Many hazards in one room — managed as a system
Laboratories bring chemical, biological, gas, radiation and physical hazards together in one space, and the Hazardous Substances Regulations 2017 apply. The PCBU must designate a laboratory manager with the knowledge to handle and dispose of the substances used, keep an inventory with safety data sheets, minimise the quantities held, use fume cupboards and other containment, and hold the right compliance certificates. The AS/NZS 2243 series sets the detailed standard.
A laboratory is a multi-hazard environment. Chemicals can be toxic, corrosive or flammable; biological work brings infection and containment risks; compressed-gas cylinders, cryogenics, ionising radiation, sharps and electrical equipment add more. The job is to manage them as a system rather than one hazard at a time, under the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017, with the AS/NZS 2243 “Safety in laboratories” series as the detailed reference.
| Requirement | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Laboratory manager | The PCBU designates a laboratory manager with the knowledge and skills to handle and dispose of the substances used, and secures the lab when the manager or their replacement is absent. |
| Inventory & SDS | Keep an up-to-date inventory of hazardous substances with safety data sheets, and keep the quantities held to the minimum needed. |
| Containment | Use fume cupboards and other containment for volatile and toxic substances — and don't store chemicals in the fume cupboard. Surfaces should be non-absorbent or disposable. |
| Access & signage | Restrict entry to authorised people, with signage of the required standard, so the lab is operated to prevent substances escaping. |
Depending on the type and quantity of substances you hold, the lab may need one or more compliance certificates — if you are unsure, a compliance certifier can advise. A certified handler is needed for substances that require a controlled substance licence or are acutely toxic. The Hazardous Substances Calculator works out the key controls from your inventory. Build this on your wider hazardous substances and inventory systems.
Where the lab handles micro-organisms, follow the containment levels and biological safety cabinet requirements — see biological hazards. Manage compressed-gas cylinders for storage, securing and ventilation — see gas cylinders & compressed gas — and back up containment with the right respiratory protection where needed.
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The Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 apply to laboratories, alongside the HSWA primary duty of care. The AS/NZS 2243 “Safety in laboratories” series is the detailed standard.
Yes. The PCBU with control of the lab must designate a laboratory manager with the knowledge and skills to handle and dispose of the substances used, and ensure the lab is secured if the manager or their replacement is absent.
A fume cupboard is a key engineering control that draws contaminated air away from the worker and exhausts it, protecting people from airborne contaminants. Volatile and toxic substances should be used in one — but it should not be used to store chemicals.
Often, yes. Depending on the type and quantity of hazardous substances held, a lab may need one or more compliance certificates. A compliance certifier can advise if you are unsure, and the Hazardous Substances Calculator helps identify the key controls.
Biological work follows containment levels and biological safety cabinet requirements, and compressed-gas cylinders are stored, secured and ventilated correctly. Both sit alongside the lab's chemical controls as part of one system.
