The Enforcement Forum Will Control SDS Quality in 2023

The Enforcement Forum will control SDS quality in 2023

By Tatjana Benko, senior regulatory specialist, UL
July 2, 2021

What is the Enforcement Forum?

The Enforcement Forum is a network of bodies responsible for the enforcement of REACH, CLP, PIC, POP and Biocidal regulations in the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The Forum consists of one representative from each EU member state and coordinates the various implementation projects.

What are the REF projects?

The REACH-EN-FORCE (REF) projects are designed to harmonize enforcement and check the current level of compliance with the regulations. REF projects are carried out by inspectors based in the national authorities of the EU member states. The results are collected by ECHA and the Enforcement Forum working group.

What is the primary goal of the REF projects?

The main goal of REF projects is to improve the quality of implementation and compliance of registrants with the requirements of REACH, CLP and PIC regulations. The Enforcement Forum approves the REF projects at its plenary meetings.

On the last 38th plenary meeting, held on June 15-16, 2021, the Enforcement Forum decided the following:

• The SDS content and quality of information will be controlled as a part of the EU-wide enforcement project (REF-11) in 2023.

In 2013 the REF-2 project identified low-quality SDS information as a problem, and the issue still exists today. As the SDS is the main tool for communicating safety information within the supply chain, the SDS should therefore contain appropriate high-quality data on hazardous substances and mixtures. The content and format of the SDS will be checked in accordance with the revised requirements of Annex II of the REACH regulation. With the high-quality data provided in the SDS, workers, professionals, transporters and end users can be adequately protected from the harmful effects of hazardous chemicals.

• The Enforcement Forum has also adopted the revised manual on REACH restrictions entries in Annex XVII of REACH. The number of analytical methods is extended and contains 400 methods for checking 56 restrictions including, entry 72, which restricts the use of CMR substances in textiles.

Recommended action items

• Review your company’s products list/SDSs and check the quality of SDS information regularly.
• Align SDS information with updated registration dossier information.
• Conduct an internal audit of the content and format of your SDSs in accordance with revised requirements of Annex II of the REACH regulation.

References

• REACH Annex II
• Guidance on the compilation of the safety data sheets, December 2020 (v 4.0)
• Substances restricted under REACH Annex XVII