column. Once completed the Netlink ID will no longer appear in your Delegates.
How do I add chemicals?
Clicking the Add Chemical button near the top of the screen will open up the Create/Edit Chemical page.
In the Create/Edit Chemicals the mandatory fields are indicated with *. The Chemical Name field has an autofill feature that will complete much of the chemical identification fields for you. Chemicals that have not been entered previously will require you to fill in the CAS number and select the Hazard Class.
How to I delete chemicals?
Clicking the pencil icon next to the chemical name will take you to the Create/Edit Chemicals page for that chemical. Clicking the Delete button.
How do I edit a current chemical?
Clicking the pencil icon next to the chemical name will take you to the Create/Edit Chemicals page for that chemical. Clicking the Apply Changes button will save the change.
How do I edit a room number?
The room number is attributed to the bottle and cannot be changed globally. Clicking the pencil icon next to the chemical name will take you to the Create/Edit Chemicals page for that chemical. Clicking the Apply Changes button will save the change. The room can be changed by clicking on the “Lab” drop down menu located under the Hazard Class pictures.
Can I print records?
Yes but you will have to download your inventory first. Click Actions - Download and choose a file type that works for you. CSV (comma separated values) can be open in Microsoft Excel or another spread sheet program.
Can I sort my chemicals into a different order?
Yes. Click Actions - Select Columns and move them around. The changes will not be saved unless you again click Actions - Save Report. When you next enter the inventory you will have to select the saved report to see the new ordering.
Will the new chemical inventory database be linked to SDS or other information systems?
No external links are available in the chemical inventory database at this time. The database was designed to meet the basic regulatory requirements.
Who adds new chemicals?
When a newly purchased chemical arrives it is the responsibility of the individual inventory owner to ensure the database is updated.
What do I do when I use up a chemical and replace it with another?
For standard stock chemicals that a lab might use it is important to note the database tracks hazard items and not unique bottles. For these commonly stocked chemicals please ensure the inventory reflects a typical quantity that would be found in the indicated storage location.
Do stars indicate mandatory fields?
As with every database there are mandatory fields to meet the minimum regulatory requirements. The database will not let you proceed until all of the minimum fields have been entered. Please do enter information into the other fields to increase the usability value of the database.
What are the new fields that I can see?
The chemical inventory database holds basic information about hazardous chemicals present in your areas. In the future we will be adding Chemical Type ‘Reportable or special hazard’ which will allow us some extra functionality. Examples of potential functionality in this area are the able to send reminders for peroxidable or pull reports for various regulatory declarations. The Hazard Classes will allow us to inform first responders of quantities for general hazards that are present in a room, floor or building. The Cabinet Types allow you to better store chemicals by indicating whether there is a specific cabinet type the chemical should be in. Comments is a general user defined box for anything you would like to see. The Cabinet Description field is for labs that have internal labelling schemes.
I have a visitor who does not have a Netlink ID that needs access to my inventory.
You can sponsor someone visiting your area to get a Netlink ID through the Affiliate ID system with University Systems. When completing the application you will need to ensure access to the UVic web is included.
Can I search the global inventory for a chemical?
You can search the Global inventory for a chemical. First go to the 'Reports' tab. By typing a chemical name or portion of a name then clicking the ‘Go’ button all instances of chemicals with searched letters will appear. The filter can be cleared by clicking the 
icon. In the following example, Methanol is searched for:
