The GHS: Overview Presentation

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The GHS Overview Presentation

• George ThomasThai National GHS Workshop15-17
  May 2006

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Content

• History, scope and application of the Globally
  Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling
  of Chemicals (GHS)
• Key elements of the GHS
• Chemical regulation and GHS implementation in
  Australia

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International mandate

• 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and
  Development (UNCED) Agreement, endorsed by the UN
  General Assembly
• A globally-harmonised hazard classification and
  compatible labelling system, including material
  safety data sheets and easily understandable
  symbols, should be available, if feasible, by the
  year 2000.
• Programme Area B, Chapter 19, Agenda 21

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Structure for Harmonization

• United Nations Conference on Environment and
  Development (UNCED)
• Interorganization Programme for the Sound
  Management of Chemicals (IOMC) Coordinating Group
  for the Harmonization of Chemical Classification
  Systems (CG/HCCS)
• Physical hazards Health and Hazard
• UNTDG ILO environmental communication
• hazards OECD ILO

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Implementation and Maintenance

• United Nations Economic and Social Council's
  Committee of Experts on the Transport of
  Dangerous Goods (UNSCETDG)
• Committee of Experts on the Transport of
  Dangerous Goods and on the GHS (UNCETDG/GHS)

Sub-Committee on GHS (UNSCEGHS)
Sub-Committee on TDG (UNSCETDG)
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Scope of the GHS

• The Globally Harmonized System of Classification
  and Labelling of Chemicals
• Is a comprehensive tool that harmonises chemical
  classification and hazard communication
• Covers all hazardous chemicals
• Classification based on the intrinsic properties
  of the chemical

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The Principles of Harmonization

• The level of protection should not be reduced as
  a result of harmonisation.
• The scope includes both hazard classification
  criteria and hazard communication tools (labels,
  SDS).
• Changes in all existing systems will be required.

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The Principles of Harmonization

• The GHS does not specify test methods for health
  and environmental hazards.
• Target audiences include consumers, workers,
  transport workers and emergency responders.
• In relation to chemical hazard communication,
  Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be
  protected.

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The Benefits of Harmonisation

• Countries, international organisations, chemical
  producers and users of chemicals all benefit
• Enhanced protection of humans and environment
• Facilitate international trade in chemicals
• Reduce need for testing and evaluation
• Assist countries and international organisations
  in the sound management of chemicals

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Key Elements of the GHS

• The GHS Elements include
• Classification Criteria
• Physicochemical
• Health (acute and chronic)
• Environmental
• Hazard communication
• Labels
• Safety Data Sheets

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Timeline for Implementation

• International target 2008
• First Revised Edition published in August 2005.
  Changes include
• SDS guidance (new annex)
• Precautionary statements (new annex)
• Editorial amendments

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GHS Classification Criteria Physical Hazards

• Explosives
• Flammability gases, aerosols, liquids, solids
• Oxidisers liquid, solid, gases
• Self-Reactive
• Pyrophoric liquids, solids
• Self-Heating
• Organic Peroxides
• Corrosive to Metals
• Gases Under Pressure
• Water activated flammable gases

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GHS Classification Criteria Health
Environmental Hazards

• Acute Toxicity
• Skin Corrosion/Irritation
• Serious Eye Damage/Eye Irritation
• Respiratory or Skin Sensitization
• Germ Cell Mutagenicity
• Carcinogenicity
• Reproductive Toxicity
• Target Organ Systemic Toxicity Single and
  Repeated Dose
• Aspiration Hazards
• Hazardous to the Aquatic Environment

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Hazard Categories

• Each hazard class has one or more categories of
  hazard, based on severity,
• eg. Acute Toxicity Oral

LD50 (mg/kg body weight) 5 5 lt LD50 50 50 lt LD50 300 300 lt LD50 2000 2000 lt LD50 5000
GHS Hazard Category Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4 Category 5
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Hazard Communication Label Elements

• Hazard pictograms
• Signal words
• Hazard statements
• Precautionary statements
• Product identifier - include chemical identity
• Supplier identification

Standardised
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Hazard communication Label elements GHS
pictograms
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Hazard communication Label elements Transport
pictograms
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Hazard communication Label elements

• Signal words- indicates relative level of
  severity of hazard
• Danger or Warning

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Hazard communication Label elements

• Hazard statements- Provide information about
  nature of the hazard
• For example
• Extremely flammable liquid and vapour
• Fatal if inhaled
• Harmful if swallowed

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Standardised Elements for Acute Toxicity - Oral
LD50 (mg/kg body weight) 5 5 lt LD50 50 50 lt LD50 300 300 lt LD50 2000 2000 lt LD50 5000
GHS Hazard Category Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4 Category 5
GHSLabel Danger Fatal if swallowed Danger Fatal if swallowed Danger Toxic if swallowed Warning Harmful if swallowed No symbol Warning May be harmful if swallowed
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Hazard communication Label elements

• Precautionary statements- recommended measures
  that should be taken to minimise or prevent
  adverse effects
• Statements relate to
• Prevention
• Response
• Storage
• Disposal

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Example of standardised label elements

• Product is classified as
• Acute toxicity oral, category 3
• Skin corrosion/irritation, category 2
• Flammable liquid, category 3

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Example of standardised label elements
Danger
Warning
Warning
Flammable liquid and vapour
Fatal if swallowed
Causes skin irritation
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Example of standardised label elements
Selected elements after applying precedence rules
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Hazard communication - Safety data sheets

• 16 header format
• Address physical, health and environmental
  hazards
• Detailed guidance now in Annex 4
• Still flexibility to include national information

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Implementation Issues -International

• Alignment of national hazard classification
  systems with the GHS
• Alignment of TDG and GHS systems internationally
  (underway)
• Labelling
• Consistent approach
• Need for guidance at international level
• Building block approach need for common
  understanding

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Future Directions

• Additional environmental hazard classes
• Codification of hazard and precautionary
  statements
• Further guidance on labelling?

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Chemical regulation in Australia

• Generally, policy is developed at the national
  level and enforced by State and Territory
  jurisdictions
• Currently a complex arrangement, several sectors
• A single chemical may be covered by a number of
  sectors and therefore subject to numerous pieces
  of regulation

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Chemical regulation in Australia

• Assessment of specific chemical types (national
  level)
• Pesticides and veterinary medicines
• Industrial chemicals
• Domestic poisons
• Pharmaceuticals

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Chemical regulation in Australia

• Regulations covering use (mainly at
  state/territory level)
• Workplace (OHS) regulations
• Transport regulations
• Environmental regulations
• Health regulations
• Agriculture regulations

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Australian GHS Implementation General

• Implementation of the GHS important for mutual
  recognition of chemicals with New Zealand
• Alignment and timing with key chemical trading
  partners is critical

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Australian GHS Implementation Workplace sector

• Workplace sector - working to be in a position to
  implement by 2008
• Development of a single regulatory framework for
  the control of workplace hazardous chemicals
• Amalgamate current workplace frameworks
• Implement the GHS - new SDS and labelling codes
  of practice
• National consistency through adoption in
  jurisdictional OHS regs

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Australian GHS Implementation Workplace sector
(NICNAS analysis)

• Since 2003 NICNAS has classified over 400
  assessed chemicals using the GHS
• NICNAS has compared this with the current
  classification system used for industrial
  chemicals
• Analysis of 50 industrial chemicals showed
• 34 classified as hazardous by existing criteria
  compared to 36 classified as hazardous by GHS
• 91 alignment of classifiable endpoints between
  existing and GHS systems
• 3 endpoints where alignment in classification did
  not always occur (relatively minor in nature)

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Australian GHS Implementation Workplace sector
(NICNAS analysis)

• Three endpoints where alignment of classification
  did not always occur
• Acute toxicity (oral, dermal)
• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation - differences in irritation score
  criteria leads to differences in irritancy
  classification

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Australian GHS Implementation Agricultural
sector

• The Primary Industries Ministerial Council's
  Product Safety and Integrity Committee is
  currently working with government and industry
  stakeholders to consider how the GHS might be
  translated into Australia's risk-based labelling
  system for agricultural and veterinary chemicals.
• A GHS Reference Group has been established.

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Australian GHS Implementation - Consumer sector

• Department of Health supports adoption of GHS in
  respect to health effects elements.
• GHS has implications for scheduling and therefore
  State/Territory legislative responsibilities for
  poisons scheduling and labelling
• Working Group established and will report in
  October 2006

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Australian GHS Implementation Issues

• Complex sectoral arrangements
• Multiple layers of government regulation
• Risk-based versus hazard-based systems
• Need for list of agreed classifications
  (workplace sector)
• Need for transition periods

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Thank you

• Questions and discussion

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