Chemical Inventory Management

Maintaining a comprehensive chemical inventory holds paramount importance in meeting Maximum Allowable Quantities (MAQ) requirements. Ensuring accurate documentation of all chemicals within a facility not only fosters regulatory compliance but also serves as a foundational element in mitigating risks associated with hazardous materials.  A thorough chemical inventory not only aids in adhering to legal mandates but also promotes a culture of safety.  To that end Boston University EHS utilizes the BioRAFT ChemTracker module to provide a method for tracking chemical inventory with connection to a central database that provides easily accessible links to hazard data.

What Must Be Tracked in the BioRAFT Inventory?

Hazardous Chemicals 

You must track inventory of any research chemicals that are physical, environmental, or health hazards. This includes all solvents and other flammables, reactive substances, corrosives, irritants, toxics, etc.

If a manufacturer has labeled a chemical container with one or more of these symbols, the chemical must be tracked in your inventory.  For more information about what these pictograms mean, see the chemical’s SDS or view the OSHA hazard communication webpage.  

Examples of the GHS hazard pictograms and the older CHIP hazard pictograms are shown below.

Older chemical containers may not be labeled according to current standards. Some containers that do not have these hazard pictures are still hazardous and must be tracked in your inventory. If you’re not sure, contact your EHS Departmental Safety Advisor (DSA) to ask!

Tracking Gases in ChemTracker Inventory

All hazardous and non-hazardous gases (i.e. inert gases) must be tracked in your inventory.  Hazardous gases include any gas that is flammable, corrosive, toxic, or oxidizing.

Chemicals Exempt from Inventory Requirements

Not all chemicals need to be entered into the ChemTracker chemical inventory system.  Below are examples of chemicals/containers that do no need to be tracked in the inventory system:

  • Chemicals in small quantities that are sold as part of a kit
  • Stock solutions and other mixtures of chemicals that were prepared in your lab and/or transferred to a new container (i.e. wash bottles of solvents)
  • Household products such as Clorox, Windex, baking soda, paint, etc.
  • Products with no chemical hazard, such as:
    • Growth media
    • Agar/Agarose
    • Amino Acids
    • Sodium Chloride
    • Glass beads, sand, etc.
    • Glucose, sucrose, starch, etc.

These are just a few examples. If you’re not sure whether a material is hazardous, check if the container has a hazard warning on the label and SDS for the information. If you are still unsure, please reach out to your EHS Departmental Safety Advisor for assistance.

Please refer to the BioRAFT ChemTracker tutorial to learn more about adding, editing, and reconciling your chemical inventory.