On September 27, 2024, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) announced that 149 chemical substances have been added to the existing chemical substances list under the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). These newly added substances are primarily those commonly used in workplaces and could potentially impact worker health.
Furthermore, the MHLW provided detailed information about these chemicals, including their names, official gazette numbers, CAS numbers, chemical structural formulas, and classification codes, to enable enterprises to more effectively identify and manage these substances.
The MHLW noted that for the chemicals newly included in the list, enterprises no longer need to submit declarations to the MHLW when producing or importing these substances, which helps simplify compliance processes. Nevertheless, enterprises are still required to adhere to other safety regulations, including providing Safety Data Sheets (SDS), implementing necessary health and safety measures, and conducting occupational health monitoring.
Additionally, the Ministry emphasized that for chemicals not listed in the ISHA existing chemical substances list, enterprises must still carry out assessments and declarations before production or importation. This includes submitting detailed information about the chemicals, safety data, potential risks, and intended uses for more stringent risk assessment and regulation, to ensure that the use of these chemicals in the workplace does not pose a threat to employee health.
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