HAZARD DATA BASE

The Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemical (GHS) has been largely implemented in transport regulations; European Commission published a draft regulation in view of adopting GHS for other sectors; in other countries GHS has been or is going to be implemented.

But... harmonization is not a simple task.

One problem is related to the procedures that are or will be established for classification of hazardous substances.
Indeed the same substance can be classified in different categories (or also in different classes) according to the existing regulations.
Of course, making reference to the harmonized criteria of GHS, a unique, harmonized classification should be envisaged.
However, taking care that classification is often based on the results of tests provided by different industries/laboratories, it is possible that different sources of data entail different classification.

Should not then be a good idea to envisage a worldwide data bank where all the substances will be gradually included together with their classification (and their Safety Data Sheet) ?
Of course, when a different classification is resulting for the same substance, a mechanism of revision should also be envisaged.

Certainly not an easy target.
But (and I’m looking specifically to people outside Europe) take care of the REACH European Regulation 1907/2006, aimed to register chemicals in a central database.
If you don’t move, the worldwide database will be the REACH one.