Hazard Communication continues to raise the bar to further improve safety at the workplace
. The recently adopted Globally Harmonized System (GHS) has built in a timeline for continued revisions and clarifications to keep moving forward. Your company has an obligation to remain current with the continually evolving mandates and can turn to a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) for support.
The Certified Industrial Hygienist can work with your company to ensure your company is up to date with the most recent revisions. This will allow your company to stay in compliance with new rules and regulations, as well as improve the working conditions for all workers at the facility.
The most recent changes affected Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and the labeling of hazardous chemicals. The MSDS sheets have had formatting changes to have each section of the MSDS appear in the same order for all manufacturers. Previously, manufacturers had a strict requirement to the content of the information, but not as to the order in which it was presented. The update allows employees to be able to quickly reference the needed section and retrieve the information. The time saved could drastically affect the outcome of the situation if an incident were to occur.
Hazard Communication changes also altered the labeling of hazardous chemicals. It was possible that the same chemical could be labeled differently between two manufacturers. The employee could see that one container would be labeled flammable, yet the same chemical from another manufacturer would be highly flammable. The subtle difference could lead to confusion of the employee working with the hazardous substance on a daily basis. The new labeling system consists of specific labels and designs to allow for quick identification of the employee.
The GHS standard has been adopted by multiple countries and can aid in international trade by reducing time to alter the containers for warnings between borders. This increases commerce and improves the global marketplace. One worker in Country A can receive the necessary information as Country B, despite a language barrier that may exist.
A Certified Industrial Hygienist can help guide your company through the changes and keep you up to date with the latest mandates implemented. This expert allows for your company to stay current and create a safer working environment for the employees. Click here to contact a Certified Industrial Hygienist to start working with your company and take the next step to improve health and safety at your facility.