100 Chemicals Exempt from Physical Risk Identification and Classification

On the basis of Article 100 in Regulations on Safety Management of Hazardous Chemicals in China (Decree 591), State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) published and implemented Measures for Administration of Physical Risk Identification and Classification of Chemicals (SAWS Order 60) in 2013. The supportive documents for SAWS Order 60 include:

1. 5 documents for physical risk identification and classification of chemicals;
2. Guideline for physical risk testing of chemicals;
3. Requirements for chemical physical risk identification institution;
4. The first batch of physical risk identification institutions concerning chemicals;
5. Catalogue of chemicals exempted from physical risk identification and classification.

9 January 2017, SAWS released 100 chemicals that are exempted from physical risk identification and classification. Up to now, all supportive documents were published. It means the conditions are achieved to entirely implement work of physical risk identification and classification of chemicals.

The physical risks of chemicals in this Catalogue are clear, so these chemicals are exempted from physical risk identification and classification. In addition to this, chemicals that are used for scientific research and product R&D or chemicals with the annual producing/ using amount no more than 1 ton/ year are exempted from physical risk identification and classification.

The Catalogue consists of List 1 and List 2 and each list contains 50 chemicals. List 1 indicates the chemicals without physical risk. List 2 contains 50 chemicals with their physical risk classifications. However, health risks and environmental risks of these chemicals are not presented. Enterprises shall supplement the unlisted classifications when they conduct hazardous chemical registration.

Among the 100 chemicals, only Sodium 2,4-dinitrophenate (CAS#1011-73-0) in List 2 are recorded in Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals (2015). The physical risk classification of Sodium 2,4-dinitrophenate in List 2 coincides with that in Implementation Guideline on Catalogue of Hazardous Chemical (2015) (Trial) published by SAWS. Besides, the CAS number of sodium citrate in List 1 should be 68-04-2. Except the listed items, inorganic salts include anhydrous compound and hydrate forms, respectively.

It is worth emphasizing that, for hazardous chemical in Catalogue of Chemicals Exempted from Physical Risk Identification and Classification, Chemical enterprises shall also prepare Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and Label; complete hazardous chemical registration on the basis of Measures on Administration of Hazardous Chemical; strengthen safety management in according to relevant laws, regulations as well as standards. In case the chemical is not classified as hazardous chemical, it doesn’t need to conduct hazardous chemical registration.

With the deepening of risk identification work and as people raise their awareness of the physical risks of chemicals, it is becoming difficult to identify all the risks and hazard properties of one chemical by using the current data.

Physical risks classifications of chemicals in List 2 are presented. As there exist some corresponding relationships between GHS physicochemical classifications and the classifications of hazardous goods, almost all substances in List 2 are hazardous goods, which shall abide by relevant rules set by transportation departments during transportation.