Deadline Approaching for MSDS Submission in South Korea.

Companies in South Korea that manufacture or import 10 to 100 tonnes of chemicals per year are required to submit their Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) to the MSDS portal before the grace period ends on January 16, 2024. 

This mandatory submission is part of the country’s efforts to ensure the safety and health of workers handling these chemicals. The MSDS provides detailed information on the physical and chemical properties of these substances, including potential hazards and instructions for safe handling. 

In cases where the MSDS contains trade secrets, workplaces must undergo a non-disclosure approval review with the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA). This process allows for alternative names and content to be entered, protecting proprietary information while still ensuring safety compliance. 

Failure to meet this deadline could result in penalties, so companies are encouraged to start preparing their MSDS submissions as soon as possible. 

Grace periods for submitting MSDSs 

From 16 January 2021, Korean authorities require manufacturers, importers, or Only Representatives (ORs) appointed by non-Korean manufacturers to submit an MSDS before manufacturing or importing chemical substances. The MSDS must be submitted in Korean Language and follow the fourth revision of the UN GHS. If a chemical substance has been placed on the Korean market and an MSDS has been prepared before 16 January 2021, there are grace periods for submitting MSDSs based on the tonnage bands as listed in the table below. The grace periods for the tonnage bands above 1000 tonnes per annum (TPA) and 100-1000 TPA have expired.