On 19 Apr 2013, the State Administration of Work Safety, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture jointly published the Announcement No 9 of 2013 that the “Use quantities standard for hazardous chemicals (2013)” has been published. Companies (except for HC manufacturing companies) of the industries listed in “Catalogue of applicable industries for Hazardous Chemicals Safe Use Permit”, who use hazardous chemical for production purpose (except for fuel use) and reaches the given volume should apply for the hazardous chemicals safe use permit.
The quantities standard (2013 version) listed 75 hazardous chemicals and their annual usage volumes, as well as their CAS numbers. Whether the company is obligated to obtain the safe use permit depends on the bigger value between the designed minimum annual usage volume and the real usage volume of the HCs. If the bigger value reaches the volume specified in the quantities standard, companies should apply for the HC safe use permit with their city-level work safety authorities.
The SAWS Order 57, “Measures for the Administration of Hazardous Chemicals Safe Use Permit”, which was published on 16 Nov 2012, specified the application pre-condition, procedures and supervision of the safe use permit of hazardous chemicals. The Measures will take effect on 1 May 2013, if a concerned company uses the HCs in their production without obtaining the permit or failing to apply for the permit within the due time limit, it would be fined between 100,000 Yuan to 200,000 Yuan.
