Globally Harmonized System An Introduction

1. Globally Harmonized SystemAn Introduction Stewart Sampson

2. Course Objectives • Know basic information about the Globally Harmonized System • Appreciate the improvements inherent in the Globally Harmonized System • Demystify the process and decrease the intimidation when you start seeing the new labels and SDSs

3. Outline • WHMIS Overview • Globally Harmonized System basics • Overview • Safety Data Sheets • Chemical classes • Labels • Sample label • Summary/Evaluation

4. Become Involved!

5. Look Back at WHMIS • What are the parts of WHMIS? • What are WHMIS’ strengths, weaknesses? • What would you like to change in WHMIS?

6. GHS Overview • System for standardizing and harmonizing the classification and labeling of chemicals • Existing laws are similar, but different enough to require multiple labels and safety data sheets for the same product both within Canada and in international trade

7. Hazardous Chemical Facts • 880,000 hazardous chemicals are currently used in the U.S. • HCS affects 43 million workers in over 5 million workplaces.

8. GHS Cost Facts • GHS will prevent 500 injuries/illnesses and 43 deaths per year, equaling a total of $250 million in reduced health and safety risks. • Costs per year will total $201 million dollars to comply with revisions to the HCS. • Future net benefits are estimated at $556 million dollars per year.

9. Range of Current Toxicity Definitions

10. Range of Flammability Definitions

11. GHS Overview • Driven by the international mandate adopted in 1992 • Harmonization of classification and labelling of chemicals was one of six program areas that were endorsed by the UN to strengthen international efforts concerning the environmentally sound management of chemicals • International Labor Organization studied the tasks required and concluded that there were four major existing systems that needed to be harmonized • UN Transport Recommendations • U.S. laws for Workplace, Consumer and Pesticides • European Union Dangerous Substance and Preparations laws • Canadian laws for Workplaces, Consumers and Pesticides

12. Key Guiding Principles of the Harmonization Process • Protection will not be reduced • Will be based on intrinsic properties (hazards) of chemicals • All types of chemicals will be covered • All systems will have to be changed • Involvement of all stakeholders should be ensured • Comprehensibility must be addressed

13. Benefits of the GHS • Improve the quality and consistencyof hazard information

14. Benefits of the GHS • Improve the quality and consistencyof hazard information • Enhance worker comprehension of hazards, especially for low and limited-literacy workers • Reduce confusion in the workplace • Facilitate safety training • Enable workers to access the information more efficiently • Reduce trade barriers and minimize burden of multiple rules

15. Challenges from the GHS • SDS for products not previously required • Changes in physical and health hazards (Retraining) • Revised PPE, Exposure Controls & Emergency measures • Product re-labeling • Even workplace labels???

16. UN Plans for the Workplace • Most of the GHS elements will be adopted, including • GHS physical and health hazard criteria • Labels that have the harmonized core information under the GHS (signal words, hazard statements and symbols, etc.) • Safety Data Sheets • Employee training to help ensure effective communication is also anticipated

17. GHS Status • European Union has adopted • US has adopted • Australia has adopted

18. US Timeline * This date coincides with the European Union implementation date for classification of mixtures.

19. “Suggested” Canadian Schedule • Proposed regulations by March 2013 • Final regulations by January 2014 • Implementation by July 2015 (close to the US June implementation)

20. Components of the GHS • Hazard classification • Hazard communication • Safety data sheets • Common structure • Common words • Supplier labels • Common structure • Common words

21. Hazard Classification • Only the intrinsic hazardous properties of substances and mixtures are considered • Involves the following 3 steps: • Identification of relevant data regarding the hazards of a substance or mixture; • Review of the data to ascertain the hazards associated with the substance or mixture; • Decide whether the substance or mixture will be classified as a hazardous substance or mixture and the degree of hazard by comparison of the data with agreed hazard classification criteria (i.e. the GHS system)

22. Pop Quiz: What are the WHMIS Hazard Categories?

23. GHS Physical Hazards • Explosives • Flammable Gases • Flammable Aerosols • Oxidizing Gases • Gases Under Pressure • Flammable Liquids • Flammable Solids • Self-Reactive Substances • Pyrophoric Liquids • Pyrophoric Solids • Self-Heating Substances • Substances which, in contact with water emit flammable gases • Oxidizing Liquids • Oxidizing Solids • Organic Peroxides • Corrosive to Metals

24. GHS Health Hazards • Acute Toxicity • Skin Corrosion/Irritation • Serious Eye Damage/Eye Irritation • Respiratory or Skin Sensitization • Germ Cell Mutagenicity • Carcinogenicity • Reproductive Toxicology • Target Organ Systemic Toxicity - Single Exposure • Target Organ Systemic Toxicity - Repeated Exposure • Aspiration Toxicity

25. Physical Hazard Classes

26. Health Hazard Classes

27. So what’s missing???

28. Mixtures? • Physical hazard criteria assume that mixtures will be tested for physical hazards • Health and environmental hazards • Where test data are available for the mixture itself, the classification of the mixture will be based on that data • Where test data are not available for the mixture itself, then the appropriate “bridging principles” should be used • If test data are not available for the mixture itself, and the bridging principles cannot be applied, then use the calculation or cutoff values described in the specific endpoint to classify the mixture

29. Bridging Principles • Dilution: If a mixture is diluted with a diluent that has an equivalent or lower toxicity, then the hazards of the new mixture are assumed to be equivalent to the original • Batching: Hazards of the new batch are assumed to be equivalent to the previous batches • Concentration of Highly Toxic Mixtures: If a mixture is severely hazardous, then a concentrated mixture is assumed to be severely hazardous • Interpolation within One Toxic Category: Mixtures having component concentrations within a range where the hazards are known are assumed to have those known hazards • Substantially Similar Mixtures: Slight changes in the concentrations of components are not expected to change the hazards of a mixture and substitutions involving toxicologically similar components are not expected to change the hazards of a mixture • Aerosols: Assumed to have the same hazards as the tested, non-aerosolized form of the mixture unless the propellant affects the hazards upon spraying.

30. Hazard Communication Principles • Information should be conveyed in more than one way • Text and symbols • The comprehensibility of the components of the system should take account of existing studies and literature as well as any evidence gained from testing • The phrases used to indicate degree (severity) of hazard should be consistent across the health, physical and environmental hazards

31. Hazard Communication Tools • Labels • (Material) Safety data sheets

32. Safety Data Sheet Contents • Identification • Hazard(s) identification • Composition/ information on ingredients • First-aid measures • Fire-fighting measures • Accidental release measures • Handling and storage • Exposure controls/ personal protection • Physical and chemical • Stability and reactivity • Toxicological information • Ecological information • Disposal considerations • Transport information • Regulatory information • Other information In this order!!!!!

33. So What Goes On A Label? WHMIS Workplace GHS

34. Pictograms Which ones are different from WHMIS?

35. Label Changes

36. Sample GHS Label

37. So What Do You Do Now? • Monitor industry news • Inventory your chemicals • Purge unused, not needed chemicals • Prepare (now) compliant SDSs for all products you may have

38. So What Do You Do Now? • Prepare training courses for staff • Differing intensities depending on duties • Many will just need a “So what’s different from WHMIS?” approach • US concept: Is the exposure potential of consumer products is greater or less than that of normal consumer use

39. Updating • Update labels, SDSs in an appropriate and timely manner • Canada may set a maximum duration • Updating should be carried out promptly on receipt of new and significant information • Information that changes the GHS classification and leads to a change in the label information or information that may affect the SDS

40. Break

41. GHS Classification Method • Based on • Categories • Flowcharts • Tables • Endless tables!!!!

42. Flowchart Sample

43. So Let’s Start • Look at the chemical properties handout for ethanol • This will form the basis of our work

44. Alcool Sampson Distilleries PO Box 697 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2T8 Emergency phone No: 1-901-424-8055

45. Remember the GHS Physical Hazards From Earlier? Which Ones Apply? • Explosives • Flammable Gases • Flammable Aerosols • Oxidizing Gases • Gases Under Pressure • Flammable Liquids • Flammable Solids • Self-Reactive Substances • Pyrophoric Liquids • Pyrophoric Solids • Self-Heating Substances • Substances which, in contact with water emit flammable gases • Oxidizing Liquids • Oxidizing Solids • Organic Peroxides • Corrosive to Metals

46. Ethanol Is Neither Solid Nor Gas • Explosives • Flammable Aerosols • Flammable Liquids • Self-Reactive Substances • Pyrophoric Liquids • Self-Heating Substances • Substances which, in contact with water emit flammable gases • Oxidizing Liquids • Organic Peroxides • Corrosive to Metals

47. Next Steps • Take the hazard categories one at a time • Explosives • Look at flowchart • Ethanol does not meet any of the criteria

48. Ethanol Hazards • Explosives • Flammable Liquids • Self-Reactive Substances • Pyrophoric Liquids • Self-Heating Substances • Substances which, in contact with water emit flammable gases • Oxidizing Liquids • Organic Peroxides • Corrosive to Metals

49. Flammable Liquid

50. Ethanol Data • Flashpoint • 9oC • Boiling point • 78.3oC