Hazardous substances and disposal

According to the DGUV definition,hazardous substances are "substances, mixtures or products with hazardous properties. They can cause acute or chronic damage to human health, be flammable, explosive or hazardous to the environment. Hazardous substances include not only chemicals, but also wood dust, petrol, diesel engine emissions, welding fumes, ozone, anaesthetic gases, etc."

Text from Guideline 8.70.01 on Occupational Safety at TUC

The following regulations are intended to ensure the safe handling of hazardous substances and govern the procedures for handling, storing, and keeping such substances. The key legal basis is the

as well as technical regulations, hazardous substances regulations, accident prevention regulations, statutory accident insurance regulations for laboratories, and technical regulations for operational safety.

The “General Laboratory Regulations of Clausthal University of Technology,” issued by the Executive Board at its meeting on January 23, 2008, and last amended on October 16, 2009, apply to Clausthal University of Technology. The General Laboratory Regulations summarize the essential rules for handling hazardous substances and contain references to the other legal provisions mentioned above. They must be observed in all cases when handling hazardous substances at Clausthal University of Technology.

The implementation of hazardous substances legislation, in particular the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, is the responsibility of the Clausthal University of Technology’s Central Temporary Storage Facility for Hazardous Waste (see the box at the top right for contact information).

Additional guidelines:

Note: As a supervisor, you can delegate these tasks to suitable employees or to your subordinate management level (e.g., employees with personnel responsibility, department heads, foremen, and lab managers). Our occupational safety contacts are also available to provide you with advice.

In accordance with the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, facility managers are required to maintain a list of all hazardous substances present in their facility. Hazardous substance lists or inventories provide at-a-glance information on all hazardous substances in the workplace, their quantities, hazard characteristics, and uses.

First, it must be determined whether the hazardous substances in use can be replaced with less hazardous substances (substitution). If this is not possible, the necessary protective measures must be taken.

The most important basis for compiling hazardous substance inventories are the safety data sheets provided by the manufacturer, to which the hazardous substance inventory must refer.

The inventory must contain at least the following information:

  • Name of the hazardous substance
  • Classification of the hazardous substance or information on its hazardous properties
  • Information on the ranges of quantities used in the workplace
  • Work areas where employees may be exposed to the hazardous substance

You can find an example of a hazardous substance inventory here.

For information on the safe handling of hazardous substances, please consult the GESTIS Substance Database. It contains approximately 8,800 substances, including information on safe handling, the effects of the substances on humans, and the necessary protective measures or actions to take in the event of an emergency. In addition, the database provides information on specific regulations for individual substances, as well as on classification and labeling according to the GHS in compliance with the CLP Regulation (pictograms, H-statements, P-statements).

All wastewater generated in the buildings of Clausthal University of Technology is discharged into the public sewer system of the Oberharz Joint Municipality. Chemical residues and other substances must not be discharged into the wastewater; instead, they must be collected, properly labeled, and reported for disposal in accordance with Clausthal University of Technology guidelines:

8.90.13 Guidelines for the Handling of Water, Water-Hazardous Substances, and Wastewater Discharge at Clausthal University of Technology

8.90.12 Handling of Hazardous Waste

Please coordinate the disposal of hazardous waste with the warehouse to ensure compliance with applicable legal and other regulations.

If you have any questions regarding disposal, please contact the TUC’s waste management officer.

The following link is available in the Form Management System (FMS) for the disposal of hazardous waste and electronic waste: https://fms.vw.tu-clausthal.de

There, you can log in with your RZ ID and find the disposal form as well as a form for ordering chemicals under the “Chemical Storage” tab.

The “Procedure for Asbestos Findings or Suspected Asbestos at TUC (Flowchart)” is intended to help prevent accidental contact with and handling of asbestos by all individuals and to avoid short- and long-term health risks. Further explanations can also be found under 8.71.70 Handling Asbestos at Clausthal University of Technology.

We have provided additional information below:

You can find out more about the responsibilities and duties of the hazardous materials officer on the "Responsibilities and Duties" page.