OSHA Update to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
BREAKING NEWS!
On May 20th, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), published the much-awaited update to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS 2024/HazCom 2024) in the Federal Register.
The new ruling amends the HCS to maintain alignment with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) and to address issues identified in implementing the 2012 HCS.
The revisions to the HCS include the following notable changes:
- Addition of classification categories for aerosols, desensitized explosives, flammable gases, and chemicals under pressure
- Update of select hazard and precautionary statements for clearer and more precise hazard information
- Update of labeling requirements for small containers
- Update of labeling requirements for packaged containers that have been released for shipment or that constitute bulk shipping
- Allowance of withholding of concentration ranges of substances for reasons related to trade secrets.
The update to the HCS proposes the following effective dates:
Implementation deadlines for all US employers with training and labeling programs:
- July 20, 2026 for substances
- January 19, 2028 for mixtures
Employers who Manufacture, Import, or Distribute chemicals in the US have additional deadlines as follows for evaluating substances and mixtures:
- January 19, 2026 for substances
- July 19, 2027 for mixtures
Lisam is currently evaluating these regulatory changes and anticipates having all necessary regulatory updates available in our global suite of EHS compliance management solutions so our customers can implement them well ahead of these deadlines. We anticipate general availability of these changes no later than Q1-2025.
Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/20/2024-08568/hazard-communication-standard