Persons with responsibility for the management of research laboratories, etc. are required to strictly adhere to various rules relating to chemical substances, and also to ensure the safety of their students and faculty members. To this end, responsible persons must instruct those under their supervision to conduct the risk assessment (hazard evaluation), manage chemical substances using the Chemical Management Support System, and carry out risk assessments for substances subject to working environment monitoring. In addition, if students are to conduct experiments, the responsible persons must provide them with safety education, including education on methods for implementing chemical management and risk assessment.

○Handling of chemical substances

When handling chemical substances, you must comply with the Kyushu University Regulations on Chemical Substance Management, the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act, and other applicable laws. Some departments have their own internal rules concerning chemical substances, so you must also comply with these without fail. The specific provisions of these internal rules differ between each school, institute and faculty; please contact the coordinating department at the relevant Administrative Office for further details.

○Risk assessment of chemical substances

Due to the amendment of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, it has been mandatory to conduct risk assessment on certain hazardous chemicals since June 1, 2016. A risk assessment identifies the risks and harmful effects of chemicals and drug products and estimates the level of risk of hazards and health problems for workers. This allows for the consideration of measures to reduce such risks. As of April 1, 2026, approximately 2,300 substances have been designated as subject to risk assessment, and this number is scheduled to expand to approximately 2,900 substances in the future. In addition, please display the SDS and risk assessment results in a place that can be readily seen in your laboratory.

○Chemical Management Support System

All chemical substances on the University premises are managed by the Chemical Management Support System. When a department starts using chemical substances, request a reference number for laboratories through the administration of the department to the Center of Environment and Safety. Then, you can access the system using the reference number as a login ID. URL: https://chem.ofc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/iasor7/fw/FW0000/ Certain specified chemical substances, such as poisonous and deleterious substances, must be recorded each time they are used— including the quantity used and the name of the user— in accordance with relevant control laws and the University’s regulations. The reference number for laboratories can also be used as a registration number for chemical substance surveys and waste liquid processing requests.

○Management of pressurized gases

The High Pressure Gas Safety Act requires regulation of the manufacturing, storage and consumption of pressurized gases. Any experiments or research involving the extraction of pressurized gas from a cylinder at direct pressure of 1MPa or above, for example, are subject to the terms of the High-Pressure Gas Safety Act, which requires the submission of registration documents to the supervisory administrative agency. Please check the pressure of any gases you use in experimentation. In addition to this, experiments must be conducted safely and in consideration of the following seven points. (1) Full knowledge of the properties of the gas in use (2) Prevent leakage (3) Be aware of the pressure of pressurized gases (4) Open/close valves slowly (5) Do not use gas for any other purposes (6) Only use containers etc. (7) Keeping records of the usage

Furthermore, not only the manufacturer but also the consumer is responsible for the management of pressurized gas containers. It needs to be reported to the Governor of the prefecture if a disaster happens, if it went missing or if it was stolen.

The person who handles pressurized gas is required to manage it carefully.

The “pressurized gas container management policy“ of Fukuoka prefecture has been in effect since February 1st, 2017. According to this policy, Kyushu University is promoting the return of containers after one year in principle (maximum within five years).

○Measurement of working environment

The Industrial Safety and Health Act stipulates that research laboratories handling substances subject to workplace environmental monitoring (such as organic solvents, designated chemical substances, and dust) must conduct work environment measurements every six months.

At our university, workplace environmental measurement specialists from the Environmental Safety Center are in charge. Please submit a request for their assistance.

○Management of chemical waste

Waste generated from experiments and similar activities may be contaminated with chemicals and other substances, and must be properly disposed of. For more details, please refer to "Waste Disposal Guidelines." Please ensure that no substances that could be harmful, even in small amounts, are disposed of down the drain. We test wastewater quality on an ongoing basis, and implement investigations to establish the cause in any case where standard values are exceeded.

○Proper management of mercury and mercury compounds

Because the “Minamata Convention on Mercury” was issued on August 16, 2017, the “Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury” (Prevention Law of Pollution of Mercury) and the revision of related laws and regulations have came into force. These laws enforce regulations regarding the production, transportation, usage, and disposal of mercury products. It is an obligation to store mercury and mercury compounds following policies set by the nation, to report the amount of mercury stockpiled and transported from previous years, and to properly dispose of equipment containing mercury. It is necessary to properly manage mercury and mercury compounds by registering them with the Chemical management support system as well as by being aware of the stockpile and amount used. The amount of equipment owned that contains mercury, such as thermometers, its usage and storage location need to be managed properly.

• Note:
• 　Regarding chemical materials, please be aware that regulations may change as laws and regulations are updated.
  Additionally, the following items require separate management based on regulations, separately from general chemicals.
•     ・Narcotic and psychotropic substances
  ・Nuclear fuel material
  ・Pesticide that has been banned
  ・Designated toxic substance

Regarding the proper management of general (tax-exempt) alcohol.

Regarding the handling of general (tax-exempt) alcohol, the Alcohol Business Act stipulates its usage and management, and it is necessary to comply with these regulations.
When wishing to use it for the first time, a prior application for permission and approval from the Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry are required through the relevant department's administrative office.
The use of general (tax-exempt) alcohol requires recording each use in the alcohol usage log and submitting a report to the same bureau at the end of the academic year. Strict management is required for both usage and storage.
Additionally, in laboratories where usage has already been approved, any changes such as modifications to the research theme, changes in the location of use, discontinuation of use, or any other minor changes from the original application will also require an application and notification each time.
In this regard, please submit the application form and notification form to the relevant department's administrative office.