Important Changes to Hazardous Substances Labelling
Important Changes to Hazardous Substances Labelling
As from 1st June 2015, changes been made to the statutory regimes that provide you with information on the hazards of substances and mixtures you purchase.
These changes will affect the classifications, labels and safety data sheets for your substances used at your site. This will have knock-on effects on our arrangements for Risk Assessments of hazardous substances (which we refer to as “COSHH assessments”).
The Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2009, commonly referred to as “CHIP”, implemented EC Directives concerning classification and labelling of substances and preparations. CHIP aimed to ensure that your suppliers provide you with clear and concise information on hazards of substances and preparations.
It is CHIP that led to products carrying the amber-coloured hazard symbols which have become so familiar:
- These symbols were assigned according to the product’s hazard classification under CHIP.
- The classification also led to products being assigned risk and safety phrases which are printed on product labels and in safety data sheets.
The New Requirements from 1st June 2015
The new EC Regulation now deals with classification and labelling of hazardous chemicals:
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 On Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures is now called “CLP”. This will bring the EC regulations in line with most of the rest of the world regarding chemical hazard classification symbols.
The way ‘CLP’ works is very similar to ‘CHIP’. The chemical is classified in much the same way, on the basis of the classification hazard symbol is assigned, but the appearance of the symbols are different.
For further information from the HSE, please click here