MSDS Software Compliance with GHS and REACH
Material safety data sheet is a safety data sheet that is provided to a chemical manufacturer or distributor that has all the information about hazardous chemicals written down on them. It provides health and safety information about products that are classified as hazardous. These sheets help in making risk assessment as required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH). GHS is the Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. This was given by the UN where it classifies and defines the hazards of chemical products and communicates health and safety measures. Only countries that have adopted GHS are eligible to call it Safety Data Sheet (SDS). A GHS SDS is required when a substance or mixture meets the criteria of the GHS classification criteria. There are 16 sections in the GHS safety data sheet. More information about it can be found on the EuPhrac site. In case of REACH, the Annex II of EU Regulation has mandated what information should/should not be included in the MSDS. For substances that are sold in quantities of more than 10 tons per year and are classified as dangerous, Exposure Scenarios describing how a substance can be safely handled to control exposures to both human health and the environment shall be appendixes to SDS, forming extended safety data sheets (eSDS). This new SDS/eSDS is known as “REACH SDS”. It is necessary to supply the customers with the new REACH SDS mandate before the supply of the chemicals but only hazardous ones. It is not required for the non-hazardous ones. There are some major changes that have been made with regard to the new REACH SDS. They are mentioned below: Section 1: Identification of substance or mixture and company: i. Registration No. is required (when available); ii. Identified uses of the substance/mixture is added; iii. E-mail address of competent person is needed; Section 2: Hazards identification: i. Distinguish between mixtures that are and are not hazardous; ii. Mention other hazards that do not result in classification (e.g., dustiness, ozone depletion); iii. Classification as in Title V CLP and DSD Section 15: Regulatory information: i. Indicate if CSA has been carried out; ii. Indicate if substance subject to authorization/restriction; Listed above is some information on the new REACH and GHS MSDS rules. For further information about GHS and REACH contact our team at ComplianceXL and be compliant as applicable.
GHS Revision 8 and Major Changes
The UN Economic Commission for Europe has published 8th revised edition of GHS . The electronic version is still not released and is expected to release by end of September 2019. The major changes in the new version are New classification criteria for Chemical under pressure & aerosols New Hazard category A new annex on dust explosion hazards Added Precautionary pictogram Revised precautionary statements New provisions for the use of in vitro/ex vivodata and non-test methods to assess skin corrosion and skin irritation New labelling examples for sets or kits Editorial revision of Sections 2 and 3 of Annex 3 Major changes are summarized below: 1. Classification criteria change for aerosols According to table 2.3.1, aerosols are to be classified in one of the three categories and it will be based on: their flammable properties their heat of combustion if applicable, test results from the ignition distance test, the enclosed space ignition test and the aerosol foam flammability test, performed in accordance with subsections 31.4, 31.5 and 31.6 of the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Manual of Tests and Criteria Listed below are the new aerosol classification criteria Category 1: Any aerosol that contains ≥ 85% flammable components (by mass) and has a heat of combustion of ≥ 30 kJ/g or Any aerosol that dispenses a spray that, in the ignition distance test, has an ignition distance of ≥ 75cm or Any aerosol that dispenses a foam that, in the foam flammability test, has: a heat of combustion of ≥ 20cm and a flame duration of ≥ 2 seconds a flame height of ≥ 4cm and a flame duration of ≥ 7 seconds Category 2: Any aerosol that dispenses a foam that, based on the results of the aerosol foam flammability test, does not meet the criteria for Category 1, and which has a flame height of ≥ 4cm and a flame duration of ≥ 2 seconds or Any aerosol that dispenses a spray that, based on the results of the ignition distance test, does not meet the criteria for Category 1 and which has: a heat of combustion of ≥ 20 kJ/g a heat combustion of < 20 kJ/g and an ignition distance of ≥ 15 cm 2. a heat of combustion of < 20 kJ/g and an ignition distance of < 15cm along with either, in the enclosed space ignition test: a time equivalent of ≤ 300 s/m3 a deflagration density of ≤ 300 g/m3 Category 3: Any aerosol that contains ≤ 1% flammable components (by mass) and that has a heat of combustion of < 20 kJ/g or Any aerosol that contains > 1% (by mass) flammable components or which has a heat of combustion of ≥ 20 kJ/g but which, based on the results of the ignition distance test, the enclosed space ignition test or the aerosol foam flammability test, does not meet the criteria for Category 1 or Category 2. 3. New Hazard category: Chemical under pressure Chemicals under pressure are liquids or solid substances/mixtures, pressurized with a gas at a pressure of 200kPa (gauge) or more at 20 o C in a pressure receptacle other than aerosol dispensers and which are not classified as gases under pressure. Below listed are the classification criteria for chemicals under pressure. Category 1: Any chemical under pressure that contains > 85% flammable components(by mass) and has a heat of combustion of > 20 kJ/g. Category 2: Any chemical under pressure that; 4. contains >1% flammable components (by mass) and has a heat of combustion <20kJ/g or that; 5. contains <85% flammable component (by mass) and has a heat of combustion of <20kJ/g. Hazard statements and pictograms for chemicals under pressure are listed as below. Hazard category Symbol Signal word Hazard statement Symbol 1 Flame & gas cylinder Danger Extremely flammable chemical under pressure. May explode if heated. 2 Flame & gas cylinder Warning Flammable chemical under pressure. May explode if heated. 3 Gas cylinder Warning Chemical under pressure. May explode if heated. 6. New Precautionary Pictograms for “Keep out of Reach of Children” The following pictograms from AISE and JSDA to convey precautionary statement “Keep out of reach of children”. 7. New Labeling Example for Sets or Kits A new example for labelling sets or kit is provided in example 10 appended to Annex7.Small removable inner containers are present in a kit/set. Inner container label The following minimum information mustbe included on the label of each hazardous substance or mixture. Product identifier, and an identifier for each substance or mixture matching the identifier used on the outer packaging label and SDS for that substance or mixture, eg “Reagent 1” and “Reagent 2”. Pictogram(s). Signal word. The statement “Read full label”. Supplier identification (ie name and telephone number). Outer packaging label In addition to the kit identifier, all the required GHS label elements must appear on the outer packaging for each hazard mixture/substance. 8. Dust explosion hazard -A new Annex Annex 11 – Guidance on Other Hazards Not Resulting inClassification, will provide guidance on the identification of dust explosion hazard and need for assessment of risk, prevention, and hazard communication. 9. Minor changes – with regards to precautionary statements for skin irritation and serious eye damage Skin corrosion/irritation- classification to be mentioned as category 1,if the available data is limited & subcategories 1A, 1B or 1C cannot be assigned or as per the competent authority requirement (3.2.2.1.1.2). Serious eye damage/eye irritation-classification category to be mentioned as 2, where the available data is not enough for further categorization, or where the competent authority does not require categorization into 2A or 2B (3.3.2.1.2.1).