The Global Harmonized System (GHS) provides a standardized approach to classifying and labeling chemicals to improve safety. It establishes hazard classes and categories to better define hazards and requires standardized safety data sheets and labels. While GHS presents opportunities to improve laboratory safety, it also presents challenges as laboratories adapt to new terminology, classifications, and labeling requirements. Some aspects of GHS, such as conflicting definitions with NFPA ratings and complex decision trees, may cause confusion for laboratory workers. Overall, GHS provides a systematic approach to evaluating chemical hazards but is not a perfect system and will require adaptation.

1. Challenges and Opportunities
for Laboratory Safety in
Implementing the Global
Harmonized System
Robert H. Hill, Jr.
Atlanta Analytical Services
Battelle Memorial Institute, Atlanta, GA
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2. My Perspective and Focus
• No expert in GHS
• Not Involved in GHS Development
• Learned about GHS by reading
• Worked in Research Laboratories
• Experience in Laboratory Safety
• Potential impact of GHS in improving
lab safety for laboratory workers
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3. Ruptured!
• Laboratory worker – Industrial Research
• Needed arsine (AsH3)– Extremely Toxic
• Decided – 100% AsH3 at 200 psig; SCBA
• Conducted in gas cabinet w/:
– Pneumatic shutoff valve (normal closed)
– Continuous monitor
AHIA Laboratory Safety
• Turned cylinder on – gauge ruptured Committee: Arsine Gas Release
accessed at
http://www2.umdnj.edu/eohssweb/
• Pneumatic valve closed; no exposure aiha/accidents/gas.htm#Arsine.
• Label revealed 10% AsH3/H2 at 2,000 psig!
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4. The Globally Harmonized System
for Classification and Labeling of
Chemicals (GHS)
• Protects human health and environment by:
– Establishing a global system for classifying hazards
– Providing standard labeling for hazards
– Providing uniform safety data sheets
• Promotes global business/commerce for import-
export of chemicals with a uniform system for
recognizing, labeling of hazards
• In 2009, 65 countries taking steps to adopt GHS,
including U. S.
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5. GHS and Its Implementation
• In 2007, United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) published
– 2nd Revision, Globally Harmonized System for
Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
– Found at:
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/
ghs_rev02/02files_e.html.
• Recommendation – voluntary; no legal
requirement
• Use as building blocks for regulatory system
– Countries select blocks – depends upon fit
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6. GHS Implementation in U. S.
• Four Federal Agencies w/ responsibilities:
– Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
– Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
– U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
– U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC)
• Principal impact on laboratories – lab workers
– OSHA (lab safety)
– EPA (hazardous waste)
– DOT (shipping)
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7. Hazard Recognition/Communication
in U.S. Laboratories
• OSHA oversight of laboratories principally through:
– Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450)
- Chemical Hygiene Plan; Chemical Hygiene Officer
– Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)
- Hazard Labeling; MSDSs
• Performance-based regulations
– Employer must comply with regulation
– How it is done is up to employer
- Chemical Hygiene Plan required; Employer designs
- Labels required; Supplier or Employer designs
- Require safety training
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8. GHS Specifications
• GHS specifies requirements
– Definitions, terms
– Hazard Classifications
– Pictograms (Symbols)
– Signal words Danger
– Warning statements
Causes severe skin
– SDS (MSDS) format (Hazard Class) burns and eye damage
• Implementation of GHS requires Corrosive?
OSHA change HCS to specific
requirements Hazard Category?
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9. Challenges, Opportunities for
Laboratory Workers
• Learning about details of GHS
– New language, terms, definitions
– New symbols
– New ways to recognize, classify hazards
– Standardizes new SDS format
• GHS Hazard Classes & Categories
– Valuable tools for laboratory workers
– Define all hazard types
– Separate into relative categories
– Helps judging relative risks in lab operations
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10. Hazard Classification
• GHS defines, classifies hazards
– Ex.: GHS Flammable liquid – liquid w/ flash point ≤ 60 °C
- Hazard Class (HC) 1 – f.p. < 23 °C, boiling point ≤ 35 °C
- HC 2 – f.p. < 23 °C, b.p.> 35 °C
- HC 3 – f.p. ≥ 23 °C but ≤ 60 °C °
- HC 4 – f.p. > 60 °C but ≤ 93 °C
– Signal words: Danger; Warning
• GHS provides no examples
• Chemical manufacturers, suppliers
– use GHS to determine hazard classes, hazard categories
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11. Many Hazards Classes
• 29 Physical, Health, Environmental Hazard Classes
• 16 Physical Hazard Classes
– Ex.: Flammable gases; Flammable liquids; Pyrophoric
solids
• 11 Health Hazard Classes
– Ex.: Acute toxicity; Respiratory sensitization;
Carcinogenicity
• 2 Environmental Hazard Classes
– Ex: Acute hazards to aquatic environment
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12. Multiple Hazard Classes
• 88 Hazard Categories (HC) within 29 Hazard Classes [not
uniform]
– 20 Classes: HC 1, 2, etc. [HC 1 most hazardous]
– 5 Classes: HC 1A, 1B, etc. [HC 1A most hazardous]
– 2 Classes: Type A, Type B, etc [Most hazardous
designated “Danger”]
– 1 Class: Explosives [Unstable; Division 1.1, 1.2, etc.]
– 1 Class: Gases Under Pressure (Compressed Gas)
• Signal word “Danger” used for 44 HCs
• 4 Classes HC1 use signal word “Warning”
– Corrosive to Metals; Skin Sensitizer; Acute Hazards to
Aquatic Environment; Chronic Hazards to Aquatic
Environment
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13. GHS Definitions
• Most – same as OSHA HCA
• Changes should not affect how hazards used in labs
– NFPA definition: flammable liquids, f.p.<38 °C
– GHS definition: flammable liquids, f.p. ≤ 60 °C
– GHS produces change from “combustible” to “flammable”
- acetic acid (f.p. 39° C), dimethylformamide (f.p. 58° C)
• Many definitions established by exacting numbers
– Acute toxicity, HC1, ingestion: ≤ 5 mg/kg
• Other definitions more subjective
– Carcinogenicity: carcinogens, presumed carcinogens, etc.
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14. GHS Pictograms
• Many Familiar to Laboratory Workers
Flammable Oxidizer
Explosive
Corrosive Compressed Gas Poison or Toxic
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15. GHS Pictograms
• Some Not Familiar to Laboratory Workers
Health Hazard Exclamation Point Environmental Hazard
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16. Pictograms & Puzzles
• GHS uses decision trees for selection process
• Most selections seem straight forward, except:
• Exclamation Point (E!)
– Puzzling
– Does Not Evoke Picture in Mind
– Represents Hazard < Torso (T) or Skull/crossbones (SC)
– Always uses “Warning”
– Toxic hazard:
- HC1, 2, 3 - SC (Danger); HC4 – E! (Warning)
– Specific Target Organ Toxicity – Single Exposure:
- HC1 – T (Danger); HC2 – T (Warning); HC3 – E! (Warning)
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17. Puzzles for Laboratorians
• GHS Respiratory Sensitization
– HC 1 (Danger)
• GHS Skin Sensitization
– HC 1 (Warning)
– Why Not?
– Appears that skin sensitization slight health hazard
– Serious laboratory incidents with skin sensitizers
• Specific Target Organ Toxicity – Single/Repeated
– New term for laboratory workers
– Seems similar to Acute Toxicity; Chronic Toxicity
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18. Puzzles for Laboratory Workers
• Some Common Hazard Terms Not Used in GHS
– Poison, Lachrymator, Stench
• Poisons
– GHS Acute Toxicity, HC 1 & 2; Uses
• Lachrymators
– GHS Severe Eye Damage/Eye Irritation; Uses
– Does symbol convey hazard?
• Stenches
– GHS Classificaton?; Will suppliers omit?
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19. Hazard Statements
• Provided for each type of hazard and class
• Likely to be distinct improvement
– “Fatal if inhaled” for HC 1 Acute Toxicity by
Inhalation
– “Catches fire spontaneously if exposed to air”
for HC1 Pyrophoric Liquids
– “Explosive, mass explosion hazard” for Division
1.1 Explosive
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20. Conflicts with NFPA
• NFPA Diamond
– Used by fire fighters; laboratory workers
– Judges relative hazard under fire
conditions
– Highest Hazard Class 4, Lowest Class 1
• GHS Hazard Ratings
– Highest Hazard HC 1, Lowest Hazard
(highest number)
• NFPA & GHS ratings are OPPOSITE!
• NFPA Diamond use likely to continue
• Learn to live with both systems
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21. Conclusions About GHS for
Laboratory Safety
• GHS provides opportunities for improving laboratory
safety in future
• Learning details - Important for laboratory workers
• Change itself is always a challenge
• GHS is new systematic way to assess hazards
• GHS presents challenges – New, but not perfect
• Remember the incident?
• Now, If we can only learn to read, use the label!
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22. Questions?
• Robert H. Hill, Jr., Ph.D.
• Atlanta Analytical Services
• Battelle Memorial Institute
• Century Plaza 1, 2987 Clairmont Road, Suite 450
• Atlanta, GA 30329
• Email: hillr@battelle.org
• Tel: 404-460-1453; Cell: 678-362-3040
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