Dangerous goods calculator

Who should use this calculator

This calculator should be used by occupiers of premises where dangerous goods are stored or handled.

An occupier includes a person who

• is the owner of the premises
• exercises control at the premises under a mortgage, lease or franchise, or
• is normally or occasionally in charge of the premises or exercises control or supervision at the premises as a manager or employee or in any other capacity.

Premises include

• a building or part of a building
• a tent, stall or other structure, whether permanent or temporary
• land, whether or not appurtenant to a building, and
• any other place, such as a vehicle, ship or boat.

What are dangerous goods

Dangerous goods are substances that are:

• corrosive
• flammable
• combustible
• explosive
• oxidising or water-reactive, or
• have other hazardous properties.

Dangerous goods can cause explosions or fires, serious injury, death and large-scale damage. More information about commonly used dangerous goods is available on the WorkSafe website.

Legal duties of occupiers

If you are an occupier, you have a number of legal duties related to the storage and handling of dangerous goods at your premises. These duties help ensure that the risks of storing and handling dangerous goods are controlled.

General duties of occupiers

You must ensure any risk associated with the storage and handling of dangerous goods at your premises is either:

• eliminated, or
• if not practicable to eliminate the risk, reduced so far as is reasonably practicable.

You must do this by considering:

• substituting other goods, or other dangerous goods that have a lower risk associated with their storage or handling, and
• reducing the quantity of dangerous goods stored or handled at the premises.

You have a duty to ensure any risk to people involved in the storage and handling of dangerous goods is either:

• eliminated, or
• reduced.

To comply with this duty you can either:

• eliminate the risk associated with use of the dangerous goods, or
• reduce the risk associated with use of the dangerous goods by:
  • substituting the dangerous goods for less dangerous goods
  • reducing the quantity of dangerous goods stored or handled
  • isolating the dangerous goods from persons or other dangerous goods
  • using engineering controls
  • using administrative controls, or
  • using personal protective equipment (PPE).

You can only rely solely on administrative controls or PPE to reduce risk if it is not reasonably practicable to either eliminate risk or reduce risk using substitution, reduction, isolation or engineering controls.

You must review, and if necessary revise, risk controls:

• before you make any changes to processes or systems or work that are likely to change the risk associated with storing and handling dangerous goods, and
• if the risk control measures are not adequately controlling the risk.

Occupiers must also maintain a Dangerous Goods Register and copies of any applicable SDS.

Specific Schedule 2 duties of occupiers

Schedule 2 of the Regulations sets out placarding, manifest and fire protection quantities. If the quantity of dangerous goods stored at your premises exceeds these quantities, additional duties apply. These duties ensure that in the event of a dangerous goods incident (fire, spill or explosion), emergency responders have all the information they require about the type, quantity and location of dangerous goods on the premises.

Placard quantity duties

Occupiers must have placarding displayed at the premises.

Warning placards provide a visual warning of dangerous goods hazards at the premises.

Occupiers must ensure that the correct placards are in place for any:

• container or other storage of dangerous goods in bulk, and
• storage of packaged dangerous goods that exceeds the quantities in Schedule 2 to the Regulations.

Manifest quantity duties

Occupiers must:

• Have an emergency plan, that has been developed with regard to written advice provided by the emergency services authority (Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV)).
• Complete a WorkSafe dangerous goods storage and handling notification every two years or when other notifiable events arise. More information about dangerous goods storage and handling notifications is available on the WorkSafe website.
• Keep and maintain a manifest.

Fire Protection quantity duties

Occupiers must:

• Ensure there is adequate fire protection for the types and quantities of dangerous goods on the premises.
• Obtain and have regard to written advice from emergency services authority (FRV) with regards to the fire protection.

The Code of practice for the storage and handling of dangerous goods provides more information about the legal duties of occupiers.

Industrial sites that store, handle or process large quantities of hazardous substances and dangerous goods may be deemed to be major hazard facilities in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017.