Chemical Inventory
SCU is required to maintain an accurate chemical inventory for the purposes of maintaining regulatory compliance and business unit operational efficiency. SCU uses the Chimera Chemical Inventory Management System to manage its campus-wide chemical inventory. Chimera is used to receive, transfer, dispose, and reconcile the campus chemical inventory.
Please contact ehs@scu.edu to gain access to the SCU Chemical Inventory System.
SCU Chimera Policy and User Guide
Safety Data Sheets
While chemical manufacturers must provide pertinent safety information on their container labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are the more comprehensive resource for details regarding specific chemical hazards. Chemical manufacturers must now follow a standardized SDS format containing 16 sections.
SCU Maintains an online SDS system that allows you to look up the SDS for any chemical in our campus inventory.
Manufacturer Container Labels
Chemical manufacturers are required to convey pertinent information about the hazards of their product on the container label using quick visual notations to alert the user. OSHA pictograms are now used on the manufacturer's label to identify chemical hazards.
There are some differences between the traditional NFPA labeling system and the OSHA Hazard Communication Labeling System, and they can be seen in a comparison chart.
SCU In-House Generated Container Labels
All hazardous and non-hazardous chemical containers (even water) and waste must be labeled. When you create a mixture, reagent, solution, waste, etc. you must label it using an approved SCU chemical container label which you can get from your lab manager, the EHS Department or print from the label templates links. Each label must be completely filled out. Hazardous waste labels require more information than hazardous materials labels so be sure to fully fill out each label.
For emergency response purposes, the Santa Clara Fire Department does not allow chemical abbreviations to be used on container labels in-lieu of the full chemical name. This applies to all containers of hazardous and non-hazardous chemical containers and wastes. Chemical names should be fully spelled out on the containers label. If a laboratory wishes to use chemical abbreviations on their container labels then you must define and post a list of abbreviations used in the lab at the lab entrance using the SCU Chemical Labeling Abbreviation List.
Chemical Label Templates
The following labels can be printed onto Avery Template 5162: