The Importance of GHS Compliance: Four Steps to Ensure Safety in the Chemical Industry

As the deadline for GHS compliance approaches, it is crucial for chemical manufacturers, importers, and employers to take necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees. The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) aims to improve the health and safety of employees working with hazardous chemicals by providing accurate and secure labels for chemical materials.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that over 43 million employees in the United States could be exposed to hazardous chemicals. Implementing appropriate work practices and exposure guidelines can reduce health and safety risks. This involves creating accurate and secure labels for chemical materials, allowing workers to quickly and easily understand information about the hazards they are exposed to.

To achieve GHS compliance, employers must take four key steps:

1. Learn about the changes in the final rule: The major changes to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) include new label elements, safety data sheets (SDSs), and hazard classification. Employers must understand these changes to ensure compliance.

2. Train employees: The deadline to train current employees on the new label elements and SDS formats was December 1, 2013. However, as new employees are hired, it is mandatory to train them in the same way. Training should focus on how to interpret new pictograms, how to read updated labels, and what the various hazard statements, signal words, and precautionary statements mean.

3. Replace current MSDSs with SDSs: For GHS compliance, ensure that the SDSs you receive include new hazard information. An SDS must include the 16 required sections in the specified order, in a uniform format with headings, section numbers, and associated information.

4. Choose the right labeling software: Chemical labels under GHS must include the following: hazard statement, pictogram, signal word, product identifier, supplier identification, and precautionary statement. Employers should choose labeling software that allows for database integration, electronic signatures, and meets industry mandates for label security and traceability.

By following these four steps, chemical manufacturers, importers, and employers can ensure GHS compliance and reduce the risk of health and safety hazards in the workplace. OSHA estimates that the modified HCS will prevent 43 fatalities and 585 injuries and illnesses annually, valued at an estimated $250 million per year in savings related to the reduction of occupational risks.