OSHA HazCom Compliance Deadlines Are Approaching

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Summer 2026

OSHA HazCom Compliance Deadlines Are Approaching — Here's What Employees using Hazardous Chemicals as well as Chemical Manufacturers, Importers, Distributors Need to Do Now

Critical Deadlines Under OSHA's Updated Hazard Communication Standard Take Effect as Early as November 2026

June 2026 — OSHA's updated Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), aligned with the 7th revision of the UN's Globally Harmonized System (GHS Rev. 7), is now entering its most consequential phase for U.S. businesses. With key compliance deadlines beginning this November, organizations that handle hazardous chemicals — including manufacturers, importers, distributors, and employers — must act now to avoid non-compliance.

MSDS Source is committed to helping customers navigate these changes with confidence. This notice summarizes what has changed, what is required of your organization, and how MSDS Source — together with Quantum SDS — can support your compliance efforts end to end.

What Changed: OSHA's GHS Rev. 7 Alignment

OSHA's updated HazCom Standard took effect July 19, 2024, representing one of the most significant overhauls to U.S. chemical safety requirements in recent years. Key changes include:

• Enhanced labelling requirements for small containers, improving hazard communication at the point of use
• Improved SDS transparency on trade secrets, ensuring workers and emergency responders can access critical hazard information
• Revised classification criteria for aerosols, desensitized explosives, and flammable gases
• A new hazard category — "Chemicals Under Pressure" — added within the aerosols class
• Updated precautionary statements governing safe handling, storage, and disposal
• Greater harmonization with Health Canada's WHMIS requirements and other U.S. federal agency standards

In early 2026, OSHA announced a four-month extension to each compliance deadline, providing additional time for regulated entities to finalize implementation. The obligations themselves remain unchanged.

Updated Compliance Deadlines — Know Your Dates

The following deadlines apply under OSHA's extended schedule:

SUBSTANCES

Manufacturers, importers & distributors:  May 19, 2026

Labels and SDSs must be reviewed and updated — this deadline has passed or is imminent. Immediate action required.

Employers (workplace labelling, written programs, training):  November 20, 2026

Less than six months away. Training and program updates must be underway now.

MIXTURES

Manufacturers, importers & distributors:  November 19, 2027

SDS authoring and label revisions for mixtures must be planned and resourced.

Employers (workplace labelling, written programs, training):  May 19, 2028

Begin reviewing chemical inventories and HazCom programs now to avoid a compliance crunch.

Although the mixtures deadlines may appear distant, SDS updates, hazard reclassification, label revisions, and downstream distribution across complex product portfolios require significant lead time. The time to plan is now.

What Your Organization Needs to Do

If you manufacture, import, or distribute hazardous chemicals:

• Review all SDSs against GHS Rev. 7 classification criteria — reclassification may be required
• Update SDS content to reflect revised hazard categories, including the new "Chemicals Under Pressure" class
• Revise container labels to meet updated small-container and trade secret disclosure requirements
• Reissue updated SDSs to customers, distributors, and downstream users

If you are an employer using hazardous chemicals in the workplace:

• Audit your chemical inventory and confirm that updated SDSs from suppliers are received and on file
• Review and update your written HazCom program to reflect GHS Rev. 7 requirements
• Revise workplace labelling practices as needed
• Update employee training to cover the new hazard classifications, labels, and precautionary statements before November 20, 2026

How MSDS Source and Quantum SDS Can Help

MSDS Source customers have a significant advantage: our platform is purpose-built to evolve alongside regulatory change. Whether you need to manage updated SDSs across your organization or author new compliant documents, our integrated solution covers both sides of the compliance equation.

SDS Management with MSDS Source

• Automatically receive updated SDSs from manufacturers as they issue GHS Rev. 7-compliant versions
• Maintain a centralized, always-current SDS library accessible to workers and emergency responders
• Track compliance status across your chemical inventory against updated OSHA classification and labelling requirements
• Support your HazCom program and training update timelines with accurate, accessible documentation

SDS Authoring with Quantum SDS

• Author fully compliant SDSs under GHS Rev. 7 and updated OSHA HazCom requirements
• Built-in classification logic keeps pace with revised criteria for aerosols, flammable gases, and the new Chemicals Under Pressure category
• Ensure alignment between your SDS content, container labels, and updated precautionary statements
• Reduce authoring time and compliance risk across large or complex product portfolios
• Support cross-border compliance with harmonized outputs for both OSHA HazCom and Health Canada's WHMIS standard

Don't let regulatory deadlines determine your compliance timeline. Contact the MSDS Source team today to review your SDS inventory, assess your authoring needs, and ensure your organization is fully prepared for OSHA's updated HazCom requirements.

Contact & Next Steps

To learn more about how MSDS Source and Quantum SDS can support your HazCom compliance, contact us at:

MSDS Source | msdssource.com
Quantum SDS | sdsquantum.com

About MSDS Source: MSDS Source provides SDS management solutions that help employers and chemical users maintain compliance with evolving regulatory requirements across U.S. and Canadian markets.

About Quantum SDS: Quantum SDS is an SDS authoring platform that enables manufacturers, importers, and distributors to create, manage, and distribute fully compliant Safety Data Sheets in line with GHS, OSHA HazCom, and WHMIS requirements.