UNITED

NATIONS	ST

Secretariat	Distr.

GENERAL

ST/SG/AC.10/1998/54

29 September 1998

Original: ENGLISH
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON THE

TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

(Twentieth session,

Geneva, 7-16 December l998,

agenda item 5 (b))

PROGRAMME OF WORK

Programme of work for the 1999/2000 biennium and related proposals

Global Harmonisation of classification and hazard communication

Transmitted by the Expert from Germany

Introduction

In the current biennium, the Joint ILO/UN Committee Working group on physical-chemical hazards has made good progress in establishing proposal for classification criteria for physical hazards of substances, mixtures and solutions (such as preparations and wastes).

There was a problem left needing further investigation, the criteria for flammability of aerosols (dispensers). This has to be solve during the coming biennium to present a proposal for inclusion in the Global Harmonised System of Classification and Hazard Communication (GHS) before 2000.

A final report of the Working Group to be presented to the IOMC-CH HCCS and to be combined with the report of OECD on proposals for classification criteria for health and environmental hazards.

GE.98-

The implementation of the GHS and the creation and installation of a suitable ECOSOC body and structure for it's future development probably will take some more time, so that the body may not start working before the beginning of 2001. In the meantime questions may arise on the proposed criteria and guidance might be awaited for explanation of the content as well as for suitable ways of implementation.

Proposal

Together with ILO, the Committee is invited to re-establish the Joint ILO/UN Committee Working Group for the next biennium to deal with the following tasks:

-	develop a final proposal for the criteria for flammability of aerosols;

-	present a final report of the Working Group including the scope, way of work, results and the proposals for classification criteria for physical-chemical hazards linked to the reasoning for these proposals taking into account form and structure of the proposed OECD report;

-	develop as appropriate and requested explanatory material and guidance principles related to the criteria for physical-chemical hazards.

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