@TecniTipsGANB #93

A Guide to 

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)

Acronyms/Abbreviations

The following list presents some acronyms and abbreviations used in this document. The 6.0 - Glossary contains a more complete list.

ANSI: American National Standards Institute
APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
ASTM: American Society of Testing and Materials
CA: Competent Authority
CAS: Chemical Abstract Service
CBI: Confidential Business Information
CFR: Code of Federal Regulations
CG/HCCS: Coordinating Group for the Harmonization of Chemical Classification Systems
CPSC: Consumer Product Safety Commission
DOT: Department of Transportation
EINECS: European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
EU: European Union
FIFRA: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
GHS: Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals
HCS: Hazard Communication Standard
IARC: International Agency for the Research on Cancer
IFCS: International Forum on Chemical Safety
ILO: International Labor Organization
IOMC: Inter-organization Program on the Sound Management of Chemicals
ISO: International Standards Organization
IUPAC: International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
LD₅₀ : Lethal dose 50
mg/kg: Milligram per kilogram
MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet
NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement
OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OECD: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
QSARs: Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships
SDS: Safety Data Sheet
SME: Small and medium sized enterprises
TFHCL: Task Force on the Harmonization of Classification and Labelling
TSCA: Toxic Substances Control Act
UN: United Nations
UNCED: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
UNCETDG: United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
UNCETDG/GHS: United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals
UNITAR: United Nations Institute for Training and Research
WG: work group
WHMIS: Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
WSSD: World Summit on Sustainable Development 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Background
    1.1 What is the GHS?
    1.2 Why was the GHS developed?
    1.3 What was the International Mandate?
    1.4 How was the GHS developed?
    1.5 How will the GHS be maintained and updated?
    1.6 When will the GHS be implemented?
    1.7 What are the benefits?

2. How is the GHS to be applied?
    2.1 Are all chemicals covered by the GHS?
    2.2 Will all hazardous chemicals require a GHS label and Safety Data Sheet?
    2.3 How will the GHS impact existing regulations?
    2.4 What is meant by GHS Building Blocks?
    2.5 How should the GHS Building Blocks by applied?
        2.5.1 Transport
        2.5.2 Workplace
        2.5.3 Consumer
        2.5.4 Pesticides
    2.6 How will the GHS impact countries without existing regulations?

3. What is Classification?
    3.1 What are the GHS Physical Hazards?
        3.1.1 Explosives
        3.1.2 Flammable Gases
        3.1.3 Flammable Aerosols
        3.1.4 Oxidizing Gases
        3.1.5 Gases Under Pressure
        3.1.6 Flammable Liquids
        3.1.7 Flammable Solids
        3.1.8 Self-Reactive Substances
        3.1.9 Pyrophoric Liquids
        3.1.10 Pyrophoric Solids
        3.1.11 Self-Heating Substances
        3.1.12 Substances Which in Contact with Water Emit Flammable Gases
        3.1.13 Oxidizing Liquids
        3.1.14 Oxidizing Solids
        3.1.15 Organic Peroxides
        3.1.16 Substances Corrosive to Metal
    3.2 What are the GHS Health and Environmental Hazards?
        3.2.1 Acute Toxicity
        3.2.2 Skin Corrosion
        3.2.3 Skin Irritation
        3.2.4 Eye Effects
        3.2.5 Sensitization
        3.2.6 Germ Cell Mutagenicity
        3.2.7 Carcinogenicity
        3.2.8 Reproductive Toxicity
        3.2.9 Target Organ Systemic Toxicity: Single Exposure & Repeated Exposure
        3.2.10 Aspiration Toxicity
    3.3 Environmental Hazards
        3.3.1 Hazardous to the Aquatic Environment
                3.3.1.1 Acute Aquatic Toxicity
                3.3.1.2 Chronic Aquatic Toxicity
    3.4 What is the GHS approach to classifying mixtures?
    3.5 What are bridging principles?
    3.6 What testing is required?

4. Hazard Communication
    4.1 What factors influenced development of the GHS communication tools?
    4.2 Labels
        4.2.1 What does a label look like?
        4.2.2 USA Examples
        4.2.3 International Examples
    4.3 What are the GHS label elements?
        4.3.1 Symbols (hazard pictograms)
        4.3.2 Signal Words
        4.3.3 Hazard Statements
        4.3.4 Precautionary Statements and Pictograms
        4.3.5 Product Identifier (Ingredient Disclosure)
        4.3.6 Supplier Identification
        4.3.7 Supplemental Information
    4.4 How are multiple hazards handled on labels?
    4.5 Is there a specific GHS label format / layout?
    4.6 What about risk?
    4.7 Are workplace containers covered in the GHS?
    4.8 What is the GHS Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
    4.9 What is the difference between the GHS SDS and existing MSDSs/SDSs?
    4.10 When should SDSs and labels be updated?
    4.11 How does the GHS address Confidential Business Information (CBI)?
    4.12 Does the GHS address training?

5. References

6. Glossary

7. Appendices
    A. Comparison of MSDSs/SDSs Elements
    B. GHS MSDS examples