China SAWS issues the revised Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals (2015)

The State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) of China has finally published its revised Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals (2015 version) on its website. The new Catalogue includes 2,828 entries covering more than 2,800 hazardous substances and some mixtures. Some entries are generic entries representing a group of substances with similar hazards. The Catalogue will be effective from 1 May 2015.

In the article below, we have analyzed the main changes and impacts of the new Chinese Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals:
http://www.chemsafetypro.com/Topics/China/China_Catalogue_of_Hazardous_Chemicals.html

It shall be noted that not every hazardous chemical is treated the same in the Catalogue. Some hazardous chemicals in the Catalogue are subject to additional registration and reporting requirements.

• New Substances
• Hazardous Chemicals
• Highly Toxic Chemicals
• Explosives Precursors
• Priority Hazardous Chemicals for Environmental Management
• Toxic Chemicals Restricted from Export/Import
• Drug Precursor Chemicals
• Chemical Weapons Precursors

- See more at: http://www.chemsafetypro.com/Topics/China/chemical_regulations.html

Thailand Chemical Inventory Notification Starts - March 2015

On 19 Feb 2015, the Ministry of Industry in Thailand published its new regulation B.E. 2558 on the notification of the production and import of hazardous substances in Government gazette. The regulation comes into force immediately on the same day.

The main purpose of this regulation is to build a national inventory of hazardous chemicals in Thailand. Manufacturers and importers of hazardous substances exceeding 1 ton per year are now required to notify their hazardous substances to the Department of Industrial Works (DIW) via DIW's online system. The notification shall be submitted within 60 days from the date of manufacture or importation (only once). This notification is also called Thailand Chemical Inventory Notification.

More info: http://www.chemsafetypro.com/Topics/Thailand/Thailand_Hazardous_Substance_Act.html

What is New in Canada WHMIS 2015?

On 11 Feb 2015, Canada finally published its long-awaited Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) which modified its Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) to incorporate the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) for workplace chemicals.

Manufacturers or importers will be required to classify and label hazardous chemicals in accordance with the new GHS-based hazard communication system (called WHMIS 2015) from 1 June 2017. In this article, we have analyzed chemical classification, labelling and SDS requirements in WHIMS 2015 and compared it with OSHA's Hazard Communication Standards (HCS 2012) in the United States.

Transitional Periods of WHMIS 2015/Canada GHS

GHS will be implemented in Canada in three phases. Different deadlines apply to manufacturers/importers, distributors and employers. The picture below summarizes the transitional period for the implementation of WHMIS 2015.

 If you are new to GHS, please also read the following basic GHS topics:

Introduction to GHS

GHS Hazard Class and Hazard Category

GHS Signal Word

GHS Pictogram

GHS Hazard Statement

GHS Precautionary Statement

GHS Label Element

GHS Safety Data Sheet

UN GHS Purple Book