Hazardous chemicals include those known or suspected to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic by any means. Research personnel are at risk of exposure to the hazardous chemicals when preparing and administering the chemicals to laboratory animals. Animal caring staff and cage cleaning staff are at risk of exposure to the chemicals or their toxic metabolite excreted/secreted from the animals to the bedding and other surfaces in the enclosure. When the chemicals are administered via feed or drinking water as media, anyone handing the material are also at risk of exposure.
PIs and animal users must identify, at the planning stage, the hazards associating with the chemicals to be handled. The corresponding web sites should be used as references for identifying the intrinsic hazards of the chemicals and to establish appropriate control practices according to needs of the different animal use protocol and the work patterns of LAF .
Please also find a notice to users of chemical substances from Painchai Tantivangphaisal (Center of Laboratory Supplies, Health, Safety and Environment Office):
Hong Kong Chemical Control Regulations (3July2018)
Good Resource Websites:
Where to Find MSDS and Other Resources on the Web
ChemSpider: Search and Share Chemistry
Hong Kong Websites:
Occupational Safety and Health in the Civil Service: OSH Topics
Occupational Safety & Health Council: Legislation
USA Websites:
American Cancer Society: Known and Probable Human Carcinogens
US Dept of Health & Human Services – National Toxicology Program: 14th Report on Carcinogens
CDC: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
CDC: International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC)
National Cancer Institute – Environmental Carcinogens and Cancer Risks
Canadian Websites:
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
Provincial Health Services Authority: A centralized inventory of Material Safety Data Sheets
CCOHS ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety
CCOHS WHMIS 1988 classification
Public Health Agency of Canada: Pathogen Safety Data Sheets (PSDSs)
UK Websites:
Health and Safety Executive – Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Health and Safety Executive – Risk Assessment
Australian Website:
SafeWork Australia – Safety Data Sheets