SSSG 2007SSSG 2007

Global Harmonization SystemGlobal Harmonization System

What is GHS ?What is GHS ? GHS is an international system designed to GHS is an international system designed to

standardize the communication of hazardous standardize the communication of hazardous substances according to their health, substances according to their health, environmental and physical hazards. In developing environmental and physical hazards. In developing GHS, the UN reviewed existing national and GHS, the UN reviewed existing national and multinational systems and formed a nucleus of a multinational systems and formed a nucleus of a new system around their features. GHS is largely new system around their features. GHS is largely based on: based on:

HAZCOM and WHMIS (especially requirements on HAZCOM and WHMIS (especially requirements on the use of labels and MSDSs to notify workers and the use of labels and MSDSs to notify workers and consumers of hazardous properties of substances); consumers of hazardous properties of substances);

The EU (European Union) system for preparation, The EU (European Union) system for preparation, classification and labeling of substances; and classification and labeling of substances; and

The UN Transportation of Dangerous Goods system The UN Transportation of Dangerous Goods system for communicating hazardsfor communicating hazards

Where Did it originate ?Where Did it originate ?

Most of the worlds industrial nations have Most of the worlds industrial nations have established some type of system to deal established some type of system to deal with chemical hazards and a means to with chemical hazards and a means to communicate information around the use communicate information around the use of and or hazards attributed to them, re; of and or hazards attributed to them, re; WHMIS, HAZCOM etc.WHMIS, HAZCOM etc.

In the mid-1980s, the International Labor In the mid-1980s, the International Labor Organization called for a development of a Organization called for a development of a uniform standard that could be followed uniform standard that could be followed globally globally

Where did it originate ?Where did it originate ?

The United Nations responded in The United Nations responded in 1992 by proposing GHS--the Global 1992 by proposing GHS--the Global Harmonization System of Harmonization System of Classification and Labeling of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Chemicals.

Benefits ?Benefits ?

Countries, international Countries, international organizations, chemical producers organizations, chemical producers and users of chemicals all benefit;and users of chemicals all benefit;

Improve the protection of humans and Improve the protection of humans and environment through the sound environment through the sound management of chemicalsmanagement of chemicals

Reduce trade barriers in the international Reduce trade barriers in the international trade of chemicalstrade of chemicals

Reduce the need for testing/evaluation (??)Reduce the need for testing/evaluation (??)

System ImpactsSystem Impacts

UN Transport Recommendations – UN Transport Recommendations – basis for Can TDG, US DOTbasis for Can TDG, US DOT

Canadian requirements for WHMIS, Canadian requirements for WHMIS, consumers and pesticides consumers and pesticides

European Union Directives on European Union Directives on Substances and PreparationsSubstances and Preparations

US requirements for workplace, US requirements for workplace, consumers and pesticides.consumers and pesticides.

ImpactsImpacts

Include all types of chemicals Include all types of chemicals Hazard based systemHazard based system All systems will have to be changedAll systems will have to be changed Protection will not be reducedProtection will not be reduced

Scope and targetsScope and targets

Covers all hazardous chemical Covers all hazardous chemical substances and mixtures includingsubstances and mixtures including– pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food

additives in the workplace/transport but additives in the workplace/transport but not at the point of intentional intake. not at the point of intentional intake.

Transport workers Transport workers Emergency responders Emergency responders ConsumersConsumers WorkersWorkers

Projected ElementsProjected Elements

1. Hazard Classification 1. Hazard Classification – Health HazardsHealth Hazards– Environmental HazardsEnvironmental Hazards– Physical HazardsPhysical Hazards– MixturesMixtures

2. Hazard Communication2. Hazard Communication– LabelsLabels– Safety Data SheetsSafety Data Sheets

Overview ClassificationsOverview Classifications

Health hazard classesHealth hazard classes Environmental hazard classesEnvironmental hazard classes Physical hazard classesPhysical hazard classes

Health Hazards Class 1Health Hazards Class 1

1. Acute toxicity1. Acute toxicity 2. Skin corrosion/irritation2. Skin corrosion/irritation 3. Serious Eye Damage/eye irritation3. Serious Eye Damage/eye irritation 4. Respiratory or Skin Sensitization4. Respiratory or Skin Sensitization 5. Germ cell mutagenicity5. Germ cell mutagenicity

Class 2Class 2

6. Carcinogenicity6. Carcinogenicity 7. Reproductive Toxicity7. Reproductive Toxicity 8. Target Organ Systemic Toxicity8. Target Organ Systemic Toxicity 9. Aspiration hazard9. Aspiration hazard

Environmental ClassEnvironmental Class

1. Hazardous to Aquatic Environment1. Hazardous to Aquatic Environment 2. Hazardous to the Terrestrial 2. Hazardous to the Terrestrial

Environment (in progressEnvironment (in progress

Physical Hazard Class 1Physical Hazard Class 1

1. Explosives1. Explosives 2. Flammability – gases, aerosols, 2. Flammability – gases, aerosols,

liquids, solidsliquids, solids 3. Water-activated Flammable Gases3. Water-activated Flammable Gases 4. Oxidizers – liquid, solid, gases4. Oxidizers – liquid, solid, gases 5. Self-reactive5. Self-reactive

Physical Hazard Class 2Physical Hazard Class 2

6. Flammable – liquids, solids6. Flammable – liquids, solids 7. Self-Heating7. Self-Heating 8. Organic Peroxides8. Organic Peroxides 9. Corrosive to Metals9. Corrosive to Metals 10. Gases under pressure10. Gases under pressure

Harmonization or Harmonization or CommunicationCommunication

Hazard CommunicationHazard Communication– LabelsLabels– Safety Data SheetsSafety Data Sheets

Consistency Consistency – content content – order of the contentorder of the content

Better information, less confusion ?.Better information, less confusion ?.

Label ElementsLabel Elements

Product identifierProduct identifier Supplier identifierSupplier identifier Chemical identityChemical identity Standardized Standardized Hazard Hazard

pictograms/symbolspictograms/symbols StandardizedStandardized Signal words Signal words StandardizedStandardized Hazard statements Hazard statements Precautionary statements Precautionary statements Supplemental information (optional)Supplemental information (optional)

Proposed exampleProposed example

GHS PictogramsGHS Pictograms

!

GHS vs. WHMISGHS vs. WHMIS

With GHSWith GHS List hazardous ingredientsList hazardous ingredients List hazard statements and signal List hazard statements and signal

wordswords No hatched borderNo hatched border

MSDS vs. Data SheetMSDS vs. Data Sheet

Used primarily in workplace but also Used primarily in workplace but also for community right-to-knowfor community right-to-know

GHS provisions are based on the 16-GHS provisions are based on the 16-section format (ANSI, ISO standards)section format (ANSI, ISO standards)

Proposed items on data Proposed items on data sheetsheet

1. Identification 1. Identification 2. 2. Hazard's) identificationHazard's) identification 3. Composition - ingredient info3. Composition - ingredient info 4. First-aid measures4. First-aid measures 5. Fire-fighting measures5. Fire-fighting measures 6. Accidental release6. Accidental release 7. Handling and storage7. Handling and storage 8. Exposure control, PPE, exposure 8. Exposure control, PPE, exposure

limitslimits

ProposedProposed

9. Chemical and physical properties9. Chemical and physical properties 10. Stability and reactivity10. Stability and reactivity 11. Toxicological information11. Toxicological information 12. 12. Ecological informationEcological information 13. Disposal considerations13. Disposal considerations 14. Transport information14. Transport information 15. Regulatory information15. Regulatory information 16. Other 16. Other

MSDS vs. GHS Data sheetMSDS vs. GHS Data sheet

9 or 16 section versus 16 in GHS9 or 16 section versus 16 in GHS Section 2 and 3 are reversedSection 2 and 3 are reversed GHS requires GHS classification and GHS requires GHS classification and

symbolssymbols Fire properties included in physical Fire properties included in physical

/chemical properties in GHS SDS/chemical properties in GHS SDS Environmental effects requiredEnvironmental effects required Keep up-to-dateKeep up-to-date

GHS & CanadaGHS & Canada

Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles– Consistency to the greatest extent Consistency to the greatest extent

possible between sectors.possible between sectors.– Consistency to the greatest extent Consistency to the greatest extent

possible between NAFTA countries and possible between NAFTA countries and other trading partners.other trading partners.

GHS in CanadaGHS in Canada

GHS in Canada GHS in Canada – Provincial legislation and regulatory Provincial legislation and regulatory

framework. framework. – Harmonize Federal government departments:Harmonize Federal government departments:

Health CanadaHealth Canada Transport CanadaTransport Canada Environment CanadaEnvironment Canada

Canadian IssuesCanadian Issues

WHMIS exemptionsWHMIS exemptions Ingredient Disclosure ListIngredient Disclosure List 3 year updating requirement3 year updating requirement WHMIS D3 - Biohazards WHMIS D3 - Biohazards

USA IssuesUSA Issues

United StatesUnited States– NAFTA harmonizationNAFTA harmonization– Implementation coordination by State Implementation coordination by State

DeptDept– EPA – committed in terms of pesticides EPA – committed in terms of pesticides – OSHA – situational analysis completedOSHA – situational analysis completed

EU IssuesEU Issues

European UnionEuropean Union– No GHS list like EU DirectivesNo GHS list like EU Directives– Timeline – proposal 2006Timeline – proposal 2006– Go through with REACH regulations– Go through with REACH regulations–

Target date 01-04-2007 (!)Target date 01-04-2007 (!)

ConclusionsConclusions

Huge undertaking! Huge undertaking! Benefits of protection and trade.Benefits of protection and trade. Uniformed and world wide level.Uniformed and world wide level. Cost effective for future.Cost effective for future. Global marketGlobal market One system, simplify process. One system, simplify process. When 2008 ?, what time lines ?.When 2008 ?, what time lines ?.

InformationInformation United NationsUnited Nations http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/

ghs_welcome_e.htmlghs_welcome_e.html Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-

sgh/com/gencom/doc/ghs-international_06-sgh_e.htmlsgh/com/gencom/doc/ghs-international_06-sgh_e.html http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-sgh/http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-sgh/

index_e.htmlindex_e.html US OSHA US OSHA http://www.osha.govhttp://www.osha.gov (Go to Hazard Communication button)(Go to Hazard Communication button) http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/

ghs.htmlghs.html