POISONS AND THERAPEUTIC GOODS REGULATION 2008 - REG 76
Storage in pharmacies
POISONS AND THERAPEUTIC GOODS REGULATION 2008 - REG 76
Storage in pharmacies
76 Storage in pharmacies
(1) The pharmacist for the time being in charge of
a pharmacy must keep any drug of addiction stored apart from other substances
or goods (other than cash or documents) in a separate safe.
(2) Unless
otherwise approved for the time being by the Secretary, such a safe must
comply with the following requirements--
(a) it must be made of black mild
steel plate at least 9 millimetres thick with continuous welding along all
edges,
(b) it must be fitted with a door made of mild steel plate at least 9
millimetres thick, the door being flush fitting with a clearance around the
door of not more than 1.5 millimetres,
(c) it must have a fixed locking bar,
welded to the inside face of the door near the hinged edge, that engages in a
rebate in the safe body when the door is closed,
(d) it must be fitted with a
five lever key lock (or a locking mechanism providing at least equivalent
security) securely fixed to the rear face of the door,
(e) if mounted on a
brick or concrete wall or floor, it must be attached to the wall or floor by
means of suitably sized expanding bolts through holes 9 millimetres in
diameter drilled in the rear or bottom of the safe,
(f) if mounted on a
timber framed wall or floor, it must be attached to the wall or floor frame by
means of suitably sized coach screws through holes 9 millimetres in diameter
drilled in the rear or bottom of the safe,
(g) if mounted on any other kind
of wall or floor, it must be attached to the wall or floor in a manner
approved for the time being by the Secretary.
(3) The pharmacist must ensure
that--
(a) the safe is kept securely locked when not in immediate use, and
(b) any key or other device by means of which the safe may be unlocked--
(i)
is kept on the person of a pharmacist whenever it is on the same premises as
the safe, and is removed from the premises whenever there is no pharmacist at
those premises, or
(ii) is kept in a separately locked safe to which only a
pharmacist has access, and
(c) any code or combination that is required to
unlock the safe is not divulged to any unauthorised person.
(3A) Despite
subclause (1), a drug of addiction that requires refrigeration may be kept in
a refrigerator rather than a safe if all of the following requirements are
met--
(a) the refrigerator must be in a
"room" (which includes a part of a room or an enclosure) to which the public
does not have access,
(b) the refrigerator, or any cupboard or receptacle in
which the refrigerator is kept, must be securely attached to a part of the
premises,
(c) the refrigerator, or the room, cupboard or receptacle in which
the refrigerator is kept, must be kept securely locked when not in immediate
use,
(d) a device (including a key) that is used to securely lock anything
under this subclause must--
(i) be kept on the person of a pharmacist who is
at the premises, or
(ii) be securely locked in a safe that can be unlocked
only by a pharmacist,
(e) a code or combination that is used to securely lock
anything under this subclause must not be disclosed to any person who is not a
pharmacist,
(f) the refrigerator must not be used to store any other item
that is not a substance listed in Schedule 2, 3, 4 or 8 of the Poisons List or
is not a therapeutic good.
(4) This clause applies to a hospital pharmacy as
well as to a retail pharmacy.
