"MSDS System to Be Fully Implemented on January 16... Workplaces Must Check Compliance Before Grace Period Ends"
Government Urges Pre-Implementation Checks for MSDS Compliance
The mandatory submission of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and the approval system for non-disclosure of trade secrets will be fully implemented starting January 16 next year.
An MSDS is a chemical product handling manual that details the composition and content of chemical products, their hazards and risks, as well as handling and storage methods. The Ministry of Employment and Labor has announced that the grace period for the MSDS system, as stipulated by the 2019 amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, will end on January 16. The ministry urged chemical product manufacturers and importers to ensure thorough compliance with the relevant regulations.
The newly implemented system requires businesses that manufacture or import hazardous chemical products to prepare and submit an MSDS to the Ministry of Employment and Labor. If trade secrets are involved, companies must obtain prior approval for non-disclosure and provide substitute information. Previously, MSDSs already in circulation were granted a grace period of up to five years, depending on the volume of manufacture or import. With the grace period now ending for businesses handling less than one ton, the system will be fully enforced. From now on, every MSDS must include a submission number.
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Oh Youngmin, Director General of Occupational Safety and Health Supervision at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, "Manufacturers and importers of chemical products should check whether they are required to prepare and submit an MSDS and whether approval for non-disclosure is necessary before the end of the grace period." He added, "Going forward, we will enhance the convenience of compliance for businesses by overhauling the MSDS submission system, and we will strengthen inspections and support to ensure that chemical products are distributed and handled safely in the workplace."
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