May 12, 2021
by Thuy Dang, Senior Regulatory Specialist, Product Compliance
The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) recently issued Circular No. 48/2020/TT-BCT, which details a National Technical Regulation on general safety requirements for the production, trade, usage, storage and transportation of industrial hazardous chemicals (QCVN 05A:2020/BCT). The requirement applies to all organizations and individuals engaged in activities related to industrial hazardous chemicals. The Circular will become effective on Jan. 1, 2022; all active chemical facilities must comply with all requirements within an 18-month transition period.
The Circular provides safety requirements on the following aspects:
- Documents, information boards or signboards
- Workplace conditions and workplace exposure to hazardous chemicals
- Chemical incident response and environmental protection
- Chemical facilities and storage
- Devices (e.g., conveyor belts) for manufacture, transport and use of chemicals
- Containers and labels
- Manufacture, trade, use and storage of explosive/toxic/corrosive substances
- Outdoor chemical containers
- Transportation, handling and unpacking of hazardous chemicals
Also, the Circular contains two annexes: Annex 1 contains GHS pictograms, from GHS01 to GHS09 and their associated transportation divisions; Annex 2 contains examples of incompatible substances by the GHS pictogram associated with the classification ("X" indicates that the substances are incompatible and not allowed to be mixed, "O" indicates that the substances are not of concern).
Recommended action items
- Review the requirements and ensure appropriate compliance
- Fulfill any missing requirements within the transitional timeframe to avoid penalty
Other newly issued National Technical Regulations
MOIT also published circulars for the following chemical-related National Technical Regulations:
- Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BCT on Mercury limits in fluorescent lights (effective from July 1, 2022)
- Circular No. 46/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of industrial Sodium hydroxide (effective from Jan. 1, 2022)
- Circular No. 47/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of industrial explosive precursors (effective from Jan. 1, 2022)
- Circular No. 49/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of Poly Aluminum Chloride (PAC) (effective from January 1, 2022)
- Circular No. 50/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of industrial Ammonia (effective from January 1, 2022)
- Circular No. 51/2020/TT-BCT on lead limits in paints and varnishes (effective from July 1, 2022)
References (in Vietnamese only)
Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BCT on Mercury limits in fluorescent lights
Circular No. 46/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of industrial Sodium hydroxide
Circular No. 47/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of industrial explosive precursors
Circular No. 48/2020/TT-BCT - National Technical Regulation on safety in production, trade, use, storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals
Circular No. 49/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of Poly Aluminum Chloride (PAC)
Circular No. 50/2020/TT-BCT on technical quality of industrial Ammonia
Circular No. 51/2020/TT-BCT on Lead limits in paints and varnishes
Decision No. 193/QD-BCT to Revise Administrative Changes for MOIT Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BCT, 46/2020/TT-BCT, 47/2020/TT-BCT, 48/2020/TT-BCT, 49/2020/TT-BCT, 50/2020/TT-BCT
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