UK University Offers First Postgraduate REACH Course

With the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) legislation in effect since June 1, it is important to ensure that personnel responsible for implementing and managing their company’s compliance with the legislation have a correct understanding of what is required. The use of chemicals will have to be registered with a technical dossier and some substances will also require a chemical safety report and assessment.

The University of Hull is currently the only university in Europe to be offering an accredited Postgraduate course in the management of the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH). The first day of teaching in the initial course began only days after the legislation came into force, on June 4, 2007, and each course consists of four one-week modules delivered by leading experts, as well as an industrial placement that can be carried out at the delegate’s own workplace. The course can be completed in full, as individual modules or on individual days. The cost is £300 for one day or £4,000 for the full course, exclusive of VAT. A Postgraduate Certificate is awarded upon completion of the full course.

The course is being run by the Environmental Technologies Centre of Industrial Collaboration (ETIC) and the Faculty of Science at the University of Hull, and is supported by the Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward. ‘REACH will affect almost every manufacturing and chemical process and is probably the most wide-ranging legislation ever to come into force affecting the management of chemicals,’ commented Dr David Calvert of ETCIC. .Organisations that don’t comply with REACH simply won’t be able to function within the supply chain because REACH requires organisations to work together to ensure safe chemical handling.’

The University of Hull has also launched the REACH blog for those interested in keeping abreast of developments with the legislation. Email mail@thereachblog.com to subscribe to this free online service. To enrol on the course, or for further information, email reach@hull.ac.uk or call 01482466940.