Introducing the Ink & Chemical Manufacturers Committee

Who is the Ink & Chemical Manufacturers Committee, and what do we do? As with all SGIA Committees, we have a charge to provide a service to SGIA and its printer and industry community. We provide expertise in all of the chemicals, solvents, inks and materials used in our industry, and offer support for regulatory impact and safety issues.  We have industry professionals covering all aspects of the garment, graphics, industrial and printed electronics markets — whether you are a screen printer or have digital printing equipment, we have you covered. I currently chair the Committee and am very ably supported by Danielle Rhodes (PolyOne) as Secretary and Steve Kahane (International Coatings) who is the Editorial Advisor. Committee members are: Leonard Allison (ECM), Ann Crum (Phoenix Inkjet & Color Solutions), Dave Dennings (Kiwo), John Fitzwater (Kor-Chem), Bob Keller (Marabu), Stephen Mills (Avery Dennison), Erik Reed (Nazdar) and Ken VanHorn (Mimaki USA). We provide a first go-to group for Marci Kinter (VP Government Affairs, SGIA) when local or federal legislation is being proposed to see if it would have an impact on our industry as a whole. There are a number of significant regulatory issues we have to comply with, whether you are a garment decorator or produce printed electronic parts. One of the most impactful is the introduction of the Global Harmonization System. This affects us all and has changed OSHA’s Right to Know Program significantly. Are you up to date? Do your workers understand the changes and the new pictograms being used? The hazard determinations now used may have changed the hazard classification of the chemicals you use. Are your SDS (Safety Data Sheets) up to date and in the new 16-section format? All your workers should have been trained almost three and a half years ago — do you have this all documented? Hazard Classification, Labels, SDS, and information and training are all significant changes to the RTK Program. Double check that you are up to date. The world of commerce is getting smaller all the time, and our businesses may not be just impacted by local US or Canadian legislation, but by other countries rules and laws which we need to be aware of. Many companies which produce a membrane switch or printed circuitry that is exported to Europe have to comply with the European Union’s Reach regulation. In particular, the Candidate List of substances of very high concern. This list is updated every six months, and new reportable substances are continually being added. Regular monitoring and updating of records is required. In future columns, we will look to keep you up to date on the latest regulatory news. If you have any questions or concerns, contact SGIA at communityliasion@sgia.org and we’ll address them for you. If you have any suggestions for this column, please let us know. We’re here to support and advise the industry.