{"id":734653,"date":"2021-03-08T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2021-03-08T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/?p=734653"},"modified":"2021-03-08T07:27:08","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T12:27:08","slug":"osha-prepares-major-update-to-hazcom2012","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/help-center\/articles\/osha-prepares-major-update-to-hazcom2012\/","title":{"rendered":"OSHA Prepares Major Update to Hazcom2012"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)<\/a><\/span> has initiated the first major update to its hazard communication standard (Hazcom2012)<\/a><\/span> since the current standard was created to implement the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) in the United States. Hazcom2012, the rule that protects workers by mandating warning labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), became mandatory in 2015, but since then, not many changes have been made. OSHA believed that industry needed a chance to fully implement the new system, which is based on the United Nations document Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling<\/a><\/span>\u00a0(sometimes called the Purple Book, because of the color of its cover). But as the system has stabilized and industry has adapted, it\u2019s now time to address issues that have occurred since the new system was first rolled out.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Hazcom2012 standard was originally based on the third revision to the GHS. However, like the UN Recommendations of the Transport of Dangerous Goods<\/a><\/span>, the Purple Book undergoes revision once every two years, so even by the time Hazcom2012 was passed, it was out of sync with the latest version. While this hasn\u2019t created a major obstacle for trade, OSHA has always intended to keep the hazard communication standard updated regularly, just as the Department of Transportation updates the Hazardous Materials Regulations to ensure compliance with international requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, on February 19, 2021, OSHA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking<\/a><\/span> (NPRM), Docket No. OSHA-2019-0001. They intend to update the hazard communication standard found in the Occupational Safety and Health Act (also called <\/span>https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2021\/02\/16\/2020-28987\/hazard-communication-standard<\/span><\/a> OSHA) \u201cto conform to the United Nations\u2019 Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals 9GHS) Revision 7<\/a><\/span>\u00a0(GHS, Rev. 7), to address issues that arose during the implementation of the 2012 update to the HCS, and provide better alignment with other U.S. agencies and international trading partners, without lowering overall protections of the standard.\u201d There will be a comment period for the NPRM ending on April 19, 2021. Comments can be made to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at <\/span>http:\/\/www.regulations.gov<\/span><\/a> (cite Docket No. OSHA-2019-0001).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the NPRM indicates, the rule changes will be an update to Revision 7 of the Purple Book, which was the current revision when work on this amendment began. Ironically, in the time it has taken for the rule to be created, the UN has moved on to Revision 8 and will introduce Revision 9 by the end of 2021. However, the NPRM will ensure that the system is much closer to the international standard than the current version. It will improve worker safety by an improved classification system and greater clarity in labels and SDSs while giving manufacturers and distributors a more rationalized hazard communication system that more closely matches the international standard. (Remember, however, that there is no great international consistency in which revisions are used by countries that have incorporated the GHS.)<\/span><\/p>\n

OSHA has identified four main targets for the rulemaking:<\/span><\/p>\n