Proposed Amendments to the Approved Criteria for Classifying Hazardous Substances - Public Consultation Paper
Approved Criteria for Classifying Hazardous Substances (Public discussion paper) (PDF 102kB)
Attachment 1 (PDF 708kB)
Attachment 2 (PDF 172kB)
Executive Summary
1. As part of the hazardous substances regulatory package, NOHSC implements sections of two European Community (EC) Directives, the Dangerous Substances Directive (DSD), and the Dangerous Preparations Directive (DPD), in the NOHSC Approved Criteria for Classifying Hazardous Substances [NOHSC: 1008].
2. The purpose of the EC Directives is to make sure that people are properly informed of the dangers of chemicals both at work and in the home. They also improve global harmonization of chemical classification by requiring suppliers of dangerous chemicals to provide the same standard of information to their customers. The Directives (particularly the DSD) are frequently updated to deal with advances in knowledge about chemicals. As the Approved Criteria adopts information from the EC Directives the Approved Criteria also require updating.
3. The Approved Criteria is concerned with: -
Dangerous substances (chemical elements or compounds, such as mercury or sulphuric acid); and
Dangerous preparations (mixtures or solutions of substances, such as paints or inks).
The term ‘chemical’ is used here to cover both substances and preparations.
4. The Approved Criteria provide the criteria by which importers, manufacturers and suppliers of hazardous substances can determine what types of danger their products present (known as ‘classification’). This determination is to be transmitted to their customers in the form of warning labels on the products and material safety data sheets (MSDS).
5. The Approved Criteria are linked to the NOHSC Codes of Practice for the Preparation of Material Safety Data Sheets [NOHSC: 2011], and Labelling of Workplace Substances [NOHSC: 2012] through the National Model Regulations for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Substances [[NOHSC: 1005]. These Codes and Regulations use Approved Criteria classifications to define the scope of specific actions; for example, a particular chemical classification may require that substance to be scheduled under the National Model Regulations. The classification of a particular substance assigns specific risk and safety phrases to that substance. These risk and safety phrases are reproduced on the product label and MSDS.
6. The NOHSC List of Designated Hazardous Substances [NOHSC: 10005] (known simply as the List), lists EC agreed classification and labelling for many common substances (thus relieving suppliers from the need to classify them). The Approved Criteria tells suppliers, manufacturers and importers how to classify and label hazardous chemicals that do not appear in the List.
7. NOHSC is releasing the draft Approved Criteria for Classifying Hazardous Substances [NOHSC:1008(2002)] for a 12-week period of public comment. The Approved Criteria is at Attachment 1 (PDF 708kB).
8. Additionally, a Preliminary Regulation Impact Statement (PRIS) is provided at Attachment 2 (PDF 172kB) ApprovedCriteria-Attach2-PRIS.pdf (PDF), which outlines the impact of the proposed changes in terms of a qualitative discussion and assessment of the costs and benefits. The basic structure of the PRIS has been prepared with the assistance of the Office of Regulation Review (ORR).
9. You are invited to provide comment on the proposed amendments to the Approved Criteria and the accompanying PRIS. Section 4 advises the specific information you should consider in providing comment to NOHSC, and how best to submit this comment.
23 August 2002
Page last updated: 15/07/2008