VSU
Industry and contractors
In some regional and remote areas, volatile substance products are commonly accessed from industrial work sites, rubbish tips, or from the back of work vehicles. Therefore, industry and contractors may be an unintended source of supply and can also play a role in preventing misuse by limiting opportunities for volatile substances to be obtained for the purpose of intoxication.
Industry and contractors can contribute to the prevention of volatile substance use (VSU) by becoming aware of the issues and ensuring their volatile substance products are securely stored, transported, disposed of and accounted for.
Industry/contractors strategy
To raise industry awareness of the issue of VSU, a Volatile Substance Use Industry Information kit was developed to inform and support industry and contractors to use, store, transport and dispose of volatile substances in a responsible way.
The Industry Information Kit aims to assist industry stakeholders to:
- identify products that may be misused
identify potential users and those who may supply to users
- use, store, transport and dispose of products in a way that makes them less accessible to those who may want to misuse them
The Industry Information kit contains a Code of Conduct, an information booklet, signs to be displayed on premises and an information leaflet for contractors.
The information booklet provides industry stakeholders with information about the issue of VSU; the responsible use, storage, transportation and disposal of volatile substance products; suggested actions that industry can implement; and important contacts for further information and support.
For a copy of the kit, see the Resources page of this website.
The Volatile Substances Code of Conduct, which can be found in the Industry Information kit, asks industry to:
Use
- All volatile substance products to be used in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications.
- Where practicable, use alternative non-solvent based products and aerosols with alternative propellants.
- Ensure accurate inventory of products is undertaken.
Store
- All volatile substance products to be securely stored i.e. not visible or obtainable by the general public.
- Ensure these products are accessible to authorised personnel only.
Transport
- All volatile substance products to be securely transported and not visible to the general public while vehicle is unattended (when not at secure worksite).
Dispose
- All volatile substance products to be disposed of at secure sites not accessible to the general public.
- Ensure accurate inventory of products is undertaken.
Review
- Storage, transportation and disposal practices of all volatile substance products to be reviewed annually.
Information and support
For more information about how you can support the role of industry in preventing the misuse of volatile substances in the community, contact the Volatile Substances Program at the Mental Health Commission or see the Regional response page of this website for any VSU strategies in your area.
Page last updated18 July 2025