What Does OSHA Stand For?
OSHA stands for the Occupational Health and Safety Administration which is part of the US Department of Labor. OSHA sets and enforces workplace health and safety standards including the Hazard Communication Standard.
What is OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard?
The Hazard Communication Standard is an American-wide system that has been in place since 2012. It’s based on the principle that workers have a need and the right to know about the hazardous materials that are at their workplace, as well as the appropriate protective measures to prevent unwanted health effects.
The Addition of GHS to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard
GHS stands for The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. GHS was created by the United Nations as an international standard. In the past there has been variability in classification, as an example, two products with similar ingredients may have an SDS and label that are quite different depending on what country manufactures them. That confusion is avoided because of GHS. Now everyone will use the same criteria. How chemical products are classified is better defined. Hazard phrases are provided in standardized direct wording, and it is easier to find the information you are looking for. The information always appears in the same place on labels and SDSs. This will reduce confusion for workers everywhere.
OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard adopts and integrates the elements of GHS into a USA standard called HazCom 2012.
What is the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)?
The GHS is a system for harmonizing hazard classification criteria and chemical hazard communication elements worldwide. The GHS is not a regulation; rather it is a framework or guidance for classifying and labeling hazardous chemicals. The purpose of classification under the GHS is to provide harmonized information to users of chemicals with the goal of enhancing protection of human health and the environment.
Around the world countries have regulatory systems for chemical classification and hazard communication. The systems may look similar, but their differences can lead to multiple interpretations and inconsistencies for a classification, label, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for the same product. Moving to one standard in the age of global trade simplifies regulations and improves the safety for workers who interact with hazardous products.
Hazard Communication Standard after GHS
The Hazard Communication Standard requires:
• Chemical suppliers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce and classify them as physical and/or health hazards.
• Suppliers also need to prepare labels and safety data sheets to be shipped with their chemicals that convey the hazard information to their customers.
• All employers with hazardous chemicals need to ensure the chemicals in their workplace have labels and Safety Data Sheets available for their workers.
• Employers need to train their workers on how to safely handle the chemicals in their workplace.
• Employers also need to prepare a list of hazardous chemicals at the workplace and develop a written hazard communication program.
GHS Elements in OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard
Danger (more serious hazards) Warning (less serious hazards)
Health Hazard Classes (12 categories)
Physical Hazard Classes (9 categories)
Environmental Hazard Classes (2 categories but not adopted by USA, may see on SDS arriving from outside USA)
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
16-section format
Order is very structured and specific
Signal words (Warning or Danger)
Hazard and Precautionary Statements
Hazard Pictograms
Red Square 45° on a point Pictogram
Responsibilities of Different Groups under HazCom 2012
OSHA’s HazCom 2012 incorporates a flow of information from chemical suppliers, downstream to employers, and ultimately workers.
Suppliers: Manufacturers and Distributors What are supplier responsibilities?• Classify hazards for the products they manufacturer, import and distribute.• Create container labels and Safety Data Sheets for their hazardous products.• Provide SDSs to customers with purchase of the hazardous product.
EmployersWhat are employer responsibilities?• Train workers on HazCom• Inform workers of the hazardous products at their workplace and how to protect themselves from harm• Make SDSs readily available.• Ensure hazardous products in the workplace are labelled.• Develop a written hazard communication program.• Maintain a list of all hazardous chemicals present at the workplace.• Make PPE available for workers.
Workers
What are worker responsibilities?
• Participate in training.
• Take necessary steps to protect themselves and their co-workers.
• Participate in identifying and controlling hazards.
• Communicate to your employer any problems with labels and SDSs.
• Refuse unsafe work.
Classification
Most of the hazard classes adopted by OSHA HazCom are common to other countries that have implemented GHS. The HazCom approach to classification assigns a product to a group and then to a category and finally a class. HazCom has two main groups of hazards: the physical hazards group and the health hazards group. There is also a third GHS group called the Environmental Hazards Group that is not used at this time. A product can have more than one hazard group classification.
Physical Hazards Group: chemicals in this hazard group present significant physical danger. Products are classified based on their physical state (solid, liquid, gas) and physical properties (explosive, flammable, corrosive).
Health hazard Group: chemicals in this hazard group present health danger either in the short term or long term.
Example: Methanol Classification
Acute toxicity (Inhalation)
Reproductive toxicity - Effects on or via lactation
Specific target organ toxicity (single exposure)
GHS Pictograms
GHS pictograms are graphic images that show you what type of hazard is present. They are organized according to the hazard group category. A chemical may have more than one pictogram.
Health Hazard
Health Hazard
Carcinogen
Mutagenicity
Reproductive Toxicity
Respiratory Sensitizer
Target Organ Toxicity
Aspiration Toxicity
SKULL & CROSSBONES
Acute Toxicity:
Fatal or toxic
EXCLAMATION MARK
Irritant (skin & eye)
Skin Sensitizer
Acute Toxicity (harmful)
Respiratory Tract Irritant
Hazardous Ozone Layer
Narcotic Effects
CORROSION
Skin Corrosion/Burns
Eye Damage
Corrosive to Metals
Physical Hazard
GAS CYLINDER
Gases Under Pressure
EXPLODING BOMB
Explosives
Self Reactives
Organic Peroxides
FLAME
Flammables
Pyrophorics
Self-Heating
Emits Flammable Gas
Self-Reactives
Organic Peroxides
FLAME OVER CIRCLE
Oxidizers
Optional Environmental GHS Pictograms not adoped by WHMIS 2025 but you may see on lables and SDSs arriving from outside Canada.
ENVIRONMENT
Aquatic Toxicity
EXCLAMATION MARK
Hazardous Ozone Layer
BIOHAZARDOUS
INFECTIOUS MATERIALS
Unique to Canada
Safety Data Sheets
The Safety Data Sheet or SDS is a document that helps you to identify s materials and gives you full details on what the hazards are. SDSs provide more detailed hazard information about the product than the label. It provides instruction on how to work safely with the hazardous product. It spells out the steps you need to take if there ever is an emergency. The SDS is where you find the facts on hazardous products you work with. Its where you go for more information.
Basic questions you should be able to answer before working with a product:
1. What is this product? (Section 1: Product Identification)
2. What are the hazards? (Section 2: Hazard Identification)
3. How do I work with this safely? (Section 7: Handling and Storage)
4. What do I do in an emergency? (Section 4, 5, and 6: First Aid, Fire Fighting Measures, and Accidental Release Measures)
HazCom Labels
What are primary labels?
The HCS requires chemical manufacturers, importers, or distributors to ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals leaving the workplace is labeled, tagged or marked with the following information:
• Chemical name of the hazardous product.
• Pictograms that identify the physical and Health hazards of the product.
• Supplier of the product including name, address, and telephone number.
• Signal word of either ‘Danger’ or ‘Warning’ to quickly alert people to the serious hazard of the product.
• Hazard statements that describe the nature of the hazard posed by the hazardous product.
• Precautionary Statements that describe how to handle or store the product safely.
What are workplace labels?
• Employers have the option to create their own workplace labels if a:
• Hazardous product is made at the workplace and used at the same workplace.
• Hazardous product is transferred to a secondary container.
• Primary container label becomes damaged or unreadable.
Employers may use additional instructional symbols that are not included in OSHA’s HCS pictograms on the workplace labels like PPE icons.Employers may add information on rating systems such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) diamonds or HMIS requirements.
Safety Data Sheets
HazCom training is frequently done when employees are hired as part of their orientation to a new company. Although there is no standard or expiration for HazCom training industry best practices recommends HazCom training should be ongoing, reviewed at least annually and adapt as hazards change in the workplace. A good HazCom training program incorporates dialogue between the employer and employee with engagement and dialogue between management and front-line workers.
HazCom training should incorporate:
• Roles and responsibilities
• Discussion on workplace Chemical Hazards, how to handle and store properly
• Classification and GHS pictogram awareness
• Safety Data Sheet education
• SDS labelling requirements
Training needs to be done to make it workplace specific and practical to the employees. Examples of regular training can include review of the location hazard communication plan; emergency drills and standards; annual chemical inventory; and regular toolbox talks on chemical safety relevant to the workplace.
