The Globally Harmonized System, or GHS, was developed by the United Nations and is a set of hazcom standards used worldwide by companies, governments, and other institutions. GHS is focused on creating a universal standard for classifying and labeling different chemical hazards so different industries and different countries can all be on the same page when it comes to hazard communication.
GHS standards have been a requirement of OSHA since 2012 and has since impacted the classification of hazards, labeling requirements, the use of safety data sheets, training for employees, information gathering, and classification. The GHS system is an extremely crucial one to industrial facilities and chemical manufacturers, from small businesses to international companies. Implementing and keeping up on all standards of GHS will help ensure your facility can be safe for your employees and the surrounding community.
Staying GHS Compliant
In order to be compliant, each and every GHS label on a chemical container must have the same four components: a signal word, a GHS pictogram, a hazard statement, and a precautionary statement. Aside from compliancy, each of these four components are there to effectively communicate to workers how dangerous the chemical they’re handling is, the risk associated and the proper precautions the worker must take when working with that specific chemical. Safety Data Sheets are another important component, and these sheets are used to communicate specific hazards related to chemicals.
On this site, we hope to give you the information needed to understand the Globally Harmonized System and requirements that fall under the system. We will work to break down how to create your own GHS labels and hopefully help explain the importance of this worldwide system. This site is not meant to replace any official training courses or compliance manuals, but rather help give you a high-level overview of what GHS is, compliance requirements, GHS labeling and more.
Additional Resources
- GHS: The Globally Harmonized System for Labeling [Updated 2019]– creativesafetysupply.com
- What is GHS?– ghsforum.com
- GHS – What’s Next? A Timeline of GHS Compliance– infographicsdirectory.org
- Creating Custom Chemical and GHS Labels– label-printers.org
- A Guide to Safety Labels– safetylabelmakers.com
- Labeling for Workplace Safety– safetyvisuals.com
- How do I label for optimal arc flash safety?– arcflashanswers.com
- Why Overloading Forklifts Is More Dangerous Than You May Think– forkliftsafety101.com
- Pipe Marking Made Simple and Easy– pipemarking.net