Sept 9 – Global: Lots of GHS Progress Happening This Year

From: Occupational Health and Safety

The 20th meeting of the UNECE Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, also known as GHS, will take place Dec. 7-9, 2010, in Geneva. While a detailed agenda has not yet been completed, the preliminary agenda indicates a U.S. expert may present an analysis requested by the sub-committee in mid-2009 of practices and regulations in place for combustible dust.

Dec. 1, 2010, is also significant because it is the first of two phase-in implementation deadlines  for REACH and the date when companies in the European Union must apply CLP, the new European Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging, to chemical substances.

At the Geneva meeting, Australia is scheduled to present a final report summarizing the GHS classification lists maintained by each country, their plans for lists to support GHS implementation, how various sectors in different countries use classification lists now, and what future needs there are for such lists.

We will keep you informed of any regulatory changes regarding the upcoming implementation of GHS.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: REACH compliance, GHS SDS authoring, SDS authoring