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Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
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What is the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)?
Why is global harmonization necessary? What are the benefits of GHS?
What is the scope of GHS?
What are the two major elements in GHS?
What are some key terms in the GHS Vocabulary?
What is meant by the GHS hazard groupings and "building block" concept?
What are the classes within the Health Hazard grouping?
What are the classes within the Physical Hazard grouping?
What is the class within the Environmental Hazard grouping?
What other classification criteria are being developed?
Where can I get additional information on the GHS criteria for the different hazard classes?
What countries and organizations were involved in the development of GHS?
What is the target date for implementation of GHS?
What is the timeline for GHS implementation in Canada?
What is the progress for adopting and implementing GHS around the world?
What is the status of GHS in Canada?
How will WHMIS change when GHS is adopted by Canada?
What does adoption of GHS mean for chemical producers?
What does the adoption of GHS mean for chemical exporters?
What does adoption of GHS mean for chemical users?
What is the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)?GHS stands for the "Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals". GHS is a system that defines and classifies hazards, and communicates heath and safety information on labels and material safety data sheets (called Safety Data Sheets, or SDSs, in GHS). The goal is that the same set of rules for classifying hazards and the same format and content for labels and safety data sheets (SDS) will be adopted and used around the world. An international team of hazard communication experts developed GHS. Why is global harmonization necessary? What are the benefits of GHS?Presently, many different countries have different systems for classification and labelling of chemicals. In addition, several different systems can exist even within the same country. This situation has been expensive for governments to regulate and enforce, costly for companies who have to comply with many different systems, and confusing for workers who need to understand the hazards of a chemical in order to work safely. GHS promises to deliver several distinct benefits. Among them are: - promoting regulatory efficiency
- facilitating trade
- easing compliance
- reducing costs
- providing improved, consistent hazard information
- encouraging the safe transport, handling and use of chemicals
- promoting better emergency response to chemical incidents, and
- reducing the need for animal testing
What is the scope of GHS?The GHS system is meant to apply to more than workplaces. It will also apply to consumer chemicals and chemicals during transport. The target audiences for GHS include workers, transport workers, emergency responders and consumers. What are the two major elements in GHS?1. Classification of the hazards of chemicals according to the GHS rules: GHS provides guidance on classifying pure chemicals and mixtures according to its criteria or rules. 2. Communication of the hazards and precautionary information using Safety Data Sheets and Labels: Labels - With the GHS system certain information must appear on the label. For example, the chemical identity must appear. Standardized hazard statements, signal words and symbols must appear on the label according to the classification of that chemical or mixture. There are also suggested precautionary statements that may appear. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) - The GHS SDS has 16 sections in a set order, and information requirements are prescribed. What are some key terms in the GHS Vocabulary?- SDS - Safety Data Sheet. SDS is the European term used by GHS for Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
- Class - The term used to describe the different hazards. For example, "Gases under Pressure" is an example of a class in the Physical hazard group.
- Category - Describes the sub-sections of classes. For example, Self-Reactive Chemicals have 7 categories. Each category has rules or criteria to determine what chemicals are assigned to that category.
- Hazard Statement - For each category of hazard, a standardized statement is used to describe the hazard. For example, the hazard statement for chemicals which meet the criteria for Self-heating Chemicals class, Category 1 is "Self-heating; may catch fire". This hazard statement would appear both on the label and on the SDS.
- Signal word - There are two signal words in the GHS system - Danger and Warning. These signal words that are used to communicate the level of hazard on both the label and the SDS. The appropriate signal word is set out by the classification system. For example, the signal word for Self-heating Chemicals class, Category 1 is "Danger" while "Warning" is used for the less serious Category 2.
- Pictogram - refers to the GHS symbol on label and on SDS. Not all categories have a symbol associated with them.
What is meant by the GHS hazard groupings and "building block" concept?Within the GHS classification system, there are three major hazard groups: - Physical hazards,
- Health hazards and
- Environmental hazards.
Within each of these hazard groups there are "classes" and "categories". Each of these parts is called a "building block". Each country can determine which building blocks of the GHS system it will use in their different sectors (workplace, transportation, consumers). Once the building blocks are chosen, the corresponding GHS rules for classification and labels must be used. What are the classes within the Health Hazard grouping?Criteria for classifying chemicals have been developed for the following health hazard classes: - acute toxicity
- skin irritation/corrosion
- serious eye damage/eye irritation
- respiratory or skin sensitization
- mutations in germ cells
- cancer
- reproductive toxicity
- target organ systemic toxicity - single exposure
- target organ systemic toxicity - repeated exposure
- aspiration hazard and
- chemical mixtures
What are the classes within the Physical Hazard grouping?Criteria for classifying chemicals have been developed for the following physical hazard classes: - flammable liquids
- flammable solids
- flammable gases
- flammable aerosols
- pyrophoric liquids
- pyrophoric solids
- self-heating substances
- substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
- oxidizing liquids
- oxidizing solids
- oxidizing gases
- organic peroxides
- self-reactive substances
- gases under pressure
- explosive substances (liquid or solid) and explosive articles, and
- corrosive to metals
What is the class within the Environmental Hazard grouping?Criteria for classifying chemicals have been developed for the following environmental hazard class: - hazardous to the aquatic environment
What other classification criteria are being developed?The international GHS committees continue their work on developing additional hazard classes as well as resolving issues that have come up. Currently work is being done on establishing criteria for the following classes: - The criteria for the Hazardous to the Terrestrial Environment class
- The criteria for chemicals which with contact with water give off toxic or corrosive gases
Where can I get additional information on the GHS criteria for the different hazard classes?More information, including current criteria, is available from the United Nations - you can download guidance on GHS classification, labels and SDS at: http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html What countries and organizations were involved in the development of GHS?Key participants in developing the Globally Harmonized System included various governments such as Canada, United States of America, Australia, United Kingdom, China and Japan. International organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and OECD (the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) have lent their support as well as representatives from industry and workers' unions. OECD coordinated the development of health and environmental hazard classification criteria (e.g., acute toxicity and carcinogenicity), and ILO is coordinating the Hazard Communication Working Group (MSDSs and labels). The development of the physical hazards criteria - for example, flammability and reactivity - has been coordinated by the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNCETDG). What is the target date for implementation of GHS?The target date for implementation of GHS is currently stated to be 2008. However, countries and sectors within the country can choose to implement GHS at varying times depending on their local circumstances. What is the timeline for GHS implementation in Canada?As stated by Health Canada, the target date for implementation in Canada is 2008 What is the progress for adopting and implementing GHS around the world?For the latest report (June 2006) from Health Canada on implementation activities around the world see the page "Implementation of GHS - International Activity" at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/intactiv/ghs-sgh/com/_gencom/ghs-international_06-sgh-eng.pdf For the latest report from Health Canada describing implementation activities in US and NAFTA see the page "Implementation of GHS - US / NAFTA Activity" at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/intactiv/ghs-sgh/com/_gencom/ghs_us_nafta-06-sgh_eu_alena-eng.pdf What is the status of GHS in Canada?Canada signed the 1992 agreement in Rio and has long supported the GHS initiative. Canada is "committed to GHS" and has started proceeding through the necessary steps towards implementation with a decision regarding formal approval scheduled for late 2006. Currently Canada is in the process of determining which parts of the GHS system they will adopt for the different sectors. If GHS is adopted for certain hazard classes and categories then the corresponding rules for classification, and labeling information must also be used. As such "Health Canada is coordinating the Canadian position for the health endpoints; Environment Canada, the environmental endpoints; and Transport Canada, the endpoints for physical hazards. Within Health Canada, an Interdepartmental Committee on GHS has been established and consults with the responsible program areas within Health Canada (including WHMIS, Consumer Products, Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Therapeutic Products, Veterinary Drugs, and Food) as well as other departments (Transport Canada, Environment Canada, Natural Resources, Industry Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade)." (Health Canada, 2000) For the latest report (June 2006) on Canadian activities regarding implementation see the page "Implementation of GHS - Canadian Activity" at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/intactiv/ghs-sgh/com/_gencom/ghs-canada_06-sgh-eng.pdf More information is available on the Health Canada web site at the following address: The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-sgh/index_e.html How will WHMIS change when GHS is adopted by Canada?At this time, it is not completely clear as to what will happen in Canada. Canada is in the process of consulting with stakeholders about a number of different issues regarding proposed GHS changes. For example, depending on which parts (building blocks) are chosen for the Canadian workplace sector, the classification criteria will need to be changed to reflect the GHS criteria. There is no direct translation from WHMIS hazard classifications to the GHS hazard classifications. There are more hazard classes under GHS than there are under WHMIS. Detailed analysis of the differences between the current WHMIS criteria and the corresponding GHS criteria are available from Health Canada through the main page at: The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/intactiv/ghs-sgh/index_e.html In addition, GHS applies to all chemicals but some of these chemicals, for example explosives, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and consumer products are currently exempt or partially exempt from WHMIS. Also, the GHS SDS requires more information than what is currently required under WHMIS on the MSDS. For example, with GHS, the GHS classification and symbols must appear on the safety data sheet. And, the requirements for GHS labels are different than what is currently required by WHMIS. What does adoption of GHS mean for chemical producers?If your country adopts GHS into law, then chemical producers will have to classify their products using the new GHS rules for the classes and categories that are being used in that country. You will need to find and interpret data according to the new classification rules. Your MSDSs will need to be reviewed and modified or rewritten depending on how closely your existing data sheets match the required format and content of the new SDSs. If you are already using the 16-section ANSI format then the changes for GHS will not be as great as if you are still using the 9-section MSDS format. In addition, you will need to prepare new labels that follow the GHS labeling rules. Training on the new hazard communication system will be very important. Workers will need to be familiarized with new hazard classes introduced with GHS, the new format of SDSs and trained to understand the information found on the new labels and SDSs. What does the adoption of GHS mean for chemical exporters?As they do now, chemical suppliers who export their products will need to determine the requirements in the country to which they are exporting. Work is ongoing to try to ensure there is as much consistency amongst trading partners as possible but it is expected that there will be variations from country to country, depending on which classes and categories each country (and sector within the country) chooses to use. What does adoption of GHS mean for chemical users?If your country adopts GHS into law, chemical users should expect many revised or new SDSs as the new system is implemented.
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Document last updated on June 5, 2008
Copyright ©1997-2008 Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety
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