07 Jun Hazard Communication and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
Written by Safety Professionals at SOS Safety Solutions, Brad Penrose.
What is Hazard Communication?
The Hazard Communication Standard (1910.1200) or HazCom requires employers to provide their employees with information on any hazardous chemicals they may come in contact with within their workplace. For this reason, it’s often referred to as the “Right to Know” standard.
Who is covered by the HazCom standard?
In general, a company that has even one hazardous chemical is required to comply with the standard. The only exceptions:
- Workplaces where only sealed containers are handled (like a warehouse0
- Laboratories
If an employer has workers that could potentially be exposed to hazardous chemicals as part of their job, these employees must be trained in HazCom prior to starting their work. This is done to ensure protection of each employee.
Communicating the Hazards
In order to communicate the hazards associated with the use chemicals, employers are required to do the following:
- Maintain a complete list of hazardous chemicals present in the workplace
- Ensure Safety Data Sheets(SDS’s) are current and available for access by employees
- Implement a written hazardous communication plan.
- Ensure the labelling of all hazardous chemical containers
- Conduct training with all affected employees
The Globally Harmonized System
The Globally Harmonized System or GHS, is an update on how HazCom is actually communicated. We are in an increasingly global marketplace. For this reason, it was necessary to establish a standard that could be used anywhere in the world. GHS accomplishes this by creating a uniform way of classifying and labelling hazardous chemicals.
Classifying and Labeling Hazardous Chemicals
Hazardous chemicals will generally fall into three classifications, often more than one:
- Health hazards- these are dangerous to human health (ex: vision or breathing)
- Physical hazards- these cause direct physical damage to the body (ex: flammables)
- Environmental hazards- these have a lasting impact on the environment and aquatic life.
This information should be gathered using the Safety Data Sheet. Every SDS should clearly state the hazards for the substance.
Types of Hazards
Health Hazards
Carcinogen – a substance that is known or suspected of causing cancer
Mutagen – a substance that can alter the health of DNA
Reproductive Toxicity – a substance that can cause fertility issues. Additionally, it can mean a substance that can have effects on a person’s offspring well after exposure to the parent.
Respiratory sensitizer/aspiration toxicity – a substance that can cause increasingly adverse reactions to the lungs and respiratory system
Target organ toxicity- a substance that affects a specific organ
Physical Hazards
The potential hazards include:
Skin corrosion or burns
Potentially serious eye damage
Corrosive to metals- storing corrosive substances in an elevated position should be avoided where possible. Corrosives can eat through metal, leading to a potentially serious situation if a storage rack is structurally compromised.
It is important that compressed gas cylinders or other containers remain secure, as puncturing or otherwise damaging the container could lead to the container becoming a projective.
If the substance is a liquid, it is important to remember that it will be the vapors that are flammable. Additionally, these substances can be potentially self-reactive. This means that a fire hazard could be present simply through reacting with the atmosphere or exposure to heat.
An oxidizer is something that reacts strongly with oxygen, causing the potential for a fire to rapidly profligate.
Environmental Hazards
Labeling
GHS compliant labels should include all of the following:
- Product identifier- this should be the same name used on the Safety Data Sheet
- Signal word- “Warning” (less severe) or “Danger” (more severe)
- Pictograms- at least one of the previously identified pictograms should be included on any hazardous chemical label
- Hazard statements-these can be found on the Safety Data Sheet and corresponds to the hazard classifications established by the manufacturer
- Precautionary Statements- these describe how to minimize hazards associated with the substance.
- Supplier- the name, address and telephone number of the company that distributed the product.
To read the full version of Hazard Communication and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), download the whitepaper below.
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