As of 1 June 2015, new legislation has come into force for manufacturers, users, importers and distributors of chemical products and provides for the standardization of chemical safety data sheets with pre-established labels and pictograms.
New CE regulations for Safety Data Sheets
The CLP regulation n. 1272/2008 (for “Classification, Labelling and Packaging”) is a European Union regulation from 2008, which aligns the EU system of classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures to the Globally Harmonised System (GHS).
The regulation came into force in January 2009. Manufacturers and importers had already pre-registered more than 140,000 substances with the European Chemicals Agency under the REACH Regulation. They had until 1 December 2010 to propose “provisional classifications” for these substances, which have been used for the labelling of pure substances since that date. The deadline for classifying mixtures was 31 May 2015. The deadline for re-labelling and re-packaging of products already on the market was two years later: 1 June 2017.
This means that as from July 2017 the regulation applicable for classifying, labelling and packaging chemical substances is the current version of the CPL regulation which harmonises the GHS and UN regulations and is applicable world-wide.
Products that had been placed on the market before June 2015, bearing SDS issued to old regulations and still on the market, are to be disposed of by 31 May 2017.
Safety data sheets for plant protection products
Plant protection products are used for the protection and conservation of plants and, depending on the product chosen, protection against various harmful organisms is ensured by preventing or eliminating any parasites which could damage them. As previously mentioned, all plant protection products must have updated safety data sheets based on harmonized signal words and symbols as from 1 June 2015 with the entry into force of the EC regulation CLP 1272/2008. The purpose of the safety data sheet which accompanies each product is to transmit information concerning the product itself and, in particular, its content, danger level and handling instructions. The first part of the new SDS, provides information regarding the physical properties of a chemical through the use of unique signal words and pictograms. The second part provides information regarding the toxicity of the product where the acronyms used are:
- T: toxic products;
- T+: very toxic pesticides;
- Xn: harmful;
- Xi: irritant;
- F: flammable;
- N: Not classified.
The third part contains “hazard statements” which describe the hazard or risk posed by the product in an unambiguous manner, for example:
- in contact with water releases toxic and extremely flammable gases;
- causes serious eye irritation.
This is a very wide-ranging classification of the hazards workers face when using certain products. The fourth part contains “precautionary statements” such as:
- keep away from heat/sparks/open flames/hot surfaces -No smoking;
- keep locked up;
- Avoid contact with skin.
The SDS that accompanies all plant protection products, as well as making use of signal words and statements regarding the risks and precautions to be taken, is also accompanied by a series of symbols or pictograms, which are unique throughout the European Union.
Thus, the pictogram of a skull indicates that the product is toxic or very toxic and the letter “X” that the product is harmful or irritating, while a pictogram of a “flame” indicates that the product is flammable and a black tree in water pictogram on an orange background indicates that the product could pollute the environment.
As mentioned beforehand, the SDS contain hazard statements related to the substance in use, and, depending on the statement, appropriate PPE may be selected in order to protect workers from inhaling dangerous substances or from skin irritations and eye infections.
When protection of the respiratory system is required, facepieces equipped with appropriate filters to block out contaminants should be worn. Respiratory protective devices (RPD) are usually equipped with a visor anti-misting system, and check valves for the elimination of exhaled and excess air.
Furthermore, there is a wide range of respiratory protective devices equipped with blower units powered by lightweight, long running batteries which allow workers to work in comfort for the entire work shift.
Among the respiratory protective devices available on the market there are certain models equipped with helmets which cover the head and face thus protecting eyes and ears as well. For overall protection, gloves and protective suits to prevent skin irritation should also be worn.
Who is the CLP regulation for
The CLP regulation is for manufacturers, users, importers and distributors of chemical products and provides for the standardization of chemical safety data sheets with pre-established statements and pictograms.
Consequently, all safety data sheets and labels need to be updated, but this does not imply different risk levels, just a different method of labelling the products.
The CLP safety data sheets must give information regarding properties and hazards that may be generated by different preparations and contain information on the handling, disposal and transport of same. Moreover, they must also contain indications regarding first aid, or how to behave in case of intoxication due to inhalation or ingestion of the substances in question.
Substances are classified into 4 hazard categories:
- physical hazards;
- health hazards;
- environmental hazards;
- supplemental hazards.
Unique symbols are used on products to indicate the type of hazard to which workers are exposed. The regulation in question also applies to detergents and paint apart from plant protection products, i.e. to any mixture that will generate a hazard in case of inhalation or ingestion.
Apr 23 2018
New regulation for chemical product safety data sheets
As of 1 June 2015, new legislation has come into force for manufacturers, users, importers and distributors of chemical products and provides for the standardization of chemical safety data sheets with pre-established labels and pictograms.
New CE regulations for Safety Data Sheets
The CLP regulation n. 1272/2008 (for “Classification, Labelling and Packaging”) is a European Union regulation from 2008, which aligns the EU system of classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures to the Globally Harmonised System (GHS).
The regulation came into force in January 2009. Manufacturers and importers had already pre-registered more than 140,000 substances with the European Chemicals Agency under the REACH Regulation. They had until 1 December 2010 to propose “provisional classifications” for these substances, which have been used for the labelling of pure substances since that date. The deadline for classifying mixtures was 31 May 2015. The deadline for re-labelling and re-packaging of products already on the market was two years later: 1 June 2017.
This means that as from July 2017 the regulation applicable for classifying, labelling and packaging chemical substances is the current version of the CPL regulation which harmonises the GHS and UN regulations and is applicable world-wide.
Products that had been placed on the market before June 2015, bearing SDS issued to old regulations and still on the market, are to be disposed of by 31 May 2017.
Safety data sheets for plant protection products
Plant protection products are used for the protection and conservation of plants and, depending on the product chosen, protection against various harmful organisms is ensured by preventing or eliminating any parasites which could damage them. As previously mentioned, all plant protection products must have updated safety data sheets based on harmonized signal words and symbols as from 1 June 2015 with the entry into force of the EC regulation CLP 1272/2008. The purpose of the safety data sheet which accompanies each product is to transmit information concerning the product itself and, in particular, its content, danger level and handling instructions. The first part of the new SDS, provides information regarding the physical properties of a chemical through the use of unique signal words and pictograms. The second part provides information regarding the toxicity of the product where the acronyms used are:
The third part contains “hazard statements” which describe the hazard or risk posed by the product in an unambiguous manner, for example:
This is a very wide-ranging classification of the hazards workers face when using certain products. The fourth part contains “precautionary statements” such as:
The SDS that accompanies all plant protection products, as well as making use of signal words and statements regarding the risks and precautions to be taken, is also accompanied by a series of symbols or pictograms, which are unique throughout the European Union.
Thus, the pictogram of a skull indicates that the product is toxic or very toxic and the letter “X” that the product is harmful or irritating, while a pictogram of a “flame” indicates that the product is flammable and a black tree in water pictogram on an orange background indicates that the product could pollute the environment.
As mentioned beforehand, the SDS contain hazard statements related to the substance in use, and, depending on the statement, appropriate PPE may be selected in order to protect workers from inhaling dangerous substances or from skin irritations and eye infections.
When protection of the respiratory system is required, facepieces equipped with appropriate filters to block out contaminants should be worn. Respiratory protective devices (RPD) are usually equipped with a visor anti-misting system, and check valves for the elimination of exhaled and excess air.
Furthermore, there is a wide range of respiratory protective devices equipped with blower units powered by lightweight, long running batteries which allow workers to work in comfort for the entire work shift.
Among the respiratory protective devices available on the market there are certain models equipped with helmets which cover the head and face thus protecting eyes and ears as well. For overall protection, gloves and protective suits to prevent skin irritation should also be worn.
Who is the CLP regulation for
The CLP regulation is for manufacturers, users, importers and distributors of chemical products and provides for the standardization of chemical safety data sheets with pre-established statements and pictograms.
Consequently, all safety data sheets and labels need to be updated, but this does not imply different risk levels, just a different method of labelling the products.
The CLP safety data sheets must give information regarding properties and hazards that may be generated by different preparations and contain information on the handling, disposal and transport of same. Moreover, they must also contain indications regarding first aid, or how to behave in case of intoxication due to inhalation or ingestion of the substances in question.
Substances are classified into 4 hazard categories:
Unique symbols are used on products to indicate the type of hazard to which workers are exposed. The regulation in question also applies to detergents and paint apart from plant protection products, i.e. to any mixture that will generate a hazard in case of inhalation or ingestion.
By Kasco Srl • Blog •