On Feb 7th 2014, Singapore Chemical Standards Committee issued Singapore Standard SS586 (2014), ”Specification for hazard communication for hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods”, which was based on 4th version GHS. According to SS 586 (2014) and its previous version SS 586 (2008), the timeframe of GHS implementation deadlines are as follows:
Manufactures/Suppliers | Single Substances | All hazardous substances except ozone depleting substances, chemically unstable gases, aerosols, sensitizers (based on GHS Rev 2) | Feb 2012 |
Ozone depleting substances, chemically unstable gases, aerosols, sensitizers (based on GHS Rev 4) | Jul 1st 2015 | ||
Mixtures |
| Jul 1st 2015 | |
Users | Single Substances | All hazardous substances except ozone depleting substances, chemically unstable gases, aerosols, sensitizers (based on GHS Rev 2) | End of 2012 |
Ozone depleting substances, chemically unstable gases, aerosols, sensitizers (based on GHS Rev 4) | Jul 1st 2015 | ||
Mixtures |
| Jul 1st 2015 |
The one year grace period was approved after government engaged domestic manufacturers, chemical suppliers and users already using the 2nd revision of GHS. During discussions industry expressed difficulties adapting to the new GHS 4th version requirements and because of this the government granted a one year grace period to re-check classifications, revise safety data sheets, and make changes to the labels.
In one year (Jul 1st 2015) the yellow part of the above table should be updated to Jul 1st 2016. It should be noted that this grace period only applies to the user of general mixtures. Manufactures, suppliers and users of ozone-depleting substances, chemically-unstable gases, aerosols and sensitizers, and manufacturers and suppliers of mixtures doesn’t benefit from the grace period and still should comply with SS 586 by the deadlines mentioned above.
