Classification Differences

Different classifications for the same substance or formulation within the supply chain:

There are several reasons why the ‘same substance’ may have different classifications including:

• The substance may not be quite the same, e.g. the composition of an essential oil might be different from one supplier to another, leading to a different classification.
• The classification of a substance might have changed and not everyone in the supply chain has updated their information at the same time.
• There may be a difference of opinion about the hazards of the same substance.
• There could be a regional difference in classification rules, e.g. on cut off levels.

Which classification is right? There is responsibility through the supply chain, so the recipient of the information must decide and it is a professional judgement. This judgment considers the physical supply chain, the reliability of the data and the legislation.

The ‘same formulation’ may also be classified differently by two different companies. If you attempt to reproduce the hazards by inserting composition data for a formulation you don’t always get the same hazards. To get the same out, the data must be the same. That is each component percentage with the same hazards and the same rules applied in the same way.

You may find the following support articles useful:

Classification of a Formulation on Formpak v Supplier SDS

Which Raw Material Hazard Classification to use when given different options

Have you followed the usual methods to determine why your information is different to a supplier, and cannot work out why or struggling to decide which is best? You can obtain extra paid for support from Formpak, with a 30 minute minimum charge. Please contact support@formpak-software.com for extra support on Classification Differences.

March 2024