REACH Update

The Material Safety Data Sheet according to REACH

Annex II of regulation 1907/2006 (REACH) defines guidelines to the compilation of the MSDS. It shall permit to determine whether any hazardous chemical agents (substances or preparations) are present in a workplace and to assess any risk to the health and safety of workers.

The MSDS is divided in 16 chapters:

REACH pre-registration

From the 1st of June to the 1st December, substances concerned by REACH regulation can be pre-registered according to article 28.

There is two ways of pre-registration:

• Direct input on ECHA website

• xml file generation  

REACH pre-registration

Thepre-registration périod of the phase-in substances begins the 1^st of june 2008 and ends the 1^st of december 2008. Pre-registrating will allow the producers and importers of Chemicals to benefit of the transitional period for registration.

REACH article 28 defines the required informations:

•  the name of the substance  including its EINECS and CAS number or, if not available, any other identity codes

• name and address of the manufacturer/importer and the name of the contact person

• the envisaged deadline for the registration and the tonnage band

Potential registrants who manufacture or import for the first time a phase-in substance in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year for the first time, after 1 December 2008, shall submit a pre-registration maximum 6 months after the first manufacturing exceeding 1 ton.

The European Agency

A European Chemicals Agency is established by REACH. It shall comprise:
(a) a Management Board;
(b) an Executive Director;
(c) a Committee for Risk Assessment, which shall be responsible for preparing the opinion of the Agency on applications for authorisation, proposals fo restrictions, and any other questions that arise from the operation of REACH relating to risks to human health or the environment;
(d) a Committee for Socio-economic Analysis, which shall be responsible for preparing the opinion of the Agency on applications for authorisation, proposals for restrictions, and any other questions that arise from the operation of REACH including the socio-economic analysis of the effect of possible legislative action on substances;
(e) a Member State Committee, which shall be responsible for resolving divergences of opinions on draft decisions proposed by Member States and preparing the opinion of the Agency on proposals for classification and labelling and proposals for identification of substances of very high concern to be subjected to the authorisation procedure;
(f) a Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement, which shall co-ordinate a network of Member States authorities responsible for enforcement of this Regulation;
(g) a Secretariat, which shall provide technical, scientific and administrative support for the Committees and the Forum and ensure appropriate coordination between them. It shall also undertake the work required of the Agency under the procedures for pre-registration, registration and mutual recognition of evaluation as well as preparation of guidance, database maintenance and information provision;
(h) a Board of Appeal, which shall decide on appeals against decisions taken by the Agency.