News Details

On 15 January 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an extension to the compliance deadlines for the revised Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) under 29 CFR 1910.1200. This decision was published in the Federal Register and provides regulated entities with an additional four months to meet the updated requirements introduced through the May 2024 final rule. 
 

Revised Compliance Dates for Substances and Mixtures 

Under the revised schedule, the deadline for manufacturers, importers, and distributors responsible for classifying and evaluating substances has been shifted from 19 January 2026 to 19 May 2026. To maintain the phased implementation structure adopted in the 2024 amendments, OSHA has extended the subsequent compliance dates by four months as well. As a result: 

• Employers must complete required updates related to substances by 20 November 2026. 

• Manufacturers, importers, and distributors evaluating mixtures must comply by 19 November 2027. 

• Employers must complete the required updates relating to mixtures by 19 May 2028. 

No Changes to Transitional Compliance Framework 

OSHA indicated that the extension is intended to ensure sufficient time for the agency to finalize and publish supporting guidance documents, as well as to allow affected stakeholders sufficient opportunity to understand and implement the amended requirements. The agency invoked the “good cause” exception under the Administrative Procedure Act to issue the extension without prior notice and comment, citing the imminence of the original compliance deadline. 

OSHA has also clarified that the phased compliance structure established under the 2024 amendments remains unchanged. Until the new compliance deadlines take effect, regulated parties may choose to follow either the 2012 version of the standard, the updated 2024 version, or a combination of both, in line with the transitional arrangements currently in place.