South Africa adopts the tenth revised edition of the GHS

On July 1, 2025, South Africa has taken a further step in the international harmonization of chemical safety by implementing the tenth revised edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) by the United Nations.

This measure represents the most recent update regarding the regulation of hazardous chemical agents in the country, replacing Revision 8 of the GHS that was in force since 2021.

The implementation of GHS 10 is based on the publication of April 5, 2024 by the Department of Employment and Labour of South Africa, through the Draft Regulation on Hazardous Chemical Agents, Notice No. R. 4598 published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the South African Republic No. 50431.. Entities wishing to contribute comments on the draft were able to do so until July 5, 2024. The only remaining step is the official publication of the Regulation.

Some of the main points of the draft contemplate the following changes:

• Four annexes are established, where in Annex I, the Explosives and Desensitized Explosives hazard classes are added in the table of Physical Hazards. In Annex II, the values of Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs), Restricted Exposure Limits (RELs), Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs) are revised, and a table of prohibited chemical agents is added. In Annex III, a report document on crystalline silica exposure is established that must be submitted annually by March 31 (if applicable to the company's activity). And finally, in Annex IV, a guide for hazardous chemical agents is established. If you would like to obtain a draft of the complete guide, please visit the South African Department of Employment and Labor website or request it.
• More rigorous labelling requirements, especially for carcinogenic substances and substances with specific target organ toxicity (STOT).
• Stricter safety measures are implemented for the handling of substances in particulate form, work in confined spaces and proper use of personal protective equipment.
• Mandatory prevention plans are established along with medical monitoring against exposure to hazardous chemical agents.

This GHS update project in South Africa represents an advance in the management of hazardous chemical agents in the workplace, prioritizing the health and safety of workers.

You can visit the legislation section of our website to learn more about South African regulations.

From SIAM we keep our IT solutions always updated to facilitate compliance with these new legislative requirements, allowing the creation of Safety Data Sheets that incorporate the previously mentioned points.