1. MALAYSIA Review of Experiences in GHS Implementation
Anuar Mohd. Mokhtar
Department of Occupational Safety & Health
Ministry of Human Resource
Malaysia

2. OVERVIEW OF CHEMICAL LAWS IN MALAYSIA
Substance
Legislation
Authorities
Pesticides
Pesticides Act 1974
Ministry of Agriculture & Agro-based Industry
Industrial Chemicals
Occupational Safety & Health Act 1994
Ministry of Human Resource
Pharmaceuticals
Poisons Act 1952
Ministry of Health
Radioactive Substances
Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984
Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation
Petroleum & petroleum product
Petroleum (Safety Measures) Act 1984
Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs
Toxic wastes
Environmental Quality Act 1974
Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment

3. EXISTING SCENARIO GHS SCOPE RELEVANT AGENCY RELEVANT MINISTRY HAZARD
CLASSIFI-CATION
HAZARD LABEL
SAFETY DATA SHEET
INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
DEPT. OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH
HUMAN RESOURCE Y
PESTICIDES
PESTICIDES BOARD
AGRICULTURE & AGRO-BASED INDUSTRY
PHARMA-CEUTICALS
PHARMACY DIVISION
HEALTH N
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
DOMESTIC TRADE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS
TRANSPORT
ROAD TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT
(Y)

4. CONTROL OF POISON, PESTICIDES & INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
Ind. chemical
Importation
License-DG Health
Prohibit import
-Customs Dept.
Registration No
Yes
Hazard Classification
Yes (Group A, B, C, D, industrial & lab.)
(Class I,II,III,IV)
(10 classes-EU)
Hazard Labeling
(4 languages)
Yes-5 elements
(2 languages)
Safety Datasheet
Yes for registration
Yes, for users
Safe Use
Poisons Act &
USECHH Reg.
Highly Toxic Pesticides Reg. & USECHH Reg.
Petroleum (Safety Measures) Act & USECHH Reg.
Transport
Disposal
6 Elements labelling
10 waste classification & labelling

5. PESTICIDES-Classification & Colour Code Band
Hazard Class
Colour Band
Symbol
Warning (in 4 locally used languages) Ia
Extremely hazardous
BLACK
Keep away from food stuff & children Ib
Highly hazardous
RED
-ditto- II
Moderately hazardous
YELLOW
III
Slightly hazardous
BLUE IV
Unlikely to be hazardous
WHITE

6. PESTICIDES -Sample Label

7. INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS- Classification
PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
DANGER
SYMBOL
HEALTH EFFECTS
EXPLOSIVE
VERY TOXIC
OXIDIZING
TOXIC
EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE
CORROSIVE
HIGHLY FLAMMABLE
HARMFUL
FLAMMABLE
IRRITANT

8. INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS CSDS FORMAT
1. Chemical Product, company identification
2. Composition information on ingredient
3. Physical, chemical properties
4. Hazards identification
5. First aid measures
6. Fire fighting measures
7. Accidental release measures
8. Handling and storage
9. Exposure controls, personal protection
10. Stability and reactivity
11. Toxicological information
12. Ecological information
13. Disposal considerations
14. Transport information
15. Regulatory information
16. Other information
INDUSTRIAL
CHEMICALS
CSDS FORMAT

9. INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS-Label layout
NAME OF CHEMICAL
SYMBOL 1
RISK PHRASES
&
SAFETY PHRASES
MANUFACTURER’S DETAILS
SYMBOL 2
DETAILS OF IMPORTER/DISTRIBUTOR

10. Malaysian CPL Regulations
Comparison of SDS: GHS versus CPL Regulations
Malaysian CPL Regulations
GHS
1. Product, company identification
2. Composition information on ingredient
3. Physical, chemical properties
4. Hazards identification
5. First aid measures
6. Fire fighting measures
7. Accidental release measures
8. Handling and storage
9. Exposure controls, personal protection
10. Stability and reactivity
11. Toxicological information
12. Ecological information
13. Disposal considerations
14. Transport information
15. Regulatory information
16. Other information
1. Product and company information
2. Hazards identification
3. Composition information on ingredients
4. First aid measures
5. Fire fighting measures
6. Accidental release
7. Handling and storage
8. Exposure controls, personal protection
9. Physical, chemical properties
10. Stability and reactivity
11. Toxicological information
12. Ecological information
13. Disposal considerations
14. Transport information
15. Regulatory information
16. Other information

11. CHALLENGES IN GHS IMPLEMENTATION IN MALAYSIA
Lack of awareness on GHS among government agencies & the target groups
Lack of commitments from the relevant Ministries & agencies to review existing legislation
No national coordinating agency or committee to oversee the implementation of GHS
Lack of technical expertise on the classification, labeling & formulation of safety data sheets
Lack of promotional activities & materials
Lack of technical translators

12. NATIONAL HARMONIZATION?
2008
GHS
CPL REGULATIONS
AMEND EXISTING LAW/
ENACT NEW LAW
PESTICIDES
CLASSIFICATION
& LABELLING
TRANSPORTATION
RULES ON
DANGEROUS GOODS
CONSUMER LABELLING

13. CHALLENGES TO NATIONAL HARMONIZATION
Different products different system for classifying & providing hazard information
E.g. industrial chemicals vs pesticides vs consumer products
Different purpose different system
E.g. workplace vs transportation vs consumer
Different authorities adopt different systems based on needs or preferences
E.g. industrial chemicals based on EU classifications & ILO chemicals convention, pesticides based on WHO classification & FAO guidelines,

14. GHS IMPLEMENTATION-ACHIEVEMENTS
BRIEFING ON CPL REGULATIONS 1997 & GHS
2003, BY CICM
SEMINAR ON GHS IN KUALA LUMPUR (2004)
ORGANIZED BY APEC CHEMICAL DIALOGUE & MITI
PAPERS ON GHS PRESENTED AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE & SEMINAR
2003 (DOSH REP. AT NATIONAL COSH),
DEC 2004 (DOSH REP. AT NCOSH NATIONAL SEMINAR)

15. GHS IMPLEMENTATION-ACHIEVEMENTS
PAPERS ON GHS PRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
JULY 2002(CICM REP. AT ASEAN OSHNET WORKSHOP)
2003 (CHEMCON ASIA IN SINGAPORE)
2004 (CHEMCON IN BERLIN)
2005 (CHEMCON ASIA IN KUALA LUMPUR)
PROPOSAL TO ADOPT GHS AS MALAYSIAN STANDARD
2005
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE SET-UP
PAMPHLET ON GHS
PUBLISHED 2005 BY DOSH MALAYSIA

16. GHS IMPLEMENTATION-ACHIEVEMENTS
GHS TECHNICAL WORKSHOP (BEGINNERS)
2004-BY FMM/JETRO
CONDUCTED BY EXPERTS FROM JAPAN
GHS TECHNICAL WORKSHOP (INTERMEDIATE)
JUNE 2005
GHS TECHNICAL WORKSHOP (ADVANCED)
AUGUST 2005
NEW REGULATIONS FOR INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
STARTED DRAFTING IN 2005
BASED ON GHS

17. GHS IMPLEMENTATION-FUTURE PLANS
GHS WORKSHOP-ASEAN OSHNET/UNITAR
MARCH 2006
GHS WORKSHOP FOR MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS-DOSH/UNITAR
2007-TRAINING ON GHS FOR LOCAL CHEMICAL SUPPLIERS
2007/8-NEW REGULATION TO BE GAZETTED
MANUAL ON GHS CLASSIFICATION, LABELLING & SDS
2008-REACH-OUT PROGRAMME
BRIEFING & DIALOGUE SESSIONS
TARGET GROUPS

18. CONCLUSIONS
Malaysia has been enforcing various laws pertaining to chemical control
Awareness & training sessions on GHS have been conducted
Efforts have been made to introduce A Malaysian Standard & a new regulation based on GHS
Presently, GHS to be implemented only for industrial chemical