The deadline for distributors to be fully compliant with new hazard material labeling regulations is fast approaching. As of Dec. 1, distributors will not be allowed to sell products with the old labels and material safety data sheets.

The new hazard communication standards (HCS) – or, rather, the changes to existing rules – were established in 2012 to comply with United Nations rules created in 2005. The goal of the rules is to make safety information more consistent and understandable for users, regardless of country of origin.

Manufacturers were required to have new labels and safety data sheets in place earlier this summer, but now the responsibility shifts to the distributors. They will become liable for any products that go out their doors with the old labels in place on Dec. 1. This includes labels on products that are individual breakouts from a larger case, such as glue.

For more information on the new HCS, read Deadline for Chemical Label Changes Looms or visit https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom.