While many countries already have regulatory systems in place for these types of requirements, there are differences between the systems that are significant enough to require multiple classifications, labels and safety data sheets for the same product when marketed in different countries. Thus, the GHS system is designed to provide a standard means to identify hazardous chemicals and inform users about these hazards through standard symbols and phrases on the packaging labels and through safety data sheets (SDS). It is aligned with the European Commission’s (EC) CLP regulation on classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures that went into effect in January 2009.

In essence, the United Nations is trying to consolidate the disparate systems used around the world into a finite set of universal classes of risk. The primary use of the GHS system will be labeling of toxic and hazardous materials, so this is very much a safety regulatory requirement that EH&S managers will need to ensure is implemented correctly.

Setting up visibility for GHS regulated materials is a very quick process with CISPro. Users simply activate the capability then search a list of GHS classes to easily check the appropriate toxicity or warnings for the material. Once toxicity is defined, the values are displayed on the hazard tab, enabling GHS-compliant labels to be generated.

Agencies worldwide, such as the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), are currently revising their standards to the GHS. OSHA, for instance, completed revisions to their Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) and published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on September 30, 2009 in the Federal Register. The changes to the HCS now requires chemical manufacturers and importers to have a hazard communication program for employees exposed to hazardous chemicals, and addresses container labels, safety data sheets, and employee training.

For details about the CLP/GHS system, visit www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html or http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/chemicals/classification/index_en.htm.

Available now, the GHS capability is resident in ChemSW’s CISPro Global and CISPro Live chemical inventory systems.