Safe Workplace and Safety News
This is the safety news blog for the Safe Workplace web site. We cover workplace safety related news with a focus on how safety, or a lack of safety, impacts employers, employees and their families. We also cover topics such as safety training, safety tools, and legal issues related to safety. For regular safety news and information enter your email address in the box above the Subscribe button to the right (then click on the button).
Friday, January 08, 2010
National Association of Chemical Distributors Comments On GHS
The following is a press release from NACD:
At the end of last month the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) provided formal comments on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) to OSHA. NACD supports the overall goals of the GHS, which would not only improve hazard communications for employers and employees, but would also improve efficiencies throughout the entire chemical distribution industry. However, NACD does have concerns regarding the limited time chemical distribution companies have to make the transition towards the GHS.
Specifically, NACD has requested that OSHA grant chemical distributors an additional 18 months after the three year phase-in period to allow for the most efficient GHS implementation.
"There are many long-term benefits for employers, employees and the chemical distribution industry under OSHA's proposed GHS," said NACD President Chris Jahn. "But requiring small chemical distributors to make the transition at the same time as chemical suppliers could create problems, like a bottleneck in the supply chain. Small chemical distributors in particular just might not have the resources that larger suppliers have to complete the transition in time."
"If there is to be a real benefit for employers and employees, we need to make sure we get this transition right. An additional 18 months for chemical distribution companies to comply is in the interest of everyone who wants to see the GHS work effectively."
To view NACD's full comments to OSHA, visit www.nacd.com/advocacy/comments.aspx.
At the end of last month the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) provided formal comments on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) to OSHA. NACD supports the overall goals of the GHS, which would not only improve hazard communications for employers and employees, but would also improve efficiencies throughout the entire chemical distribution industry. However, NACD does have concerns regarding the limited time chemical distribution companies have to make the transition towards the GHS.
Specifically, NACD has requested that OSHA grant chemical distributors an additional 18 months after the three year phase-in period to allow for the most efficient GHS implementation.
"There are many long-term benefits for employers, employees and the chemical distribution industry under OSHA's proposed GHS," said NACD President Chris Jahn. "But requiring small chemical distributors to make the transition at the same time as chemical suppliers could create problems, like a bottleneck in the supply chain. Small chemical distributors in particular just might not have the resources that larger suppliers have to complete the transition in time."
"If there is to be a real benefit for employers and employees, we need to make sure we get this transition right. An additional 18 months for chemical distribution companies to comply is in the interest of everyone who wants to see the GHS work effectively."
To view NACD's full comments to OSHA, visit www.nacd.com/advocacy/comments.aspx.
Labels: GHS, global hazmat classification
posted by Steve Hudgik |
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Wednesday, December 30, 2009
OSHA GHS Hearings
OSHA has scheduled informal public hearings on its proposal to revise the Hazard Communication Standard. On September 30, 2009, OSHA published a proposed rule to revise the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to conform with the United Nations' (UN) Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) (74 FR 50280).
DATES: The hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m. local time, on the following dates and locations:
March 2, 2010, in Washington, DC;
March 31, 2010, in Pittsburgh, PA; and
April 13, 2010, in Los Angeles, CA.
DATES: The hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m. local time, on the following dates and locations:
March 2, 2010, in Washington, DC;
March 31, 2010, in Pittsburgh, PA; and
April 13, 2010, in Los Angeles, CA.
Labels: global hazmat classification
posted by Steve Hudgik |
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Thursday, October 01, 2009
OSHA Issues Proposed Rule To Adopt The Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication System
A proposed rule to align the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with provisions of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) was published in yesterday's Federal Register.
The current HCS requires chemical manufacturers and importers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import and provide information to subsequent users. The current standard requires all employers to have a hazard communication program for workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. The program includes materials such as container labels, safety data sheets, and employee training.
A number of countries, including the United States, international organizations and stakeholders participated in developing the GHS to address inconsistencies in hazard classification and communications. The GHS was developed to provide a single, harmonized system to classify chemicals, labels and safety data sheets with the primary benefit of increasing the quality and consistency of information provided to workers, employers and chemical users. Under the GHS, labels would include signal words, pictograms, and hazard and precautionary statements. Additionally, information on safety data sheets would be presented in a designated order.
"The proposal to align the hazard communication standard with the GHS will improve the consistency and effectiveness of hazard communications and reduce chemical-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Following the GHS approach will increase workplace safety, facilitate international trade in chemicals, and generate cost savings from production efficiencies for firms that manufacture and use hazardous chemicals."
The current HCS requires chemical manufacturers and importers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import and provide information to subsequent users. The current standard requires all employers to have a hazard communication program for workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. The program includes materials such as container labels, safety data sheets, and employee training.
A number of countries, including the United States, international organizations and stakeholders participated in developing the GHS to address inconsistencies in hazard classification and communications. The GHS was developed to provide a single, harmonized system to classify chemicals, labels and safety data sheets with the primary benefit of increasing the quality and consistency of information provided to workers, employers and chemical users. Under the GHS, labels would include signal words, pictograms, and hazard and precautionary statements. Additionally, information on safety data sheets would be presented in a designated order.
"The proposal to align the hazard communication standard with the GHS will improve the consistency and effectiveness of hazard communications and reduce chemical-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Following the GHS approach will increase workplace safety, facilitate international trade in chemicals, and generate cost savings from production efficiencies for firms that manufacture and use hazardous chemicals."
Labels: global hazmat classification, hazard identifcation, hazardous materials, rtk labels
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Wednesday, January 03, 2007
More On Global Harmonization of Chemical Labeling
An article in the December issue of Concrete Products Magazine compares and discusses the various standards for labeling hazardous materials with the new global requirements. Four labeling system are compared: GHS SDS, ISO MSDS, ANSI MSDS and OSHA MSDS.
The article points out that adopting global standards would be advantageous because it would eliminate the multiple standards in use within the U.S. The article states: "While a few changes would be in order to comply with the proposed standard, DOT labeling requirements for hazardous materials transportation are nearly identical to those of GHS. Since OSHA is not harmonized with current DOT standards, changing HCS to incorporate GHS criteria would ensure consistency of DOT and OSHA requirements."
The article points out that adopting global standards would be advantageous because it would eliminate the multiple standards in use within the U.S. The article states: "While a few changes would be in order to comply with the proposed standard, DOT labeling requirements for hazardous materials transportation are nearly identical to those of GHS. Since OSHA is not harmonized with current DOT standards, changing HCS to incorporate GHS criteria would ensure consistency of DOT and OSHA requirements."
Labels: global hazmat classification, hazard identifcation, rtk labels, safety labeling
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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Switch to Global Hazmat Classification
The switch to a global hazmat classification system is moving forward. One of the problems, as reported by The Society for Protective Coatings, is that:
"The proposed switch to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) will reverse the hazard rankings currently used by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the proprietary Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) developed by the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA). In the two current U.S. systems, chemicals with higher assigned numbers pose greater chemical hazards, while in the GHS higher numbers indicate less of a hazard." (Read the complete report.)
OSHA has published A Guide toThe Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) that is available at:
http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html
This page provides a lot of information about the harmonization of hazardous chemical labeling, including tables that provide a comparison of MSDS elements for the following:
"The proposed switch to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) will reverse the hazard rankings currently used by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the proprietary Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) developed by the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA). In the two current U.S. systems, chemicals with higher assigned numbers pose greater chemical hazards, while in the GHS higher numbers indicate less of a hazard." (Read the complete report.)
OSHA has published A Guide toThe Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) that is available at:
http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html
This page provides a lot of information about the harmonization of hazardous chemical labeling, including tables that provide a comparison of MSDS elements for the following:
- Globally Harmonized System
- ISO Safety Data Sheet for Chemical Products 11014-1: 2003 DRAFT
- NSI MSDS Preparation Z400.1- 2004
- OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 29#CFR#1910.1200
Labels: global hazmat classification, hazard identifcation, OSHA, rtk labels
posted by Steve Hudgik |
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Friday, November 03, 2006
What Is OHSAS 18001?
Here is an article from Quality Magazine that discusses the British As anyone working in the United States knows, occupational health and safety is highly regulated in many industries. There are so many local, state, and national laws and regulations that it's difficult to keep them all straight. We even find conflicting compliance issues that are virtually impossible to resolve. This might be one reason why many Americans haven't heard much about the British Standards Institutes's new standard, Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 18001. However, it will likely become important for any manager who's concerned about employee health and safety."
The topics covered include:
- Overview
- The structure of OHSAS 18001 is similar to the model found in ISO 14001.)
- OSHA and OHSAS 18001". To briefly summarize, it appears that OSHA would prefer that the OHSAS 18001 standard not come into the United States.
The topics covered include:
- Overview
- The structure of OHSAS 18001 is similar to the model found in ISO 14001.)
- OSHA and OHSAS 18001". To briefly summarize, it appears that OSHA would prefer that the OHSAS 18001 standard not come into the United States.
Labels: global hazmat classification, OSHA, safety labeling, workplace safety
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