Information/data

Reporting starts with the collection of information and data by producers or importers. It can be done regularly, for example, by the end of a year, or upon request. The type of information requested from industry needs to be clearly defined and might include the following: producer/importer details, production/import volumes, foreseen uses and respective volumes, estimated and measured exposures for the stages of the life cycle, hazard information, risk assessments for the foreseen uses, risk management through GHS labelling and safety data sheets. Information may also be collected through other elements of the scheme, for example poison centres and compliance monitoring. Please see “Information from other elements” in the More information pages for further details. Guidance on implementing the GHS can be found in the Classification and Labelling System Management Scheme component of the Toolbox.

The information/data collected needs to be transferred from industry to the government and checked for completeness against the requested information. Government officials should be aware of the need to have the legal authority to collect data and protect CBI. It also needs to be stored on computers or in a National Database, and disseminated (respecting CBI aspects) to other government departments and the public through appropriate means. The IT needs for the scheme will depend on what is already available and the resources available. Harmonised templates for reporting studies carried out on chemicals to determin their properties of effects on human health and the environment have been developed, and these are implemented in the IUCLID (International Uniform ChemicaL Information Database) softwater which is an application that can be used to capture, store, maintain and exchange data on intrinsic and hazard properties of chemical substances.

The information/data element of the scheme therefore involves three sub elements:

1. Information/data collection
2. Information/data storage
3. Information/data dissemination

The activities which can be undertaken by your government, the type of information requested from industry and the chemicals included in the scheme depend on the resources available. Please use the content given in “Activities at different resource levels” and “Chemical selection at different resource levels” in the More information pages to identify the relevant level for your country. It is important to bear in mind that changes in tonnages or use of a chemical may increase the exposure to a chemical which in turn may alter the overall priority of the chemical.

The following elements of the Occupational Safety and Health Management Scheme could make use of the information collected through the Information/data element of the Industrial Chemicals Management Scheme and vice versa (with the exception of Disposal). There may be advantages in only obtaining the information once, if feasible.

• Storage and transport
• Classification and labelling system
• Safety data sheets
• Disposal
• Formulation and repacking
• Distribution