Licensable quantities
The Licensing and exemptions for storage and handling: Guidance note has been prepared to assist people wishing to store, handle or process dangerous goods in Western Australia to determine whether licensing applies and, if so, the information required for the licensing process.
Unless otherwise exempted, a place must be licensed if dangerous goods are stored or handled at the site in quantities that exceed the manifest quantities.
Calculating quantity of dangerous goods
All dangerous goods present, including those in packages, bulk storage, process vessels, pipelines and equipment, must be taken into account when calculating the quantity of dangerous goods on a site. The calculation used to determine the quantity depends on the type of dangerous goods and how they are contained. Appendix 4 of the guidance note provides information on how to determine the quantities of dangerous goods on a site.
When is licensing not required?
Multiple sub-manifest quantity storages
Licensing is not required, despite having quantities of dangerous goods in excess of the manifest quantity, if:
- the dangerous goods are stored in more than one area on the site
- the quantity of dangerous goods stored in each area is less than the manifest quantity
- each area is located outdoors or in a separate building dedicated to storage or handling of the dangerous goods
- each such area is separated from every other such area by a distance sufficient to ensure that a dangerous goods incident in one area cannot cause a dangerous goods incident in another area.
Storage for up to six months of up to three times the manifest quantity
Licensing is not required, despite having quantities of dangerous goods in excess of the manifest quantity, if:
- dangerous goods are stored or handled at the site for not more than six months
- dangerous goods are not manufactured or processed at the site
- the quantity of dangerous goods does not exceed three times the manifest quantity
- the site is not a major hazard facility
- the operator of the site has undertaken a risk assessment
- the operator of the site has notified the Chief Officer of the intention to store or handle the dangerous goods at the site; and the operator of the site complies with any directions given by the Chief Officer in relation to the storage and handling of the dangerous goods. See temporary storage or handling of dangerous below.
Rural dangerous goods locations
A rural dangerous goods location is defined as a location:
- that is outside the metropolitan region, as defined in the Planning and Development Act 2005 section 4(1)
- is outside a town site, as defined in the Land Administration Act 1997 section 3(1)
- that is one or more lots, as defined in the Planning and Development Act 2005 section 4(1), and that are adjoining
- that is 5 hectares or more
- where the dangerous goods used for used for agricultural, aquacultural, floricultural, horticultural, or pastoral purposes are stored or handled but not supplied to others.
Although these locations are not required to be licensed, storage and handling in these locations must comply with relevant requirements in the Storage and Handling Regulations.
Temporary storage or handling of dangerous goods
Under some circumstances, the operator of a site not normally subject to licensing may need to notify the Chief Dangerous Goods Officer if:
- the operator intends to store or handle less than three times the manifest quantity of dangerous goods for no more than six months
- the site is not, or would not be, classified as a major hazard facility
- the site is not currently licensed as a dangerous goods site.
The Notification of temporary storage or handling of dangerous goods: Form should be completed by the operator of a dangerous goods site.
Resources and guidance
- Licensing and exemptions for storage and handling: Guidance note
This guidance note will assist people wishing to store, handle or process dangerous goods in Western Australia to determine whether licensing applies and, if so, what information is required for the licensing process. - Overview of storage and handling regulations: Information sheet
This document is for guidance only and the definitive statutory requirements are contained in the Dangerous Goods Safety (Storage and Handling of Non-Explosives) Regulations 2007 (the Storage and Handling Regulations). - Notification of temporary storage or handling of dangerous goods: Form
This form should be completed by the operator of a dangerous goods site if the operator intends to store or handle less than 3 times the manifest quantity of dangerous goods for no more than 6 months.