Farm Chemical Compliance NZ: A Simple Guide to Hazardous Substances Inventories and SDS Sheets By Auditsure Ltd

Farm Chemical Compliance: Why Your Hazardous Substances Inventory and SDS Sheets Matter

Running a farm is hands-on work. There are animals to feed, machinery to keep moving, weeds to control and a list of jobs that never seems to get shorter.

Paperwork is rarely anyone’s favourite part of the day.

But when it comes to farm chemicals, fuels and hazardous substances, a small amount of tidy paperwork can prevent a much larger headache. It can also help protect your workers, your family, contractors and emergency responders if something goes wrong.

Under the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017, farms and agribusinesses need to know what hazardous substances they have on site and keep the right safety information close at hand.

Two of the simplest places to start are:

1. A hazardous substances inventory
2. Current Safety Data Sheets, commonly called SDS sheets

These are not fancy corporate documents. They are practical tools that should help you run a safer farm.

What Counts as a Hazardous Substance on a Farm?

Most farms store or use more hazardous substances than people initially realise.

Your list may include:

• Petrol and diesel
• Herbicides and pesticides
• Insecticides and fungicides
• Fertilisers
• Veterinary chemicals and drenches
• Cleaning chemicals and sanitisers
• Degreasers, solvents and workshop chemicals
• Paints and thinners
• Gas cylinders
• Used oil and other hazardous waste

Some substances can cause burns or poisoning. Others may be flammable, corrosive, harmful to breathe in or dangerous to waterways.

A drum sitting quietly in the corner of the shed may not look like much of a problem. But during a fire, spill or medical emergency, knowing exactly what is inside that drum suddenly becomes very important.

What Is a Hazardous Substances Inventory?

A hazardous substances inventory is a straightforward list of the chemicals, fuels and hazardous waste stored or used at your workplace.

For each substance, the inventory should record:

• The product or chemical name
• The UN number, where available
• The maximum quantity likely to be stored on site
• Where the substance is kept
• Any special storage or segregation requirements
• A current SDS sheet, or a condensed version of the key safety information

The inventory needs to be kept up to date. It should also be easy for emergency responders to access if they arrive at your farm during a fire, spill or other emergency.

Think of it as a farm map for hazardous substances. It tells people what is on site, where it is and what needs to be treated with care.

What Is an SDS Sheet?

A Safety Data Sheet, or SDS, is the instruction manual for a hazardous substance.

An SDS sheet explains important details such as:

• What the substance is
• The hazards it creates
• How it should be handled
• What personal protective equipment may be needed
• How it should be stored
• What it must be kept away from
• First-aid measures
• What to do during a spill, leak or fire
• How to dispose of it safely

The supplier should provide an SDS when a hazardous substance is first supplied to your workplace, when it is supplied for the first time in five years or when the SDS has been updated.

Do not leave SDS sheets buried in an old email inbox or locked away in an office that workers cannot access. Keep them somewhere practical. A labelled folder near the chemical store is often a good start. An electronic backup is useful as well.

The best system is the one your workers can actually find when the chips are down.

“We Only Keep Small Amounts” Is Not Always a Safe Assumption

A common misconception is that farm chemical compliance only applies to large operations with rows of bulk tanks and commercial chemical stores.

That is not the case.

Even smaller farms and rural businesses may need a hazardous substances inventory. The quantities you store can also trigger additional requirements, depending on the substance.

These may include:

• Correct labelling
• Safe storage and segregation
• Warning signs
• Spill controls
• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency response planning
• Secondary containment or bunding
• Training for workers
• Certified-handler or compliance-certificate requirements for certain substances and quantities

The requirements are not identical for every farm. A dairy farm, cropping operation, orchard, contractor’s yard and rural workshop may each have different substances and risks.

That is why it pays to walk the site properly rather than rely on guesswork.

A Simple Farm Chemical Compliance Check

Set aside an hour and walk through the places where chemicals, fuels and waste are kept.

Check the:

• Chemical shed
• Workshop
• Fuel storage area
• Pump shed
• Dairy shed
• Machinery shed
• Spray unit
• Contractor vehicles
• Staff facilities
• Waste oil storage area

Write down what is there. Photograph labels where necessary. Remove mystery containers. Make sure decanted chemicals are labelled correctly. Gather the current SDS sheets and store them in a place workers can readily access.

While you are there, look for the practical issues that often get missed:

• Are incompatible chemicals sitting beside each other?
• Are containers leaking or rusting?
• Can children, visitors or unauthorised workers enter the store?
• Is fuel stored near an ignition source?
• Could a spill enter a drain, creek or paddock waterway?
• Do workers know what PPE to wear?
• Does everyone know what to do after a chemical splash or spill?

This is not about polishing a folder for an inspector. It is about making sure the system works on an ordinary wet Tuesday when everyone is busy and a drum starts leaking.

Why Good Records Matter

Maintaining a hazardous substances inventory and SDS register gives you a solid starting point for compliance. It can also make day-to-day farm operations easier.

A tidy system helps you:

• Identify chemicals you no longer need
• Avoid storing unnecessary quantities
• Improve chemical storage
• Train workers more effectively
• Respond faster during an emergency
• Demonstrate that you are taking your health and safety responsibilities seriously
• Prepare for contractor prequalification, audits or client requirements

Good farm health and safety does not need to be wrapped in complicated language. It needs to be useful, understood and maintained.

Practical Hazardous Substances Support for Farmers and Agribusinesses

Auditsure Ltd is a New Zealand health and safety consultancy that provides practical, on-the-field advice for farmers and agribusiness owners.

We can help you:

• Build a hazardous substances inventory
• Organise your SDS register
• Review chemical and fuel storage areas
• Identify missing labels, signage and spill controls
• Check whether your quantities may trigger additional requirements
• Develop straightforward procedures for workers
• Provide practical advice that suits the way your business actually operates

The aim is not to bury you in paperwork. It is to give you a simple compliance system that is easy to maintain and makes sense on the ground.

Need help getting your farm chemical records in order? Contact Auditsure Ltd for practical hazardous substances compliance advice.

This article provides general information only. Your requirements will depend on the hazardous substances, quantities and activities at your workplace.