Hazardous substances inventory template for New Zealand

A New Zealand hazardous substances inventory is a site-specific list of the hazardous substances used, handled, manufactured or stored at a workplace, including hazardous waste. It is not merely a chemical purchasing list or a general hazard register. Regulation 3.1 of the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 requires a PCBU with management or control of a workplace to prepare and maintain the inventory, with specified details for each substance and waste. The inventory must be readily accessible to emergency-service workers during an emergency and after evacuation.

This fillable template follows the required fields and adds management columns to help keep it current. Confirm the substances and maximum quantities from the actual site, attach current safety data sheets (SDS) or the permitted condensed key information, and check the regulations and WorkSafe inventory guidance before relying on it. Different sites need their own inventories; a single head-office spreadsheet that cannot tell responders what is at each location is not enough.

Site and access details

Test access in realistic conditions. A password-protected file held only on a computer inside an evacuated building may fail the “readily accessible” purpose even if it exists. Ensure the person meeting emergency services knows where the current inventory and SDS information can be obtained.

Fillable inventory: substances

Do not fill the table with invented generic quantities or UN numbers. The UN number, if available, is commonly found in SDS transport information, but verify it for the actual product. The quantity is the maximum likely at the site, not a daily stock count. If a store routinely holds 20 litres but can receive 80 litres during a delivery cycle, the likely maximum may be higher than the amount observed on one quiet day. Reassess it when purchasing, storage or production changes.

Location must be useful to responders: “warehouse” may be too broad if there are multiple cabinets or external compounds. Storage and segregation entries should come from the current SDS and applicable requirements; an entry such as “store safely” offers no operational instruction. If a product is moved between locations, note the likely locations or maintain the inventory so that it remains accurate. Keep the SDS or condensed version connected to each row and available with the inventory.

Fillable inventory: hazardous waste

Regulation 3.1 separately specifies information for hazardous waste. Record an identifier that describes the waste as closely as possible, its maximum quantity likely at the workplace, location, and specific storage or segregation requirements. A vague entry such as “waste chemicals” may be inadequate where the waste has materially different hazards.

Do not infer a waste's classification solely from the original product's label if mixing or use could have changed its properties. Obtain competent advice where necessary, and keep disposal records separately. The inventory is for what may be present and how it is stored; it is not automatically the same as a waste manifest or a legal tracking record for substances subject to additional tracking requirements.

Build the inventory step by step

1. Walk each workplace. Include stores, vehicles or mobile work areas under the PCBU's control, process tanks, maintenance rooms, cleaning cupboards and waste areas. Ask workers what is brought in or generated during non-routine work. Do not assume purchasing records capture contractor products or decanted substances.
2. Identify hazardous substances correctly. Match product labels to current SDS and check whether the product meets the relevant hazardous-substance rules. The WorkSafe inventory guidance notes exceptions, including certain consumer products used only in household-consistent quantities and ways; do not treat every cleaning product as automatically exempt.
3. Record all required fields. Product/chemical name, UN number if available, maximum likely amount, location, storage/segregation requirements and a current SDS or permitted condensed information. Add hazardous waste with the specified waste details.
4. Check quantity-based requirements separately. The inventory helps determine whether signage, secondary containment, emergency-plan, handler, location or other controls may apply. It does not itself decide which thresholds apply. Use current WorkSafe tools, classifications and competent advice for the actual mix and quantities.
5. Connect it to emergency arrangements. Tell responders where the inventory is and make it available even after evacuation. Check that the emergency plan reflects the substances, locations and credible release/fire scenarios. WorkSafe's hazardous-substance emergency-plan guidance covers additional requirements that may apply.
6. Keep it current. Review when a new substance or waste stream appears, a product is replaced, maximum stock changes, a store moves, or SDS information changes. WorkSafe says the register is not a daily quantity calculation; it represents the maximum likely amount at each workplace.

Common inventory mistakes

• One list for several sites: Regulation 3.1 and WorkSafe guidance require an inventory for each workplace under the PCBU's management or control.
• Only current stock quantities: An inventory of today's containers can understate the maximum likely quantity used to work out requirements.
• No waste entries: Waste may still be hazardous and must be included with the required waste details.
• Outdated SDS links: A product row is incomplete if the SDS or condensed information is unavailable or no longer current.
• Hidden emergency copy: A document that cannot be accessed after evacuation may fail the purpose of the rule.
• Confusing a hazard register with this inventory: A separate NZ hazard-register template may track a release risk and control owner after its proposed route is published and confirmed. This inventory is the required substance/location/quantity/SDS record.

The existing Complys NZ hazardous-substances guide owns the broad regulatory overview. This page has a distinct task: a form that a site can actually populate and maintain. Before linking a Complys product page, verify the exact New Zealand route and live functions. Do not claim automatic SDS updates, threshold calculation, certified-handler records or reminders without product implementation evidence.

Source and claim register