While managing chemicals that appear on the DHS Chemicals of Interest list and reporting when threshold levels are exceeded appears relatively simple, there are some very specific requirements.

“It's easy to report chemical levels if the chemicals can be flagged and tracked by an inventory program,” states ChemSW President Brian Stafford. “But it needs to be a program that's being managed in real time, not by a once a year inspection. Reporting must happen any time a chemical on the list goes over the specified amount, so the security plan needs to function all the time. It's critical to have an ongoing process for monitoring inventory levels accurately.

The enhancements to ChemSW’s CISPro chemical inventory system enables users to rapidly upload the DHS Chemicals of Interest list into CISPro and match it to existing inventory, allowing chemicals to be easily flagged and tracked for DHS reporting. With this real-time information, Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) staff can promptly create and send accurate reports to the DHS to ensure compliance.

“Getting into compliance can be done for relatively little cost,” explains Stafford. “But staying in compliance is a continuous process and that’s where commercial chemical inventory systems such as CISPro can really help. We were the first to deliver the ability to monitor and categorize specific chemicals according to the standard. Our CISPro users can comply with little change to their existing system. If a facility doesn’t have a computerized inventory system with all the necessary functionality, then CISPro enables them to get up to speed quickly and cheaply.”

“It is now very important to know in real time exactly what is in inventory,” Stafford emphasizes. “Slice-of-time or interval-based re-inventory systems do not meet CFATS requirements. Only a continuously updated solution that revises immediately every time new material is received, moved or disposed can meet the requirement.”

Other federal agencies have addressed chemical facility safety, but not security. The CFATS rule establishes risk-based performance standards for the security of chemical facilities nationwide. Those sites must develop and implement site security plans to manage the secure receipt, storage, distribution and disposal of certain chemicals on site in accordance with the standard’s requirements.

While most of the Chemicals of Interest are specified in relatively large quantities, some must be managed and reported if they are on site in any amount. “This is why it’s important for organizations to investigate the requirements of the standard,” states Stafford. “Many of the more than 300 chemicals on the DHS’ Chemicals of Interest list – such as sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide – can be found in just about every lab there is. So just about any facility, any lab, any production site that uses chemicals will need new security and reporting processes. No one is exempt – including government facilities and universities – and noncompliance won’t be tolerated. It makes sense to err on the side of caution and ensure that your site is in compliance.”

Available now, the new function is resident in ChemSW's CISPro Global and CISPro Live chemical inventory systems. There is no cost for the capability beyond the cost to upgrade to those solutions.

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About ChemSW

Founded over a decade ago, ChemSW is a leading provider of chemical and biochemical inventory management systems, MSDS systems and other chemistry laboratory software and services. ChemSW's wide range of products streamline laboratory processes and reduce chemical purchasing and disposal costs. ChemSW supports over 15,000 customers in more than 40 countries throughout the world.

If you would like more information, please feel free to contact us at info@chemsw.com or call us at 707-864-0845.

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