Malaysia consults on aligning health and safety rules with GHS 8

Malaysia’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is consulting on amendments to its health and safety regulations. The main purpose behind this is to align the regulations with the eighth revised edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS 8). The proposal has public consultation between 15 August and 15 October 2022. The DOSH of Malaysia has yet to provide an official proposed implementation date. Moreover, it is currently unclear whether a transitional period will be in place.

The DOSH is a department under the Ministry of Human Resources. This department is responsible for ensuring the safety, health, and welfare of people at work as well as protecting other people from the safety and health hazards arising from work activities.

The Occupational Safety and Health (Classification, Labelling, and Safety Sheets) Regulations 2013 will be impacted by the suggested modifications. They fall under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1994 (OSHA) that entered into force on 12 October 2013 in which the agency implements to regulate workplace safety.

These regulations are also known as CLASS. The regulations were published in the Federal Gazette (http://www.federalgazette.agc.gov.my/) on 11 October 2013. They are based on the 3rd revised edition of the GHS (GHS 3). The nation aims to start enforcing its modified OSHA as of 13 June 2022.  as part of its national goal to increase safety for individuals managing chemicals in the workplace.

Among other changes, the DOSH of Malaysia plans to introduce the following changes to its previous GHS implementation following the building-block approach:

• Subcategorization for flammable gases, category 1 in 1A and 1B.
• Addition of new hazard categories, pyrophoric gases, and chemically unstable gases, within the hazard class flammable gases.
• Addition of category 3 to the Aerosol classification.
• Addition of the desensitized explosive hazard classification.
• Implementation of Skin irritation, category 3.
• Subcategorization of Eye irritant, category 2 in 2A and 2B.
• Subcategorization of Respiratory/Skin sensitization category 1 in 1A and 1B.