CHICAGO, Oct. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VelocityEHS®, the global leader in enterprise EHS & ESG software solutions, is proud to announce an enhanced version of its industry-leading Chemical Management software, making it one of the first to align with OSHA’s 2024 Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard final rule. The final rule aligns OSHA’s standard with Revision 7 of the UN’s Globally Harmonized Systems of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).
Key changes to the HazCom Standard as outlined by OSHA include:
- Revised classification criteria
- Updated label provisions
- Classification amendments
- Additional updates to SDS information requirements
- New provisions for concentration ranges claimed as trade secrets
“Before the final rule went into effect, the HazCom Standard was consistently ranked among OSHA’s top five most cited standards. This new rule will only increase the pressure companies feel,” says Phil Molè, EHS & Sustainability Expert, VelocityEHS. “The widespread impact of these changes is significant, with OSHA estimating that the changes will affect 94% of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and 64% of shipped container labels — which are critical to protecting people in the chemical supply chains and meeting minimum compliance obligations.”
The enhancements to VelocityEHS’ Chemical Management software were designed to bolster workplace safety and help users comply more easily with the HazCom requirements, ensuring timely implementation, avoiding potential fines, and increasing employee access to hazardous chemical information. Noncompliance occurs for multiple reasons: the requirements are complex, employers lack proper documentation and fail to update the changes, inadequate training, and miscommunication across the supply chain.
“Managing and updating safety data sheets and shipped container labels is a challenging task. Our software contains millions of SDSs, with up to 20,000 updates each week. Without our Chemical Management Software’s AI-powered indexing, keeping up with that amount of data, understanding the complex regulations, and meeting the compliance deadlines would be overwhelming and potentially hazardous," says Matt Airhart, CEO, VelocityEHS.
“By proactively initiating updates based on the final rule and insights from our internal experts — we made sure our capabilities were ready when company leaders and EHS professionals needed them most,” says Rachel Ripley, Senior Product Owner, VelocityEHS.
All users of hazardous chemicals across the supply chain, including chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors, and end users, should begin their preparation. Chemical manufacturers of pure substances must comply by January 19, 2026, while manufacturers of mixtures have until July 19, 2027, to meet the compliance requirements. Furthermore, employers using substances or mixtures affected by the final rule must update their workplace HazCom management practices within six months of the respective deadlines for chemical manufacturers.
“In practice, this means that end users must revise their written HazCom plan and workplace HazCom training to account for updates to chemical classifications and associated information such as pictograms, signal words and hazard statements, and ensure their workplace labels align with updated manufacturer’s shipped container labels,” says Molè.
For more information about our updated chemical management capabilities and how they can help users throughout the supply chain, visit www.ehs.com/solutions/chemical-management/sds-management/.
About VelocityEHS
Relied on by more than 10 million users worldwide to drive operational excellence and achieve outstanding outcomes, VelocityEHS is the global leader in true SaaS enterprise EHS & ESG technology. The VelocityEHS Accelerate® Platform is the definitive gold standard, delivering best-in-class software solutions for managing Safety, Ergonomics, Chemical Management, Contractor Safety & Permit to Work, Operational Risk, ESG and Environmental Compliance.
The VelocityEHS team includes unparalleled industry expertise, with more certified experts in health, safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, sustainability, the environment, AI, and machine learning than any other EHS software provider. Recognized by the EHS industry’s top independent analysts as a Leader in the Verdantix 2023 Green Quadrant Analysis, VelocityEHS is committed to industry thought leadership and to accelerating the pace of innovation through its software solutions and vision. Its privacy and security protocols, which include SOC2 Type II attestation, are among the most stringent in the industry.
VelocityEHS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Tampa, Florida; Oakville, Ontario; London, England; Perth, Western Australia; and Cork, Ireland. For more information, visit www.EHS.com.
VelocityEHS Media Contact
Jennifer Sinkwitts
734.277.9366
jsinkwitts@ehs.com
