Chemical inventory system (erPortal) and labelling

This page provides more information on chemical inventories, labelling, and SDS management at the University of Waterloo.

Chemical inventory system (erPortal)

Chemical labelling and SDS management (Chemwatch GOLD FFX)

Chemical inventory system

The University of Waterloo has adopted erPortal's hazardous materials management system to create laboratory inventories for individual labs and laboratory groups. The purpose of this initiative is to comply with the Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Act and to reduce the overall risk associated with using, handling, and storing chemical products or agents.

To be clear, any laboratory without a current and up to date laboratory inventory is in contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Getting started

In order to begin using erPortal, you will need two user IDs and associated passwords.

Please email Dhananjai Borwankar and indicate your name and lab location(s). You will receive a response providing you with the following:

One userid and password specific for the faculty member
One userid and password to be shared among your research group

With these login credentials you will be able to begin using the system. Please see the manuals attached below for more specific guidance.

Resources, templates, and instruction manuals

The following templates and manuals will help you navigate and use the erPortal inventory system. Please open the appropriate links below to continue:

erPortal User Manual for UW Users
Inventory Template for Importing a Laboratory Inventory - use this MS Excel based template to create and upload your initial inventory. Once you have completed the template, send it to dsborwan@uwaterloo.ca to get it uploaded into the system.
UW erPortal access link

Responsibilities

Laboratory Supervisors, Directors, or Managers

Use the Excel Inventory Template identified below to upload your initial laboratory inventory
Populating the lab inventory with any item ordered and received that has not been ordered through Chem Stores
Removing items from the inventory as they are consumed

Safety Office

Maintain this page
Provide administrative support of the erPortal system
Create manuals and templates for facilitation of the use of the inventory system

Chem Stores

Enter items directly into a laboratory's inventory that have been ordered for a particular lab

Central Stores

Enter items directly into a laboratory's inventory that have been ordered by Purchase Order (PO)
Future plans are to be able to enter items purchased by systems contracts

Chemical labelling and SDS management for WHMIS 2015

The Safety Office purchased Chemwatch GOLD FFX to help manage SDSs and chemical labelling on campus. Chemwatch users have the ability to:

Directly access a database of over 25 million vendor SDSs (and counting).
Generate chemical labels from data already in the software.
Design an SDS for in-house, chemical mixtures.
Use the built-in risk assessment tool for your chemical risk assessments.

Support documents: