Tier II report

The point of the Tier II report is to help firefighters and emergency planners know what is behind the door before they arrive. A fire chief who knows that a warehouse holds large amounts of oxidizers, flammable liquids or toxic gases can plan the response, set evacuation distances and choose tactics.

Facilities that must keep an SDS under the OSHA HazCom standard and that store a hazardous chemical above a reporting threshold must file. Thresholds are different for ordinary hazardous chemicals and for extremely hazardous substances, where much lower amounts can trigger reporting. States may add their own forms, fees or electronic systems.

The report typically lists each chemical, its hazard categories, the maximum and average amounts on site over the year, and where and how it is stored. Location information is often shown on a site plan so that responders can find containers quickly.

Tier II is not the same as the Toxics Release Inventory. Tier II describes storage, while TRI describes releases and waste management. Both come from EPCRA, and a large facility may file both.

Because the report reflects the previous calendar year, good records of inventory, purchasing and storage locations during the year make completion much easier.