NewsBrief  

No. 38 - May 2002

  TM


Features:

  • HSNO Bites

  • Made in the USA

  • School Daze

  • Kyoto Policy Fraught

  • "Fantasy" Banned

  • AGM Time Again

  • Members' Achievements

  • Environmental Clipboard

  • You Want the Good News or the Bad News?

  • Penalties for Non Compliance

  • Maybe, Baby

  • Your Views Important

  • Cranky Ants

HSNO Begins to Bite

As key milestones for the implementation of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996 edge nearer, the number of enquiries received by Secretariat staff is escalating. Thousands of people have attended seminars conducted by ERMA New Zealand and industry associations, which has helped raise awareness levels. However, for employers and staff wanting to know exactly how complying with the Hazardous Substances Regulations will impact on their business, the answers are slow in coming.

Participating in a recent HSNO workshop held by the NZ Chartered Institute of Transport, NZCIC CEO Barry Dyer commended delegates for wishing to be well informed about their compliance obligations, but cautioned against precipitous action before all relevant information is available.

Until ERMA New Zealand assesses each category of hazardous substances against the HSNO criteria, assigns controls and then transfers the substances to the new regime, Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods will continue to be managed using existing regulations and controls. Attempting to achieve compliance with HSNO in a piecemeal fashion risks squandering scarce resources and ultimately prove counterproductive.

The HSNO performance standards will be explained in a series of ERMA New Zealand Approved national Codes of Practice which interpret the HSNO Regulations and provide a means of compliance. The Codes will also support the development of test certification, clarify the requirement for, and the training of, Approved Handlers, and identify practical solutions to every day compliance issues, e.g. specifying UN approved packaging.

Once the Approved Codes are available, industry associations will be better able to assess whether additional industry-sector specific guidance is required.

Following extensive consultation, the first code, "Signage", will be submitted to ERMA New Zealand for approval in June. A draft Code "Safety Data Sheets and Product Safety Cards" will be posted on the NZCIC website shortly afterwards. Codes to follow include "Exempt Laboratories", "Labelling", and "Emergency Preparedness".


 

 

Back to Last Page