Knowella

Chemical Approval Request

Requests approval before a new chemical is brought on site. Raised by whoever wants to use it. Reviewed by safety, health and environment. Stops products arriving that nobody has assessed, which is how most chemical registers become inaccurate.

KnowSafeRecordSAF-091
Completed by
Reviewed by safety, health and environment
Raised
At the moment the event happens, rather than reconstructed

Summary

In short

  • A chemical approval request is a record used in KnowSafe that requests approval before a new chemical is brought on site. It is built against ISO 45001 cl.8.1.3 and forms part of the Chemical Safety and WHMIS programme.
  • Raised by whoever wants to use it. Reviewed by safety, health and environment.
  • The template holds 49 fields across 7 sections.
  • ISO 45001 is occupational health and safety management systems. The international standard for managing worker health and safety. Certifiable, and the backbone of most of this library.
  • It connects to the rest of the library: feeds Substance Register, MOC.

What it is

What it is

What is a chemical approval request?

A chemical approval request is a record used in KnowSafe that requests approval before a new chemical is brought on site. It is built against ISO 45001 cl.8.1.3 and forms part of the Chemical Safety and WHMIS programme.

When is a chemical approval request completed?

A chemical approval request is completed at the moment the event happens, rather than reconstructed afterwards. Raised by whoever wants to use it.

When to use it

When to use it, and when not to

This record is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work that belongs to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.

Use it for

  • The event or activity this record covers has occurred, or is about to
  • A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form CAR-2026-000
  • You are running the Chemical Safety and WHMIS programme and this is one of its steps
  • A linked record needs this one to exist: feeds substance register, moc

Not for

  • Chemical Inventory Record, which records what chemicals are held where, in what quantity and in what container.
  • Safety Data Sheet Review, which checks each safety data sheet is current, complete and available to the people who use the product.
  • Chemical Risk Assessment, which assesses the risk of using a chemical for a specific task, covering exposure route, quantity, ventilation and PPE.
  • Anything outside KnowSafe, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process

Standards

What it is built against

ISO 45001Occupational health and safety management systems

The international standard for managing worker health and safety. Certifiable, and the backbone of most of this library.

ISOInternational Organization for Standardization

A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the chemical approval request template based on?+

It is built against ISO 45001 cl.8.1.3. ISO 45001 is occupational health and safety management systems. The international standard for managing worker health and safety. Certifiable, and the backbone of most of this library. ISO is international Organization for Standardization. A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.

What sections does the chemical approval request contain?+

There are 7 sections: header, product, substitution review, reviews, requirements if approved, related records, decision. Together they hold 49 fields, 31 of which are required.

How often is a chemical approval request raised?+

A new record is raised at the moment the event happens, rather than reconstructed afterwards. Each one is given an ID in the form CAR-2026-000, so it can be traced and referenced from other records.

Which programme does the chemical approval request belong to?+

It is part of Chemical Safety and WHMIS. Every substance has a sixteen section sheet, an assessment, a label and a spill response.

Can the chemical approval request template be changed?+

Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it for a cycle, then adjust.

The agents

What the agents do with it

The form is the easy part. Keeping it current, routing it to the right owner and holding the evidence together is the work that actually slips.

KnowSafe

Holds the chemical approval request library against your registers, routes each record to its owner, and keeps the evidence trail together.

Ella

Coordinates the crew, rolls completion and exceptions into one view, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.

This template lives in KnowSafesafety and compliance. Incidents, hazards, permits, inspections and the critical controls behind them.

Meet KnowSafe

Sources

Sources

  • ISO 45001 — Occupational health and safety management systems
  • ISO — International Organization for Standardization

KnowSafe

Also in Chemicals

6Browse the whole library
Register

Chemical Inventory Record

Records what chemicals are held where, in what quantity and in what container. Updated when stock changes and verified quarterly. Completed by the area owner. Feeds storage limits, emergency planning and regulatory reporting.

Review

Safety Data Sheet Review

Checks each safety data sheet is current, complete and available to the people who use the product. Run yearly per product. Carried out by the chemical coordinator. A sheet older than three years is flagged for replacement.

Assessment

Chemical Risk Assessment

Assesses the risk of using a chemical for a specific task, covering exposure route, quantity, ventilation and PPE. Done before first use and reviewed when anything changes. Carried out by a competent assessor. Feeds directly into the task instructions and training.

Checklist

Chemical Storage Compatibility Check

Checks that stored chemicals are separated correctly so incompatible products cannot mix. Run quarterly and whenever a new product arrives. Carried out by the area owner. Incompatible storage is corrected the same day.

Inspection

Spill Kit Inspection

Checks spill kits are stocked, sealed, accessible and suited to the chemicals nearby. Run monthly. Carried out by the area owner. A kit that does not match the chemicals stored beside it is a common and serious finding.

Checklist

Chemical Decanting Checklist

Steps through transferring a chemical from one container to another safely, including labelling the new container. Used every time decanting happens. Completed by the person doing the work. Unlabelled secondary containers are one of the most cited hazards in this area.

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