Colombia: Update your GHS to 6th revision from April 2023

According to Colombia’s Resolution 0773/2021, chemical manufacturers exporting to Colombia need to be aware that the transition period for implementing GHS in the workplace finishes on 7 April 2023 for pure chemical substances and 7 April 2024 for mixtures. After the deadline, companies must start using the sixth revised edition of GHS for labelling and classification.  

With Decree 1496/2018, Colombia implemented the 6th revised edition of GHS for activities related to the extraction, production, importation, storage, transportation, distribution, trade and any other use of hazardous chemical products.  

Resolution 0773/2021 applies to public and private employers, dependent and independent workers, contractors, apprentices, trainees, and cooperative workers who handle chemical products at work, whether pure chemicals, diluted solutions, or mixtures of these. Chemical products should be classified according to the sixth edition of the Globally Harmonic System of Classifying and Labelling Chemicals (GHS6), as well as the use and management of labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS).  

Labelling must be in Spanish and conform to the requirements listed in GHS6. Information on prevention, response, storage, and disposal should be included, unless they are already listed elsewhere. The labels may include the nominal quantity and lot number of the chemical in the container.  

The size of the label should be proportional to the container’s size and shape. Product names and hazard pictograms must not be displayed on containers smaller than 30 millilitres. 

The SDS must include occupational exposure limits determined by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) at the time of its preparation or updating. In this same section, the type of recommended personal protection elements should be specified, specifying characteristics such as glove material and type of filter, among other specifications.