Chemical Inventory + Hazardous Waste Management System
Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) is leading a safety initiative to transition the university to a centralized Chemical Inventory & Hazardous Waste Management (CIHWM) system. This will more effectively manage chemical materials inventories and hazardous waste disposal.
Transition to the new CIHWM system, called UALabSync, will be mandatory for all university labs by the end of 2025. A centrally funded and mandatory CIHWM system is a best practice in reducing risks associated with using, storing and disposing of hazardous materials.
Chemical Inventory
The UALabSync system from On Site Systems will provide a consistent Chemical Inventory Module and Hazardous Waste Module.
This will replace current disparate methods of managing lab inventories across the university, including handwritten documents, Excel spreadsheets and various software solutions.
The digital Chemical Inventory Module will support labs to better manage their stock and commercially available chemicals.
Laboratory Benefits
The software will equip labs with a method of tracking chemicals, resulting in:
- An up to date, digitally accessible inventory available from anywhere
- Ability to easily add and remove chemicals, including submitting waste directly from inventory
- Ease in transferring chemicals between labs
- Control over adding and removing lab users who have access to inventory
- A reconciliation/verification feature to verify/update inventory at least annually
- Ability to track a wide variety of chemical attributes, including receipt dates, expiry dates, GHS/TDG safety information and current quantities
- Visual identification of expired chemicals in the software
- Searchable fields to quickly find chemicals in a large inventory.
Using the UALabSync software and its available features will help labs reduce the amount of time spent on chemical inventory management and reconciliation. Additional benefits include improving safety, reducing waste and minimizing costs.
As a result, faculties and departments can have access to associated inventories for oversight and sharing, as needed. HSE will have access to all inventories to assist labs in managing their chemical hazards. Some specific use cases include:
- Generate reports on high-risk chemicals and work with labs on safe use and disposal
- Create health and safety guidance based on the hazards present in university laboratories
- Track the use of regulated chemicals in order to help laboratories achieve regulatory compliance. This includes completing the annual reporting requirements without labs submitting their information to HSE each year
- Reduce serious incidents involving chemicals by taking a proactive approach to chemical management
How to Access Software
Access the UALabSync software through https://ualberta.hpahost.com/ehsa/ by using your CCID* and password.
- HSE is currently working with labs to add PIs, permits and workers into the software
- For labs that are already set up, please see the How To: Register Workers for details on adding individuals to your lab
- Users may log in at any time and create a “waste user” profile once their lab is set up
How can I access the software?
- Contact HSE at hse.info@ualberta.ca or use this Google Form to set up a lab
- HSE is currently supporting labs with barcode chemical inventory, system set up, adding staff with the proper permissions and training staff on using the software.
- If you are unable to sign up, please contact HSE and include your name, contact information, lab location and approximate size of your inventory to be added to the waitlist. You will be contacted if there are any cancellations or additional availability.
*Users external to the University of Alberta may not currently have a CCID and will require a guest CCID. Connect with a departmental contact or contact the Staff Service Centre with questions about CCIDs for guests.
Chemical Waste
Labs should continue to use CHEMATIX for waste submission until instructed otherwise.
Timeline 2024 - 2025
- Inventory module roll-out begins and can be self-directed or with assistance from HSE. Please book through the Google Calendar
- New CIHWM website for information and training launched
- HSE assistance will be available for labs. Please book through the Google Calendar
- New Hazardous Waste Management course available
- Continue transitioning labs to new system
- Transition majority of labs to submitting waste through UALabSync
- Chematix waste must be transitioned to UALabSync (as Chematix waste licenses expire). Date will be communicated and labs trained in advance
- Continue transitioning labs to UALabSync