Assessment of Chemical Inventory Management and Hazardous Materials Handling Practices at Textile Mills in Kano State

Textile manufacturing in Kano State, North West Nigeria, historically the nation's foremost textile hub, involves extensive use of hazardous dyes, fixatives, bleaching agents, and solvents, yet chemical inventory management practices at surviving mills remain unaudited in recent literature. This study evaluates chemical inventory management and hazardous materials handling practices at six operational textile mills in the Challawa and Sharada Industrial Estates against the requirements of the Nigerian Chemical Handling and Management Regulation 2021 and the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. Data were collected using structured operational audits, chemical inventory checklists, and interviews with production and safety managers. All six mills maintained incomplete chemical inventories lacking safety data sheet documentation for 31 to 58% of chemicals in use. Segregation of incompatible chemicals was inadequate at four mills, presenting fire and toxic exposure risks. Secondary containment for bulk liquid chemicals was absent at all facilities audited. Emergency spill response plans were not current or accessible at five mills. Worker training records indicated that only 24% of chemical handlers had received structured hazardous materials training in the previous two years. The study recommends an industry-wide capacity building programme facilitated by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and Kano State Environmental Planning and Protection Agency, prioritising chemical inventory digitalisation, secondary containment retrofitting, and emergency response planning. Keywords: chemical inventory, hazardous materials, textile mills, Kano State, GHS compliance