The restriction on Diisocyanates under REACH requires all industrial or professional users of Diisocyanates with a monomer concentration greater than 0.1 percent by weight to complete training before August 24, 2023. The clock is ticking. However, not all those affected in the PU industry know how to proceed by a long shot. Who is affected, what content, how to train and how to meet the deadline can be found out with just a few clicks on the digital platform of the Fachverband Schaumkunststoffe und Polyurethane e.V. (FSK).

Stuttgart, 23.02.2023 – The countdown has started for the entire PU industry: Companies have just six months left until they must provide proof of training for placing on the market and use of products containing Diisocyanate in accordance with the REACH Regulation. In concrete terms, this means that after August 24, 2023, industrial or commercial users of Diisocyanates will no longer be allowed to use or process them without proof of training.

Affected industries

Several industries are affected at once: Diisocyanates are chemical building materials used in the production of polyurethanes and polyureas. They are used in various industries such as automotive, medical technology, energy, rail transport, mechanical engineering and construction. “The materials here are as diverse as the applications in the companies themselves,” says Nilüfer Bozkurt-Thielscher, authorized signatory of FSK Services GmbH. “They are found in coatings for circuit boards, in adhesives, in paints and varnishes, or in foams.” The question of whether a company is required to provide training can be answered quickly and reliably with the FSK course finder.

Suitable training models

Different target groups are affected by training – from production employees and chemical laboratory assistants to managers and secretaries who regularly walk through production. The key here is to apply the appropriate training model for each target group. E-learning or web-based training is not suitable for every production participant, nor is it suitable for all training content. The FSK therefore offers three training models: E-learning, classroom, or train-the-trainer training. Once the appropriate learning model has been found, sufficient lead time must be planned for timely implementation of the training as well as for the legal deadline. Depending on the number of participants and the training model chosen, allow between two and eight weeks before the official start of training.

Procedure for legal deadlines

For a good year now, FSK has been successfully conducting Diisocyanates training courses with experienced master trainers and e-learning courses. As a manufacturer, distributor or industrial or professional user of Diisocyanates and products containing Diisocyanates, you must now take care to carry out the training courses. The association recommends the following procedure for complying with the training obligation in due time: Obtain information on the FSK training site, contact the FSK team, search out training content with the module finder, select a suitable training model, conduct training and document the proof with the FSK certificate.