GHS CHEMICALS SERVICES

Globally harmonized system (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals services

GHS InfoSafe offers comprehensive solutions for complying with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals.

The production, handling, transport, and use of chemicals pose a potential hazard to human health and the environment. A mandate from the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (known as the Rio Earth Summit), recognized and agreed on the development of a Globally Harmonized System (GHS) on the classification, labeling and safe handling of chemicals. GHS also provides a basis for harmonization of rules and regulations on chemicals at national, regional and worldwide level.

The goal of the Global Harmonized Systems of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) initiative is to globally standardize:
Criteria for classifying chemicals based on health and environmental hazards
Hazard communication requirements for material labeling and safety data sheets

Globally Harmonized system (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals services

GHS InfoSafe can assess a company’s portfolio and based on the countries in which products are to be marketed, will undertake classification and labeling based on first-hand experience of various country implementation plans.

GHS INFOSAFE IS ALREADY PROVIDING ITS SDS/MSDS SERVICES

GHS InfoSafe offers the following services for GHS Compliance

Classification of substances to meet the new requirements set out by the newly adopted Globally Harmonized System.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) authoring and updating to verify that all requirements are met and that classification of substances have been properly assigned.
Label formulation for compliance with GHS

Who is affected by GHS?

The real burden of GHS SDS creation falls on the manufacturers. Those companies that create or blend a chemical bear responsibility for its documentation. If you do not create a chemical, you do NOT have to create its SDS. The manufacturers should supply all the chemical’s downstream users with the proper safety data sheets, ideally as early as possible. Those receiving the SDSs are still responsible for implementing them into their systems and making sure all labels are also GHS compliant.

If you are a manufacturer, supplier, or a user of chemicals, you are required to comply with these new directives for the classification and labelling of hazardous materials. In most cases, this applies to:

Workplace chemicals
Consumer chemicals
Pesticides
Products regulated under the transportation of dangerous goods.

If you are not sure if these regulations apply to your chemicals and if you are required to provide a GHS SDS, check the criteria listed in the GHS purple book. In the U.S. OSHA estimates that 5 million workplaces employing over 40 million workers will be impacted. A similar impact is expected in other countries around the world.

How can GHS InfoSafe help?

While the transition from MSDS to SDS is generally called a “conversion”, GHS requires more than the simple format change. Most new GHS requirements are foreign to most companies, such as new elements and applying GHS classification of chemicals. Under new GHS conversion standards, all chemical safety data sheets will be referred to as Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and have 16 main sections of information.

As mentioned above, the GHS formatted SDS has 16 sections as follows source: OSHA SDS Quick Card

Companies still will have to maintain an SDS for every hazardous chemical and make them available to employees, as per current OSHA standards. Sheets in the GHS format will be easier to read and will be globally regulated, making training and cross-reference simpler. There are currently very few international standards, but the new GHS-formatted safety data sheets will facilitate the ease of information exchange between companies from different countries.

GHS InfoSafe is able to do the hard work for you so that you will be able to meet those standards with precision. To make sure we get everything just right, we developed and used our own software to determine hazard classifications and other elements within the SDS. We check GHS phrases, physical properties, and hazardous statements associated with each chemical product, among many other things. We also offer services such as template customization and regulatory consulting

What are the deadlines (transition period) for adopting the new GHS regulations for Systems and Processes?

Know your country’s implementation dates as well those in the countries in which you do business. You can find this information here.

GHS Compliance Doesn’t End at June 1, 2016. The majority of companies continue to work towards it. Contact us now to learn more about your options!

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