After the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released the new Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) regulations on May 20, 2024, it has become crucial to understand what precautions and new changes there are in the US hazardous chemical labels. This article covers the elements that labels for a hazardous chemical in the United States must contain.

On March 19, 2025, South Korea’s National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) issued Notice No. 2025-7, announcing significant amendments to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). In alignment with updated requirements under the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH) and the Chemical Substances Control Act, chrysotile-previously classified as a restricted substance-has now been upgraded to a prohibited substance. This marks a comprehensive tightening of South Korea’s regulatory controls on chrysotile-related materials.

To safeguard the occupational safety of foreign workers, South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MoEL) announced the release of multilingual Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) training materials in 17 languages. Effective immediately, businesses are mandated to use these resources to conduct compulsory safety training for foreign employees handling chemicals.

On March 4, 2025, the draft of Rules for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals-Part X: Desensitized Explosives under the GB 30000 series was officially released. This standard specifies the terminology, definitions, classification criteria, determination logic, and labeling requirements for desensitized explosives. It applies to the classification and labeling of desensitized explosives in accordance with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

Exporting chemicals to EU countries requires the provision of labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Manufacturers, importers, and downstream users in the EU often worry that disclosing all components of a mixture on the label or SDS might lead to the leakage of trade secrets. Therefore, it may be necessary to use alternative chemical names to protect confidentiality and intellectual property rights.

CIRS released the 2024 Global Chemical Regulation Progress Insight Report. This report, prepared by CIRS Group, covers the latest developments in global chemical regulations and information related to sustainable development, including: Updates on chemical management regulations in China, the European Union, and other countries and regions; Progress on the GHS for chemical classification and labeling; Regulatory developments on PFAS; and Regulations and standards related to sustainable development.

Based on proposals from the European Union, the Netherlands, and the United States, the GHS Expert Group Committee plans to clarify the classification standards for germ cell mutagenicity category 1B and consider expanding the scope of mutagenicity classification within the GHS.

On November 20, 2024, the European Union published Commission Regulation 2024/2865 (REGULATION (EU) 2024/2865 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL) in its Official Journal, amending the EU CLP Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labeling, and packaging of substances and mixtures). The amendment regulation takes effect on December 10, 2024, with most provisions becoming mandatory from July 1, 2026 (18 months), and the remaining provisions applicable from January 1, 2027 (24 months).

The UA CLP will come into effect six months after its publication, on November 15 2024. Products that have been placed on the market before November 15, 2024, even if they do not comply with current technical regulations, can continue to maintain their status until November 14, 2025, which is a one-year transition period.

A Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) hazard pictogram means a graphical composition that may include a symbol plus other graphic elements, such as a border, background pattern or color that is intended to convey specific information. GHS pictograms for sectors other than transport are assigned a unique alphanumerical code (there are a total of nine from GHS01 to GHS09). The pictogram code is intended to be used for reference purposes. It is not part of the pictogram and should not appear on labels or in section 2 of the safety data sheet (SDS). The table below lists the correspondence among GHS pictograms, codes, and symbols.