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How many years are SDS and GHS labels valid?

Posted Date:2023/12/15

The UN GHS guidance requires:

Suppliers should respond to "significant new" information they receive about the dangers of a chemical by updating the chemical's label and safety data sheet. "Significant new" information means any information that would change the classification of a substance or mixture in the Globally Harmonized System and thus result in a change in the information provided on the label, or any information that could affect the safety data sheet regarding the chemical and related controls. This information may include, for example, new information about possible chronic adverse health effects of exposure as a result of recently published literature or trial results, even if this information has not yet led to a change in classification.

Updates should be made as soon as information is received that a revision must be made. The competent authority may set a time limit for revising the information. This applies only to labels and safety data sheets for products (e.g. pesticides, etc.) that are not subject to any approval mechanism. In the pesticide labeling system, the label is part of the product approval mechanism, and the supplier cannot update the supply label by itself. However, when products are subject to dangerous goods transport requirements, the labels used shall be updated as described above upon receipt of new information.

Suppliers should also periodically review the information on which the label or safety data sheet for a substance or mixture is based, even if they have not yet been provided with significant new information about the substance or mixture. This requires them, for example, to search chemical hazard databases for new information. The competent authority may set a time limit (generally three to five years) from the original preparation date, during which the supplier shall review the information on the label and the safety data sheet.

GHS guidelines in China require:

There are no relevant requirements in China's SDS-related regulations, GB/T 16483-2008 "Content and project Sequence of Chemical Safety Technical Instructions" and GB/T 15719 "Guidance for the preparation of Chemical Safety Technical Instructions" require that suppliers have the responsibility to update SDS and provide downstream users with the latest version of SDS.

The Regulations on the Safe Use of Chemicals in the Workplace require that the safety technical specifications be changed every five years. During this period, if new hazards are found, within half a year after the release of the relevant information, the production unit must modify the safety technical specifications accordingly and provide them to the operation, transportation, storage and use units.

In summary, according to the requirements of the United Nations GHS Guidance instrument, the updating of SDS should follow the following principles:

1. The hazard classification and data of the product have changed;

2. Changes to SDS and label regulations;

3. The SDS should be checked and updated every 5 years.

The SDS should be updated if any of the above three items are met.