To gain experience in the application of GHS classification criteria, at the 39^th OECD Joint Meeting of the Chemicals Committee and the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology in February 2006, members endorsed a proposal to undertake a pilot to apply GHS criteria to chemicals assessed in the High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals program. Pilot objectives were to:

· share national experiences and identify possible problems in the application of the GHS criteria for classification

· evaluate the suitability of the SIDS Initial Assessment Report (SIAR) as a basis for applying the classification

· identify where further guidance is required for the application of the GHS criteria, and

· identify whether further guidance is required in the Manual for the investigation of HPV chemicals.

NICNAS commented on GHS annexes submitted with the SIARs for SIAM 23 and 24 meetings. While the comments on GHS annexes were not discussed at SIAMs they were collated for discussion at an OECD workshop in July 2007.

NICNAS continues to classify chemicals in accordance with GHS criteria as part of ongoing situational analysis of the potential for the implementation of GHS in Australia in 2008.