Safety Office, Commissary Building
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
Phone 519 888 4567 Ext. 33587
Fax 519 886 8082
Email: safety@uwaterloo.ca
The Chemical Safety Program establishes the requirements workers, supervisors, and other stakeholders must undertake to reduce risk when working with chemicals.
See the Chemical Safety Program for more information.
Training involves in-person and online course work. Training for chemical safety is divided into non-research and research work.
At minimum, training in these cases will involve the following:
Online:
In-person training performed by the supervisor or a competent delegate:
Online:
In-person delivered by supervisors or competent delegate:
Chemicals should be separated by hazard class and stored in separate cabinets. When that is not possible, the following guidelines can be used. Despite the storage class, the basic principles as described in the Storage Guidelines apply.
Storage Class | Definition | Poster and Resources |
---|---|---|
A - Organic Basis |
Contain nitrogen or amino groups. e.g., hydoxylamine, tetramethylethylamine, diamine, thiethylamine |
A - Guidance |
B - Pyrophoric and Water Reactive |
Liquids or solids upon contact with air or water will either spontaneously ignite or react e.g., lithium, potassium metals, sodium borohydride, zinc dust, alkyl lithium solutions |
B - Guidance |
C - Inorganic Bases |
Inorganic bases normally contain a hydroxide group and accept hydrogen ions from other substances. Their general action is the corrosion of metals and destruction of living tissue. e.g., sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide |
C - Guidance |
D - Organic Acids |
Organic acids are acids that contain a carbon-hydrogen backbone. Are often the weaker of acids. e.g., formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid |
D - Guidance |
E - Oxidizers |
Oxidizers are substances that readily release oxygen or another oxidizing substance (chlorine, bromine, or fluorine). e.g., nitrates, nitrites, permanganates, chlorates |
E - Guidance |
F - Inorganic Acids |
An inorganic acid is a compound of hydrogen and one or more other element (with the exception of carbon) that dissociates or breaks down to produce hydrogen ions when dissolved in water or other solvents. Often the “stronger” acids. e.g., hydrochloric acid, chromic acid, phosphoric acid |
F - Guidance |
G - Compatible with Anything |
Materials used with no special hazards. e.g., agars, sodium chloride, amino acids |
G - Guidance |
K - Explosives or Other Highly Unstable |
May detonate or cause extreme reactions upon shock or heating. e.g., trinitrophenol, picric acid dry (<10% water), diazolsobutyinitrile, tetrazole, urea nitrate |
K - Guidance |
L - Non-Reactive Flammable and Combustibles |
Flammable liquids have a flashpoint below 100°F. Combustible liquids have a flashpoint above 100°F. Materials that can catch fire and burn at working temperatures or above work temperatures. e.g., ethanol, methanol, hexane, carbon, charcoal |
L - Guidance |
OA - Oxidizing Acids and Inorganic Peroxides |
Highly reactive and gives off oxygen and other oxidizing substances. They can intensify combustion during a fire. Corrosive. E.g., nitric acid, perchloric acid, sulfuric acid |
OA - Guidance |
X - Organic Peroxides |
Highly flammable and explosive due to the formation of peroxides. Very sensitive to shock, sparks, light, strong oxidizers, reducing agents, frictions, and high temperatures. e.g., benzoyl peroxide, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, tert butyl hydroperoxide, acetyl peroxide |
X - Guidance |
Download all storage resources. |
The following fact sheets and resources are available for various hazardous chemicals used across campus.
Safety Office, Commissary Building
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
Phone 519 888 4567 Ext. 33587
Fax 519 886 8082
Email: safety@uwaterloo.ca
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.