eFasim4you helps NXP comply with chemical regulations
The European Regulation on Classification, Labeling and Packaging of chemical substances and mixtures (CLP regulation No. 1272/2008) aims to protect workers, consumers and the environment by means of labeling, which reflects hazard of chemicals in a consistent way, everywhere around the world.
This regulation entered into force on 20 January 2009. Companies have to track and trace carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproduction toxic (CMR) chemicals within their organization, to live up to government legislation and their own safety and health policies.
Thanks to the Register of Dangerous Substances (RDS) in our chemical database eFasim4you, users can track and trace and generate an overview of carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproduction toxic substances within their organization at any time.
Register of Dangerous Substances and CMR information
Hans Brandsma, Manager Dangerous Goods at Philips Engineering Solutions, explains: “To help customers find out in which categories certain substances belong, and in which products they are used, we have created the ‘Dangerous Goods’ tool. Based on classification, companies can see which chemical they have used where and when, anywhere in the world. The classification isn’t static, and we make sure it is constantly up to date, allowing customers to gain rapid, accurate insights. From one single database, we can offer our up-to-date chemicals expertise and classification data whilst also providing safety, risk inventory, tracking and tracing, safety and transport and export control information. Tailor-made functions may be added if required.”
“Today, we’re facing increasingly complicated reporting,” says Harrold van Rooij, Customer and Contract Support Officer, Sustainability Office NXP. “In different regions, you need to declare different substances to the authorities and if your reporting isn’t perfectly in order, you might have to stop producing, or even recall products. NXP has quite a lot of production locations and thanks to ‘eFasim,’ we can cater to different local reporting requirements, but also easily exchange learnings and best practices.
When customers ask whether we use a certain chemical in our production processes I can soon tell them exactly where it is used and where it is sourced from. We are ahead of most parties in the market and see that being able to provide this type of information to customers and authorities is vital. New legislation, often largely based on existing European laws, is appearing in many countries around the world. Furthermore, the number of descriptors keeps growing: neurotoxic, allergenic, endocrine…”
Material Safety Data Sheets
Any professional who deals with chemicals, from environmental staff to lab workers, developers, production and logistics personnel to import and export managers, can log in and extract substance information as MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) in nine languages*, including Chinese. For each substance and mixture, there’s an MSDS indicating hazards identification, physical and chemical properties, safety recommendations, cleanup, transport, first-aid guidelines and more.
Photo: A distribution operator at NXP’s Nijmegen semiconductor fab checks the MSDS to find out a chemical’s hazardous properties and which protective measures to take.
Higher output quality
“Companies which produce chemicals are legally required to submit MSDS to customers,” Harrold adds. “For work safety and risk inventory purposes, employees also have to list which chemicals are being worked with. eFasim4you allows companies to be pro-active in this respect, instead of waiting for an inspector.”
“We can always ask the Dangerous Goods team at Philips Engineering Solutions for advice. We can exchange ideas and they always come up with transparent, workable solutions. They’re always interested in my activities and feedback. Some external parties just provide certification, but the Dangerous Goods team explains exactly what they’re doing and why things are reported in a certain way. I’ve seen comparable output from many different firms, but the output quality from Philips is definitely higher.”
More information:
*Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish.