REGULATORY COOPERATION COUNCIL WORK PLAN

(Workplace Chemicals)

Regulatory area to be addressed 

	

Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals
(Workplace Hazards) 

Health Canada and the United States (U.S.) Department of Labor will
continue to promote ongoing collaboration on implementing the Globally
Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling (GHS) in their
respective jurisdictions. 

The objective is to ensure that the requirements in Canada and the U.S.
for hazard classification and communication can and will be met now and
in the future, to the greatest extent possible, with one label and one
safety data sheet that would be acceptable in both countries, without
reducing the level of safety or protection to workers. 

This work is in line with the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
between Health Canada and the U.S. Department of Labor.  

   



 

 

Canada

	Department of Labor – Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(OSHA)	Health Canada – Workplace Hazardous Materials Bureau (WHMB)



Description:

This work stream includes: 1) guidance development to support
implementation of the GHS and understanding of interpretation of
technical issues and requirements in both Canada and the U.S.; 2)
coordination of common positions and participation in international
discussions on the GHS; and 3) maintaining alignment on the GHS
implementation.  

Canada and the U.S. will continue to prevent and reduce variances, while
respecting the legislative and regulatory requirements of each country
and without reducing or compromising worker health and safety.  





		

Planned initiatives and sub-deliverables	

Date



Initiative 

Stakeholder engagement on work planning	Provide a mechanism for
stakeholder engagement on development of work plan	On-going (in
preparation for release of work plan in Summer 2016)

Develop  guidance for stakeholders 	Develop compliance promotion
materials (e.g., fact sheets) to assist stakeholders with GHS
implementation and how to comply with requirements of the Hazardous
Products Regulations (HPR) and the Hazard Communication Standard 2012.

	3rd Quarter 2016 

	Develop materials to support interpretations on regulatory and
technical issues and to increase predictability for stakeholders on
issues related to GHS implementation in both countries.

 	Ongoing; 

3rd/4th Quarter 2016

	Engage stakeholders on development of joint guidance priorities.   

	Ongoing

	Develop Canadian technical guidance on hazard communication and
classification requirements in support of suppliers (manufacturers,
importers, distributors) being able to meet the HPR requirements. 

	Milestones associated with transition to GHS (up to June 2017)

	Coordinate, to the greatest extent possible, Canada-U.S. future updates
to guidance. 	Ongoing





Planned initiatives and sub-deliverables	

Date





Coordinate common positions and participate in UNSCEGHS 	Plan
stakeholder sessions to inform stakeholders of issues prior to the
UNSCEGHS international meetings and solicit feedback. 

	June 2016

November 2016

	Meet with working group on UNSCEGHS in advance of international
meetings to create common positions, where appropriate.

	Biannually

	Provide updates to stakeholders on issues that arise from the
international discussions and establish a forward plan, where
appropriate, considering these issues.

	

August 2016

January 2017

Maintain alignment on the implementation of the GHS	Within existing
joint working groups, identify requirements for regulatory amendments
moving forward. 

	Ongoing

	Communicate GHS updates to stakeholders and potential impacts for
Canada and the U.S. related to alignment with the GHS Purple Book
revisions.	Updates to align with the GHS Purple Book revisions (ongoing
on a biennial cycle)

	Where variances occur between Canada and the U.S. regarding adoptions
of future revisions of the GHS Purple Book, communicate impact and
forward plan to stakeholders for specific areas.

	Ongoing following publication of GHS Purple Book revisions

	Consider updates to guidance with future revisions of the Purple Book. 


 	Ongoing 



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