In the first half of 2008, Seahealth Denmark laid down the overall requirements for the information to be made available for products included in the chemicals database. Basically, a 16 point safety datasheet must be available for products regarded as hazardous. The special Danish safety datasheet requirements must also be complied with, for example paint code numbers, etc. and curing time for products containing epoxy and isocyanate.
The products currently in the chemicals databases will be reviewed over a three year period in line with the standards set for quality assurance. This means that about 1,000 existing products will be reviewed annually.
We have introduced a priority system so that the most hazardous products are dealt with first. If products are identified that do not meet the requirements for some reason or other, Seahealth Denmark will contact the ship-owners that have the product registered and/or the suppliers that have supplied/manufactured them. The aim is to ensure that all products in the database comply with the legal requirements. Already now we can see that one benefit of this process is that a start is being made on substitution from especially hazardous products to those that are safe or less dangerous.
One of the main points of quality assurance is to ensure the availability of safety data sheets for the products in the database that were previously entered without attached safety data sheets. This process is now being done in conjunction with ship-owners. There is no requirement for safety data sheets for some of the products since they are not regarded as dangerous. This is now marked more clearly.
Following the first review of the database, the Danish Maritime Authority has granted a dispensation for the use of test kits for disclosing chloride in cooling and boiler water. The dispensation has been granted subject to conditions for using test kits.
New requirements for chemicals
New classification and labelling rules are on their way from the EU by way of a regulation. Based on a new global system, the EU regulation - Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures – will apply from 20 January 2009. New products will have to comply with the Regulation from 1 December 2010 at the latest. The legislation will be introduced over some years. The new classification and labelling rules mean that there will be uniform labelling for substances and products internationally and that the present orange hazard symbols will be replaced by new symbols corresponding to those currently used for transport with the addition of symbols for long-term effects. The new rules use the same system as the present EU rules but the criteria for classification as flammable will not be quite the same; for example the upper limit for classification will move from 55oC as at present to 60oC and the risk and safety phrases will also be changing.
Seahealth Denmark notified ship-owners and suppliers about the significance of this for our Safety & Health at Sea software at a meeting on 25 September 2008. An update will mean it will be possible to include other requests and wishes.