Many small and medium-sized businesses use hazardous substances every day without thinking of themselves as chemical businesses. An Auckland workshop may hold petrol, diesel, aerosols and degreasers. A construction company may use adhesives, sealants and gas cylinders. A food business may store cleaning and sanitising chemicals.
The important point is simple: if a product can harm people, cause a fire, react dangerously or damage the environment, it may need to be managed under New Zealand's hazardous-substance requirements.
What does hazardous substance compliance mean?
Hazardous substance compliance means identifying the substances in your workplace and managing them safely. The exact controls depend on each substance's classification, the maximum amount held and how it is used and stored.
For most Auckland SMEs, the starting point is not a large manual. It is a walk around the workplace followed by a clear list of what needs attention.
1. Create a hazardous substance inventory
A hazardous substance inventory is a current list of the hazardous substances and hazardous waste at each workplace you manage or control. It should record the product or substance name, UN number where available, maximum quantity likely to be held, location, storage or segregation needs, and current safety data sheet information.
Check workshops, vehicles, storage cupboards, yards, tanks, plant rooms and waste areas. Record realistic maximum quantities, not only what happens to be there on inspection day.
2. Keep current safety data sheets
A safety data sheet, commonly called an SDS, explains a product's hazards, safe handling, storage, required protective equipment, first aid and emergency response information. Your SDS must match the actual product and be readily accessible to the workers who use it.
Do not rely on an old folder that nobody checks. Review your SDS register when products change and ask the supplier for the current New Zealand SDS when information is missing or out of date.
3. Check chemical storage
Good chemical storage protects workers, customers, neighbours and the environment. Check that containers are suitable, closed, clearly labelled and protected from damage. Review ventilation, ignition sources, security, separation of incompatible substances and whether spills could reach stormwater drains.
Do not assume every chemical can share the same shelf or cabinet. Use the product SDS and competent advice when deciding how acids, alkalis, oxidisers, flammable liquids, gases and other substances should be separated.
4. Train and inform your workers
Workers need information, training and instruction that suits the substances and work they carry out. They should know the main hazards, how to use and store products safely, what personal protective equipment is required, and what to do after a spill, fire or exposure.
Keep simple training records. Practical workplace instruction is usually more useful than handing someone an SDS and asking them to read it alone.
5. Prepare for spills and emergencies
Your business should be ready for a reasonably foreseeable chemical emergency. Workers need to know how to raise the alarm, call emergency services, access first aid information and use spill equipment safely.
Depending on the types and quantities of hazardous substances held, your workplace may require signs, fire extinguishers, secondary containment or a written emergency response plan. WorkSafe's free Hazardous Substances Calculator can help identify these requirements.
6. Check whether certification is required
Some quantities of explosive, flammable, oxidising, toxic or corrosive substances may trigger formal requirements such as a location compliance certificate. Other equipment or activities may also need certification or an authorised person.
ChemMatrix can help identify likely triggers and prepare your business for the next step. Formal certification must be completed by the appropriately authorised compliance certifier or specialist.
Common compliance problems in Auckland SMEs
- chemicals are held in several places but there is no complete inventory
- SDS records do not match the products on site
- unlabelled spray bottles or secondary containers are in use
- flammable products are stored near ignition sources
- incompatible chemicals are stored together
- spill kits are missing, unsuitable or difficult to reach
- workers have not received practical chemical-safety instruction
- emergency plans have not been tested or updated.
A simple action plan for business owners
- Walk the site: find every chemical, fuel, gas and hazardous waste product.
- Build the inventory: record the products, maximum quantities and locations.
- Collect current SDSs: make sure workers can access them.
- Check the controls: review labels, storage, separation, ventilation, PPE, signage and spill readiness.
- Prioritise the gaps: fix serious fire, exposure and environmental risks first.
- Keep it current: assign one person to update the system when products or quantities change.
How ChemMatrix supports Auckland SMEs
ChemMatrix provides practical hazardous substance compliance support across Auckland. We can complete an on-site review, help build your hazardous substance inventory, organise SDS records, assess chemical storage, review emergency controls and give you a prioritised action plan.
The aim is straightforward: help you understand what is required, deal with the important risks first and create a chemical-management system your business can actually maintain.
Official guidance
Use the WorkSafe Hazardous Substances Calculator to identify key controls based on the substances and maximum quantities at your workplace. WorkSafe also provides guidance on hazardous substance inventories, safety data sheets and emergency planning.