Source: Joel Makower, Chairman & Executive Editor
A new ruling by the U.S. and other national governments is roiling the arcane world of “Material Safety Data Sheets,” mandatory documents designed to provide workers and emergency personnel with procedures for handling or working with that substance in a safe manner.
A United Nations protocol, the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals has been created to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries by using consistent criteria for classification and labeling on a global level.
That means chemical manufacturers around the world are being asked to overhaul tens of thousands of safety data sheets, or SDSs (the word “material” was dropped), to conform. This is no small thing: The global chemical business is more than a $1.7 trillion per year enterprise.
In March, the U.S published its final rule for complying with the global guidelines. It requires product manufacturers to adopt the standard by June 1, 2015, and product distributors to adopt the standard by December 1 of that year. Workers must be trained by December 1, 2013.
Next week, on September 5, we’ll be hosting a webcast. that shows how two manufacturers, Dow Corning and Champion Technologies, are responding. Join my colleague John Davies, as he explores the challenges, and solutions, that are being faced by thousands of companies. It’s free; registration required.