What Is a Globally Harmonized System (GHS)?

What Is a Globally Harmonized System (GHS)? Globally Harmonized System (GHS) refers to the use of a single common method of classifying and labeling of hazardous chemicals. The common goal of this international effort to promote consistent common criteria for categorizing chemicals according to their environmental risks, physical and health. It is also intended that the risk communication tools such as consistent labeling and safety worksheets are materials in the system. The GHS has been working continuously since the Conference (Earth Summit) held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. The harmonization of classification and labeling of chemicals has become a priority. The overall goal is to have GHS available by the end of 2001. Why global harmonization is needed? This has been expensive to regulate and apply for government, costly and confusing for companies that must comply with many different systems and confusing for workers who need to understand risks of a chemical to work safely. The GHS promises to provide several different benefits. Among them are: Promotion of Trade Facilitation efficiencies regulatory compliance Facilitation Provide cost reduction and improved risk information consistent stimulate transport and safe use of chemicals promote better emergency response and chemical incidents, and reduce the need for animal testing What are the areas chosen for development?

The harmonized system for classifying chemicals according to environmental and health risks include: Acute Toxicity Skin Irritation / Corrosion eye irritation / corrosion sensitization of the skin or respiratory germ cell mutations in cancer Systemic Toxicity Reproductive Toxicity oriented target organs Risks to the aquatic environment hazardous to the terrestrial environment, and chemical mixtures

The chemicals present physical risks will also be harmonized and include: Flammable liquids Flammable solids Flammable Liquids Aerosols self-heating substances pyrophoric substances which on contact with water, emit greenhouse gases Liquid oxidizing oxidizing oxidizing solid organic peroxides Explosive Substances autoreactive (liquid or solid ) and explosive items Corrosion to metals Further information, including the criteria currently discussed, is in the OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) website: http://www.oecd.org/ehs/class/index.htm Which countries are participating in the GHS? Key stakeholders to develop the Globally Harmonized System include several governments such as Canada, USA, Australia, UK, China and Japan. International organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) have been supportive as well as representatives of industry and labor unions. OECD coordinated the development of classification criteria for health and environmental risk (eg, acute toxicity and carcinogenicity), and the ILO is coordinating the working group of Hazard Communication (MSDS and cards). The development of criteria for physical hazards such as flammability and why have they been coordinated reactivity by the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods United Nations (UNCEDDG).

To adopt the GHS Canada? Canada signed the 1992 agreement in Rio and has supported the initiative rather GHS. Canada is also actively involved and participate in all discussions and meetings GHS, but no country's obligation to adopt the GHS. With or without the participation of Canada, the international effort towards the GHS will continue. In Canada, individual organizations are responding to the GHS criteria that apply to your jurisdiction. As such "Health Canada" is coordinating the Canadian position on health endpoints, endpoints Environment Canada and Transport Canada environmental endpoints to physical risks. At Health Canada has established an interdepartmental committee on GHS and consultation with the responsible areas within Health Canada program do they include WHMIS, Consumer Products, Regulatory Agency Pest Management, Therapeutic Products, Food and Veterinary Drugs 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)." More information is available on the Health Canada Web site at the following address: Haward Mendez http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ehp/ehd/psb/whmis/harmonization.htm Asohazmat International Training