Environmental Health and Safety

Chemical Inventory

Are chemical inventories required for laboratories?

Yes, a chemical inventory should be readily accessible to all laboratory personnel along with a Material Safety Data Sheet for each chemical. Chemical owners must maintain their chemical inventories in the Salute. Please visit EHS Update Salute Chemical Inventory System for more information.

Our inventory keeps changing over the year; what should we do?

The inventory is a yearly average of what is in the lab at any one time. If the quantity of a chemical is continuously fluctuating due to use, estimate on the higher end to ensure it is not underestimated.

Do I need to have an inventory of all my chemicals in my laboratory or other work area using chemicals?

Yes, all laboratories and other work areas are required to maintain a complete inventory of all chemicals including the types, quantities and locations where these chemicals are being stored and used at the college. Chemical Owners must maintain their Chemical Inventories in the PDF icon Salute-Chemical Inventory System.

How often should an inventory be conducted?

Chemical inventories should be conducted on at least a yearly basis. Personnel should be looking at the physical condition of primary and secondary containers. Chemicals should be inspected for signs of decomposition, such as discoloration, turbidity, caking, moisture in dry chemicals, particulates in liquids, and pressure buildup. However, as new chemicals are received, the inventory in Salute should be updated to include them.

How often do I have to update my chemical inventory and Safety Data Sheets?

Updating of chemical inventories and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) is an ongoing task. As new chemicals or updated SDSs for existing chemicals are received, the corresponding chemical inventory must be updated. At the same time, the WCM Safety Data Sheet web-based database must be checked to ensure the SDS is available. More information about SDSs is available at http://sds.weill.cornell.edu.

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