Hazardous chemical register and SDS index

If hazardous chemicals are used, handled or stored at your workplace, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and its regulations require a PCBU to keep a register of them with the current safety data sheet for each, readily accessible to workers. This template is that register plus the SDS index.

Who it's for: WHS managers, laboratory and workshop supervisors, facilities managers, and anyone who has to answer the question of what is stored where.

Free to use and adapt · Last updated 2026-08-02 · No email required

Register details

Site or area covered One register per site. Large sites can run one per building or department

Last full review date

Next review due Review at least annually, and whenever a new chemical arrives

Where the register and SDS are kept Workers must be able to reach them without asking permission

Chemical register

One row per product, using the name exactly as it appears on the label. An SDS is generally expected to be no more than five years old, but confirm the current requirement for your jurisdiction with Safe Work Australia and your state WHS regulator.

Product name (as labelled)	Manufacturer or supplier	Hazard classification	SDS date	Typical quantity held	Storage location	Primary use

Controls by chemical

For anything classified as hazardous, record the controls actually in place. This is the column Safe Work Australia and your state WHS regulator reads first.

Product name	Engineering controls	PPE required	Storage requirements	Incompatible with	Spill response reference

Storage and segregation check

Every container is labelled, and the label is legible and matches the register entry
Decanted chemicals are labelled with product name and hazard information, not just a marker pen
Incompatible classes are segregated per the supplier's SDS advice
Quantities held are the minimum needed, not the maximum the shelf holds
Storage areas are ventilated, secured and free of ignition sources where required
Spill kits are present, stocked and suited to the chemicals in that area
Eyewash and shower facilities are accessible, tested and unobstructed where required
Empty containers are disposed of, not reused for other products
Placarding and manifest requirements have been checked for the quantities held

Removed from site

Keep discontinued chemicals here rather than deleting the row. If someone was exposed years ago, you need to be able to say what was on site at the time.

Product name	Date removed	Reason	Disposal method	Signed off by

How to use it

Getting the most out of this template

Walk the site to build the first register. Do not build it from purchase orders, because what is on the shelf is never quite what was ordered.
Include everything hazardous, including cleaning products and workshop consumables. People consistently forget these.
Attach or link the current SDS for every row. A register without the sheets does not meet the requirement.
Add the register check to your receiving process, so a new product cannot arrive without a row and an SDS.
Review annually and whenever a product changes, and record the review date even when nothing changed.

This template is general information, not legal advice. Requirements differ by jurisdiction and industry; check the guidance published by Safe Work Australia and your state WHS regulator and seek advice for your specific circumstances.

Questions

Frequently asked

Do we need an SDS for every chemical?

You need one for every hazardous chemical. Products that are not classified as hazardous do not require one, but the safe course is to obtain and file whatever the supplier provides, because classification is not always obvious from the label.

How current does a safety data sheet have to be?

Suppliers are generally required to review and reissue sheets on a set cycle, commonly five years, and to provide the current version on request. Check the specific requirement with Safe Work Australia and your state WHS regulator, and set your register review to flag any sheet approaching that age.

Does the register have to be on paper?

It can be electronic, provided workers can readily access it in the area where the chemicals are used, including when systems are down. Many sites keep a printed copy in the storage area and the master electronically.

What about small quantities of everyday cleaning products?

If the product is classified as hazardous, it belongs in the register regardless of quantity. Some jurisdictions relax requirements for consumer products used in household quantities and ways. Confirm the position with Safe Work Australia and your state WHS regulator rather than assuming.

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The template covers the paperwork. Duress covers the response.

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