Enhancing Management of Time-Sensitive Chemicals in Higher Education: A Proactive Approach to Safety and Risk Reduction

Time-sensitive chemicals are substances that can develop an explosion hazard when stored for prolonged periods. If not properly managed, they may deteriorate to create unknown hazardous conditions, increasing the risk of fires and explosions. When these chemicals are found under such unsafe conditions, they can no longer be handled safely by lab personnel and are outside the scope of general hazardous material disposal. Their removal requires costly, specialized contractors or high-profile interventions involving fire departments and police services. After a near-miss incident, the UCalgary EHS Lab Safety team prioritized revising the Lab Safety Program to focus on proactively managing time-sensitive chemicals. Key elements of the approach include increased awareness and education, improved guidance and resources, response processes to unsafe items, targeted risk-reduction initiatives, program sustainment, and continuous improvement. By sharing UCalgary’s approach, along with key challenges and lessons learned from campus-wide initiatives, near-miss incidents, and both planned and unplanned specialized contractor disposal events, we hope to support higher education institutions in strengthening their time-sensitive chemical management program.