Malaysia CLASS 2013 Compliance: SDS Requirements Explained
CLASS 2013 — the Occupational Safety and Health (Classification, Labelling and Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 2013 [P.U.(A) 310/2013] — requires anyone supplying hazardous chemicals for use at a Malaysian workplace to classify each chemical under GHS, prepare a 16-section Safety Data Sheet in Bahasa Malaysia and English, and label it correctly.
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P.U.(A) 310/2013
Regulation Number11 Oct 2013
GazettedDOSH
Enforcing Authority1 tonne/yr
CIMS Reporting ThresholdCLASS 2013 is Malaysia's implementation of the UN Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for workplace chemical hazard communication. Gazetted on 11 October 2013, it replaced the older Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Hazardous Chemicals Regulations 1997 and is enforced by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) under the Ministry of Human Resources. It applies to any chemical supplied for use at a place of work in Malaysia — from raw industrial solvents to formulated cleaning products.
Who CLASS 2013 Applies To
If you manufacture or formulate a hazardous chemical in Malaysia, you're responsible for its initial classification, SDS authoring, and label content before it reaches a workplace.
Bringing chemicals into Malaysia from overseas? You inherit the duty to classify, translate, and reissue a compliant Bahasa Malaysia + English SDS — even if the manufacturer already supplied one in another language.
If you distribute hazardous chemicals or use them at a workplace, you must ensure every SDS on-site is current, correctly translated, and accessible to employees who handle the chemical.
The 5 Core CLASS 2013 Requirements
1. Classify
Every hazardous chemical must be classified against GHS hazard classes and categories before it's labelled or documented.
2. Label
Labels must carry GHS pictograms, signal words, and hazard/precautionary statements in Bahasa Malaysia and English.
3. Prepare SDS
A full 16-section Safety Data Sheet, formatted per the Industry Code of Practice (ICOP), must accompany every hazardous chemical supplied.
4. Package
Packaging must protect against leakage and be compatible with the chemical's classified hazards.
5. Report to CIMS
Manufacturers and importers handling ≥1 metric tonne/year of a hazardous chemical must submit an inventory via DOSH's CIMS by 31 March of the following year.
Under CLASS 2013, both the SDS and the product label must be provided in Bahasa Malaysia and English — not one or the other. A single-language SDS, even a technically accurate English one from an overseas manufacturer, does not meet DOSH's compliance bar on its own.
Check If Your SDS Is Compliant →The 16 Sections Every Compliant SDS Must Contain
CLASS 2013 requires the same 16-section structure defined by GHS. Missing or incomplete sections are one of the most common reasons an SDS gets rejected during a compliance review.
1. Identification
2. Hazard(s) identification
3. Composition/information on ingredients
4. First-aid measures
5. Fire-fighting measures
6. Accidental release measures
7. Handling and storage
8. Exposure controls/personal protection
9. Physical and chemical properties
10. Stability and reactivity
11. Toxicological information
12. Ecological information
13. Disposal considerations
14. Transport information
15. Regulatory information
16. Other information
If you manufacture or import a hazardous chemical in a quantity of 1 metric tonne or more per calendar year, DOSH requires you to submit a chemical inventory through CIMS (Chemical Information Management System) no later than 31 March of the following year.
What Non-Compliance Costs Since 2024
The Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022, effective 1 June 2024, sharply raised the cost of non-compliance. General duty-of-care fines for employers, suppliers and self-employed persons increased tenfold, and fines specific to hazardous substances and machinery rose from RM20,000 to RM200,000. Non-compliance can also carry imprisonment of up to 2 years.
RM50,000 → RM500,000
Max fine for general duty-of-care breaches — a 10x increase under OSHAA 2022, effective 1 June 2024Up to RM200,000
Max fine for hazardous-substance and machinery breaches, up from RM20,000, plus up to 2 years' imprisonmentHow to Become CLASS 2013 Compliant in 5 Steps
1. Audit your chemical inventory
Identify every hazardous chemical supplied, imported, or used at your Malaysian workplace.
2. Classify against GHS
Determine the hazard class and category for each chemical you handle.
3. Source a compliant SDS
16-section format, Bahasa Malaysia + English, ICOP-aligned.
4. Register with CIMS if applicable
Submit your annual inventory by 31 March if you handle ≥1 tonne/year.
5. Keep your SDS current
Re-issue whenever formulation, classification, or regulatory guidance changes.
How Malaysia's CLASS 2013 Compares to Singapore's SS 586
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bilingual SDS legally required in Malaysia?
Yes. Under CLASS Regulations 2013, SDS must be provided in both Bahasa Malaysia and English. An English-only SDS does not meet DOSH compliance requirements, even if the content is accurate.
What is the CLASS 2013 regulation number?
P.U.(A) 310/2013 — the Occupational Safety and Health (Classification, Labelling and Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 2013, gazetted 11 October 2013.
Who enforces CLASS 2013?
The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), under Malaysia's Ministry of Human Resources, enforces CLASS 2013 for chemicals supplied for use at a place of work.
Does CLASS 2013 apply to imported chemicals?
Yes. Importers inherit the same classification, labelling, and SDS obligations as manufacturers — even if a foreign-language SDS already exists from the overseas supplier.
What happens if I don't submit a CIMS inventory?
Non-submission is enforced under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 as amended in 2022. General duty-of-care breaches can now draw fines of up to RM500,000, and hazardous-substance-specific breaches up to RM200,000, plus possible imprisonment.
How long does a CLASS 2013-compliant SDS translation take?
Most SDS translations are delivered in 2–3 business days once we complete your Free SDS Assessment and confirm scope and language pair.
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