Northern Territory Numbered Regulations

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY (NATIONAL UNIFORM LEGISLATION) REGULATIONS (NO 59 OF 2011) - SCHEDULE 15

Schedule 15     Hazardous chemicals at major hazard facilities (and their threshold quantity)

Chapter 9

1     Definitions

In this Schedule:

"Class" has the same meaning as in the ADG Code.

"Division" has the same meaning as in the ADG Code.

LD ₅₀ (median lethal dose) for acute oral toxicity is the statistically derived single dose of a substance that can be expected to cause death within 14 days in 50% of young adult albino rats when administered by the oral route. The LD ₅₀ value is expressed in terms of mass of test substance per mass of test animal (mg/kg).

LD ₅₀ for acute dermal toxicity is that dose of the substance which, administered by continuous contact for 24 hours with the bare skin of albino rabbits, is most likely to cause death within 14 days in one half of the animals tested. The number of animals tested must be sufficient to give a statistically significant result and be in conformity with good pharmacological practice. The result is expressed in miligrams per kilogram body mass.

LC ₅₀ for acute toxicity on inhalation is that concentration of vapour, mist or dust which, administered by continuous inhalation to both male and female young adult albino rats for 1 hour, is most likely to cause death within 14 days in one half of the animals tested. A solid substance must be tested if at least 10% (by mass) of its total mass is likely to be dust in a respirable range, e.g. the aerodynamic diameter of that particle fraction is 10 µm or less. A liquid substance must be tested if a mist is likely to be generated in a leakage of the transport containment. Both for solid and liquid substances exceeding 90% (by mass) of a specimen prepared for inhalation toxicity must be in the respirable range as defined above. The result is expressed in milligrams per litre of air for dusts and mists or in millilitres per cubic metre of air (parts per million) for vapours.

"Packing Group" has the same meaning as in the ADG Code.

"subsidiary risk" has the same meaning as in the ADG Code.

2     Relevant hazardous chemicals

The hazardous chemicals that characterise a workplace as a facility for the purposes of these Regulations are the chemicals specifically referred to in table 15.1 and chemicals that belong to the types, classes and categories referred to in table 15.2.

3     Threshold quantity of one hazardous chemical

    (1)     In relation to each hazardous chemical referred to in clause 2, column 3 of Tables 15.1 and 15.2 provides a quantity that is described as the "threshold quantity" of that chemical.

    (2)     If a hazardous chemical is referred to in table 15.1, the threshold quantity of the chemical is that described in table 15.1, whether or not the chemical also belongs to a type, class or category referred to in table 15.2.

    (3)     If a hazardous chemical is not referred to in table 15.1, and the chemical belongs to a type, class or category referred to in table 15.2, the threshold quantity of that chemical is that of the type, class or category to which it belongs.

    (4)     If a hazardous chemical is not referred to in table 15.1, and the chemical appears to belong to more than one of the types, classes or categories referred to in table 15.2, the threshold quantity of that chemical is that of the relevant type, class or category which has the lower or lowest threshold quantity.

4     Threshold quantity of more than one hazardous chemical

    (1)     If there is more than one hazardous chemical, a threshold quantity of chemicals exists where, if a number of chemicals are present, the result of the following aggregation formula exceeds 1:

where:

"x", y , [....] and n are the hazardous chemicals present or likely to be present;

q _x , q _y , [....] and q _n is the total quantity of hazardous chemicals x, y, [....] and n present or likely to be present, other than:

(a)     a hazardous chemical that is present or likely to be present in an isolated quantity less than 2% of its threshold quantity;

(b)     hazardous chemicals that are solely the subject of intermediate temporary storage, while in transit by road or rail (unless it is reasonably foreseeable that, despite the transitory nature of the storage, hazardous chemicals are or are likely to be present frequently or in significant quantities);

Q _x , Q _y , [....] and Q _n is the individual threshold quantity for each hazardous chemical x, y, [....] and n.

    (2)     A hazardous chemical is present or likely to be present in an "isolated quantity", for the purposes of definition q _x , q _y , [....] and q _n , paragraph (a) if its location at the facility is such that it cannot, on its own, act as an initiator of a major incident.

5     How table 15.1 must be used

    (1)     The UN number listed against the named hazardous chemical does not restrict the meaning of the name, which also applies to hazardous chemicals that fall outside the UN number.

Examples for subclause (1)

1     The hazardous chemicals are too dangerous to be transported.

2     The hazardous chemicals are part of mixtures covered by a different UN number.

    (2)     Any hazardous chemicals that are covered by the listed UN numbers must be included in the quantity of the chemical named.

6     How table 15.2 must be used

    (1)     The quantities specified for explosives in table 15.2 relate to the weight of explosive exclusive of packagings, casings and other non-explosive components.

    (2)     If explosives of different hazard divisions are present in the same area or storage, all of the explosives must, before table 15.2 is applied, be classified in accordance with the following table:

Division	1.1	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.6
1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1
1.2	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.2
1.3	1.1	1.1	1.3	1.3	1.1	1.3
1.4	1.1	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.6
1.5	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.5	1.5	1.5
1.6	1.1	1.2	1.3	1.6	1.5	1.6

Table 15.1

Item	Column 1 Hazardous chemical	Column 2 UN Nos included under name	Column 3 Threshold quantity (tonnes)
1	ACETONE CYANOHYDRIN	1541	20
2	ACETYLENE	1001	50
3	ACROLEIN	1092	200
4	ACRYLONITRILE	1093	200
5	ALLYL ALCOHOL	1098	20
6	ALLYLAMINE	2334	200
7	AMMONIA, ANHYDROUS, LIQUEFIED or AMMONIA SOLUTIONS, relative density less than 0.880 at 15°C in water, with more than 50% ammonia	1005	200
8	AMMONIUM NITRATE FERTILISERS	2067 2068 2069 2070	5 000
9	AMMONIUM NITRATE, with not more than 0.2% combustible substances, including any organic substance calculated as carbon, to the exclusion of any other added substance	1942	2 500
10	ARSENIC PENTOXIDE, Arsenic (V) Acid and other salts	1559	10
11	ARSENIC TRIOXIDE, Arsenious (III) Acid and other salts	1561	0.1
12	ARSINE	2188	1.0
13	BROMINE or BROMINE SOLUTIONS	1744	100
14	CARBON DISULFIDE	1131	200
15	CHLORINE	1017	25
16	DIOXINS	–	0.1
17	ETHYL NITRATE	–	50
18	ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE	1605	50
19	ETHYLENE OXIDE	1040	50
20	ETHYLENEIMINE	1185	50
21	FLUORINE	1045	25
22	FORMALDEHYDE (greater than 90%)	–	50
23	HYDROFLUORIC ACID SOLUTION (greater than 50%)	1790	50
24	HYDROGEN	1049	50
25	HYDROGEN CHLORIDE – Anhydrous – Refrigerated Liquid	1050 2186	250 250
26	HYDROGEN CYANIDE	1051 1614	20
27	HYDROGEN FLUORIDE	1052	50
28	HYDROGEN SULFIDE	1053	50
29	LP GASES	1011 1012 1075 1077 1978	200
30	METHANE or NATURAL GAS	1971 1972	200
31	METHYL BROMIDE	1062	200
32	METHYL ISOCYANATE	2480	0.15
33	OXIDES OF NITROGEN, including nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen trioxide	1067 1070 1660 1975 2201 2421	50
34	OXYGEN	1072 1073	2 000
35	PHOSGENE	1076	0.75
36	PROPYLENE OXIDE	1280	50
37	PROPYLENEIMINE	1921	200
38	SODIUM CHLORATE, solid	1495	200
39	SULFUR DICHLORIDE	1828	1
40	SULFUR DIOXIDE, LIQUEFIED	1079	200
41	SULFURIC ANHYDRIDE (Alt. SULFUR TRIOXIDE)	1829	75
42	TITANIUM TETRACHLORIDE	1838	500
43	TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE	2078	200

Table 15.2

Item	Column 1 Hazardous chemical	Column 2 Description	Column 3 Threshold quantity (tonnes)
1	Explosive materials	Explosive of Division 1.1A	10
		All other explosives of Division 1.1	50
		Explosive of Division 1.2	200
		Explosive of Division 1.3	200
2	Compressed and liquefied gases	Compressed or liquefied gases of Division 2.1 or Subsidiary Risk 2.1	200
		Liquefied gases of Subsidiary Risk 5	200
		Compressed or liquefied gases that meet the criteria for Very Toxic in table 15.3	20
		Compressed or liquefied gases that meet the criteria for Toxic in table 15.3	200
3	Flammable materials	Liquids that meet the criteria for Class 3 Packing Group I Materials (except for crude oil in remote locations)	200
		Crude oil in remote locations that meet the criteria for Class 3 Packing Group I	2 000
		Liquids that meet the criteria for Class 3 Packing Group II or III	50 000
		Liquids with flash points <61°C kept above their boiling points at ambient conditions	200
		Materials that meet the criteria for Division 4.1 Packing Group I	200
		Spontaneously combustible materials that meet the criteria for Division 4.2 Packing Group I or II	200
		Materials that liberate flammable gases or react violently on contact with water which meet the criteria for Division 4.3 Packing Group I or II	200
		Materials that belong to Classes 3 or 8 Packing Group I or II which have Hazchem codes of 4WE (materials that react violently with water)	500
4	Oxidising materials	Oxidising material listed in Appendix A to the ADG Code	50
		Oxidising materials that meet the criteria for Division 5.1 Packing Group I or II	200
5	Peroxides	Peroxides that are listed in Appendix A to the ADG Code	50
		Organic Peroxides that meet the criteria for Division 5.2	200
6	Toxic solids and liquids	Materials that meet the criteria for Very Toxic in table 15.3 except materials that are classified as Infectious Substances (Division 6.2) or as Radioactive (Class 7)	20
		Materials that meet the criteria for Toxic in table 15.3	200

Table 15.3     Criteria for toxicity

Description	Oral Toxicity 1 LD50 (mg/kg)	Dermal Toxicity 2 LD50 (mg/kg)	Inhalation Toxicity 3 LC50 (mg/L)
Very Toxic	LD 50 ≤ 5	LD 50 ≤ 40	LC 50 ≤ 0.5
Toxic	5 < LD 50 ≤ 40	40 < LD 50 ≤ 200	0.5 < LC 50 ≤ 2

Key for table 15.3

1     In rats

2     In rats or rabbits

3     4 hours in rats