Hazardous substances register in Germany: required details, template and updates
Which details belong in the hazardous substances register, how do safety data sheets relate to it and how often must it be checked? An overview with template and checklist.
Last updated on 7 min readAMS Go editorial team
Key points at a glance
- Anyone whose employees work with hazardous substances must keep a hazardous substances register (Gefahrstoffverzeichnis) under Section 6 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV).
- Required details are the name, classification or hazardous properties, quantity ranges and the work areas concerned – with a reference to the safety data sheet.
- The register must be updated after significant changes and reviewed at least once a year.
- The safety data sheet provides most of the details – and is the basis for the risk assessment and operating instructions.
What is a hazardous substances register?
The hazardous substances register is an overview of all hazardous substances used in the company – from cleaning agents, paints and adhesives to oils, gases and process chemicals. It shows at a glance which substances are used where and in what quantities, and what hazards they pose.
This makes the register more than a mandatory list: it is the starting point for the risk assessment, operating instructions and safety instruction – and an important source of information for first aiders and the fire brigade in an emergency.
Who has to keep a hazardous substances register?
The duty follows from Section 6 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance (Gefahrstoffverordnung, GefStoffV) and applies to every employer whose employees carry out work with hazardous substances – regardless of company size. This concerns not only chemical companies but equally workshops, skilled trades, warehouses, cleaning services and laboratories.
Exempt are activities that, according to the risk assessment, only lead to a low hazard – such as the usual use of household cleaners in small quantities. This assessment, however, must itself be justified in the risk assessment.
Required details in the hazardous substances register
The Hazardous Substances Ordinance requires a reference to the relevant safety data sheet and at least the following details:
Name of the hazardous substance
ExampleTrade name, e.g. “Brake cleaner XY”
Classification or hazardous properties
ExampleH statements and pictograms, e.g. H225 “Highly flammable liquid and vapour”
Quantity range in the company
Examplee.g. up to 10 litres, 10 to 100 litres
Work areas with possible exposure
Examplee.g. workshop, maintenance, warehouse
In practice, additional columns are worthwhile even though they are not mandatory:
- Manufacturer or supplier
- Date or version of the safety data sheet
- Storage location
- Associated operating instructions
- Note on the substitution assessment, i.e. whether a less hazardous alternative exists
The safety data sheet as the basis
Most details for the register are in the safety data sheet (Sicherheitsdatenblatt). Suppliers must provide it free of charge for hazardous substances and mixtures. Under the EU chemicals regulation REACH it is divided into 16 sections. For occupational safety in the company, these are the most important:
Section 1
ContentIdentification and supplier
Used forHazardous substances register
Section 2
ContentHazards, classification, pictograms
Used forRegister, operating instructions
Section 4
ContentFirst-aid measures
Used forOperating instructions, emergencies
Section 5 and 6
ContentFirefighting, accidental release
Used forWhat to do in an emergency
Section 7
ContentHandling and storage
Used forStorage, protective measures
Section 8
ContentExposure controls, personal protective equipment
Used forRisk assessment, PPE
Section 13
ContentDisposal considerations
Used forOperating instructions
Manufacturers revise safety data sheets regularly. Check whether the version on file is current – at the latest with every new delivery.
Creating a hazardous substances register step by step
- 1
Record the inventory
Go through all areas – workshop, warehouse, cleaning rooms, laboratory, office – and record every product with a hazard pictogram.
- 2
Obtain safety data sheets
Request the current safety data sheet for each product from the supplier or download it from their website.
- 3
Transfer the details
Enter the name, classification, quantity range and work areas in the register and refer to the safety data sheet.
- 4
Remove what is no longer needed
Dispose of substances that are no longer needed properly and check whether hazardous products can be replaced by less hazardous ones.
- 5
Link to the risk assessment and operating instructions
Extend the risk assessment for work with the recorded substances and create operating instructions.
- 6
Keep it up to date
Add new substances immediately, remove discontinued ones and review the register regularly.
How often must the hazardous substances register be updated?
The register must be updated after significant changes and reviewed at least once a year. Significant changes include new products, a change of supplier, changed quantities or new work areas.
The register must be accessible to all employees concerned and their representatives. A digital register linked to the safety data sheets, which can also be accessed on mobile devices at the workplace, has proven its worth.
Checklist: hazardous substances register
- All areas were checked for hazardous substances – including cleaning agents and consumables
- A current safety data sheet is available for every substance
- Name, classification, quantity range and work areas are recorded
- Every entry refers to the associated safety data sheet
- Substances no longer needed were disposed of, substitutes checked
- Risk assessment and operating instructions are up to date
- The register is accessible to all employees
- A date for the annual review is set
Free templates for this guide
As PDF and Excel, no sign-up – free to use in your own company.
Frequently asked questions
Is a hazardous substances register mandatory?
Yes, for every employer whose employees work with hazardous substances (Section 6 GefStoffV). Only activities that lead to a low hazard according to the risk assessment are exempt.
What details must the hazardous substances register contain?
At least the name of the hazardous substance, its classification or hazardous properties, the quantity ranges used in the company, the work areas with possible exposure and a reference to the safety data sheet.
How often must the register be reviewed?
After significant changes such as new products or changed quantities, it must be updated immediately. In addition, it must be reviewed at least once a year.
Does the register have to be on paper?
No. The form is not prescribed. What matters is that the register is up to date and that the employees concerned can access it at any time – a digital register meets this requirement.
Can software read safety data sheets automatically?
Yes. In AMS Go, the AI extracts the relevant details from the safety data sheet and transfers them to the hazardous substances register with a source reference – saving retyping and reducing transfer errors.
Terms from the glossary
- Explosion protection document (Explosionsschutzdokument)
- GHS / CLP labelling
- Hazardous substance (Gefahrstoff)
- Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV)
- Hazardous substances register (Gefahrstoffverzeichnis)
- Safety data sheet (SDS)
- Storage class (Lagerklasse, LGK)
- Substitution assessment (Substitutionsprüfung)
This guide gives a general overview of German occupational safety law and does not replace legal advice. The regulations in force and the rules of the statutory accident insurance institutions are authoritative.
Organise occupational safety digitally
With the occupational safety software AMS Go you handle risk assessments, safety instructions, inspections and more in one system – mobile and with AI support.
