1. fadi_daghlas@yahoo.com
2015
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

2. Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
What is the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)?
GHS stands for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification
and Labelling of Chemicals. GHS is a system that defines and
classifies the hazards of chemical products, and communicates
health and safety information on labels and material safety data
sheets (called Safety Data Sheets, or SDSs, in GHS). The goal is
that the same set of rules for classifying hazards, and the same
format and content for labels and safety data sheets (SDS) will be
adopted and used around the world. An international team of
hazard communication experts developed GHS.
Why is global harmonization necessary?
Currently many different countries have different systems for
classification and labelling of chemical products. In addition, several
different systems can exist even within the same country. This
situation has been expensive for governments to regulate and
enforce, costly for companies who have to comply with many
different systems, and confusing for workers who need to
understand the hazards of a chemical in order to work safely.
GHS promises to deliver several distinct benefits. Among them are:
 Promoting regulatory efficiency.
 Facilitating trade.
 Easing compliance.
 Reducing costs.
 Providing improved, consistent hazard information.
 Encouraging the safe transport, handling and use of chemicals.
 Promoting better emergency response to chemical incidents.
 Reducing the need for animal testing.
What is the scope of GHS?
The GHS system covers all hazardous chemicals and may be
adopted to cover chemicals in the workplace, transport, consumer
products, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. The target audiences for
GHS include workers, transport workers, emergency responders and
consumers.

3. What are the two major elements in GHS?
The two major elements of GHS are:
1. Classification of the hazards of chemicals according to the GHS
rules:
GHS provides guidance on classifying pure chemicals and mixtures
according to its criteria or rules.
2. Communication of the hazards and precautionary information
using Safety Data Sheets and labels:
Labels - With the GHS system, certain information will appear on
the label. For example, the chemical identity may be required.
Standardized hazard statements, signal words and symbols will
appear on the label according to the classification of that chemical
or mixture. Precautionary statements may also be required, if
adopted by your regulatory authority.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) - The GHS SDS has 16 sections in a
set order, and minimum information is prescribed.
What are some key terms in the GHS Vocabulary?
 SDS - Safety Data Sheet. SDS is the term used by GHS for Material
Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
 Hazard group - While not given a formal definition, GHS divides
hazards into three major groups - health, physical and environmental.
 Class - Class is the term used to describe the different types of
hazards. For example, Gases under Pressure is an example of a class in
the physical hazards group.
 Category - Category is the name used to describe the sub-sections of
classes. For example, Self-Reactive Chemicals have 7 categories. Each
category has rules or criteria to determine what chemicals are assigned
to that category. Categories are assigned numbers (or letters) with
category 1 (or A) being the most hazardous.
 Hazard Statement - For each category of a class, a standardized
statement is used to describe the hazard. For example, the hazard
statement for chemicals which meet the criteria for the class Self-
heating substances and mixtures, Category 1 is Self-heating; may catch
fire. This hazard statement would appear both on the label and on the
SDS.
 Precautionary Statement - These statements are standardized
phrases that describe the recommended steps to be taken to minimize
or prevent adverse effects from exposure to or resulting from improper
handling or storage of a hazardous product.

4.  Signal word - There are two signal words in the GHS system - Danger
and Warning. These signal words are used to communicate the level of
hazard on both the label and the SDS. The appropriate signal word to
use is set out by the classification system. For example, the signal word
for Self-heating substances and mixtures, Category 1 is Danger while
Warning is used for the less serious Category 2. There are categories
where no signal word is used.
 Pictogram - Pictogram refers to the GHS symbol on the label and SDS.
Not all categories have a symbol associated with them.
What is meant by the GHS hazard groupings and
building block concept?
Within the GHS classification system, there are three major hazard
groups:
 Physical hazards.
 Health hazards.
 Environmental hazards.
Within each of these hazard groups there are classes and
categories. Each of these parts is called a building block. Each
country can determine which building blocks of the GHS system it
will use in their different sectors (workplace, transportation,
consumers). Once the building blocks are chosen, the corresponding
GHS rules for classification and labels must be used.
What are the classes within the Health hazard group?
Criteria for classifying chemicals have been developed for the
following health hazard classes:
 Acute toxicity.
 Skin corrosion/irritation.
 Serious eye damage/eye irritation.
 Respiratory or skin sensitization.
 Germ cell mutagenicity.
 Carcinogenicity.
 Reproductive toxicity.
 Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure.
 Specific target organ toxicity - repeated exposure.
 Aspiration hazard.
What are the classes within the Physical hazard group?
Criteria for classifying chemicals have been developed for the
following physical hazard classes:

5.  Explosives.
 Flammable gases.
 Aerosols.
 Oxidizing gases.
 Gases under pressure.
 Flammable liquids.
 Flammable solids.
 Self-reactive substances and mixtures.
 Pyrophoric liquids.
 Pyrophoric solids.
 Self-heating substances and mixtures.
 Substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable
gases.
 Oxidizing liquids.
 Oxidizing solids.
 Organic peroxides.
 Corrosive to metals.
What are the classes within the Environmental hazard
group?
Criteria for classifying chemicals have been developed for the
following environmental hazard class:
 Hazardous to the aquatic environment (acute and chronic).
 Hazardous to the ozone layer.
What is the target date for implementation of GHS?
Countries and sectors (consumer, environmental, workplace,
transportation) within a country will implement GHS at varying
times depending on their local circumstances.
Canada
The Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of
Chemicals (GHS) is being implemented by Canada and this
alignment will change WHMIS-related laws (the Hazardous Products
Act and Controlled Products Regulations).
Health Canada is the government body responsible for making the
required changes to the federal WHMIS-related laws. In June 2014,
the amended Hazardous Products Act(HPA) received Royal Assent.
These changes will enable Canada's implementation of the GHS for
workplace chemicals. The proposed Hazardous Products Regulations
(HPR), which will replace the Controlled Products Regulations, were
published in the Canada Gazette Part I in August 2014, followed by

6. a consultation period. Final regulations are expected to be published
in Canada Gazette Part II in late 2014 or early 2015.
Health Canada's goal is to have the updated WHMIS laws in force no
later than June 1, 2015. In force means that suppliers may begin to
use and follow the new requirements for labels and SDSs for
hazardous products sold, distributed, or imported into Canada at
that time. A transition period is expected, but the dates have not
yet been announced.
Provincial and territorial WHMIS regulations will also require
updating. Employers will be expected to have updated their WHMIS
program and training to include the alignment with GHS at this time
(exact timelines to be determined).
Europe
GHS has been adopted into the new EU Classification, Labelling and
Packaging (CLP) regulations (in force as of January 20, 2009).
These regulations must be used for new products which are:
 Pure substances by December 1, 2010.
 Mixtures by June 1, 2015.
There is a two-year transition period for existing products labelled
and packaged according to EU Directives (67/548/EEC and
1999/45/EC, both as amended).
United States
Final Rule became effective May 26, 2012. Key dates in the US
implementation include:
 December 1, 2013 - Train employees on the new label elements and
SDS format.
 June 1, 2015 - Comply with all modified provisions of the final rule,
except December 1, 2015 - Distributors may ship products labelled by
manufacturers under the old system until December 1, 2015.
 June 1, 2016 - Update alternative workplace labelling and hazard
communication program as necessary, and provide additional employee
training for newly identified physical or health hazards.
 Transition Period - Comply with either 29 CFR 1910.1200, or the current
standard, or both.

7. How will GHS change WHMIS?
Roles and Responsibilities
Overall, the current roles and responsibilities for suppliers,
employers and workers likely will not change in WHMIS after GHS.
Suppliers, Importers and Producers duties will continue to include:
 Classifying hazardous products.
 Preparing labels and SDSs.
 Providing these elements to customers.
Employers must continue to:
 Educate and train workers on the hazards and safe use of products.
 Ensure that hazardous materials are properly labelled.
 Prepare workplace labels and SDSs as necessary.
 Provide access for workers to up-to-date SDSs.
 Ensure appropriate control measures are in place to protect the health
and safety of workers.
Workers will still:
 Participate in WHMIS and chemical safety training programs.
 Take necessary steps to protect themselves and their coworkers.
 Participate in identifying and controlling hazards.
Classification
How chemicals are classified will be affected. It is likely (but not
confirmed) that WHMIS legislation will:
 Adopt all of the major GHS health and physical hazard classes including
aspiration hazard and specific target organ toxicity-single exposure.
Some categories in GHS may not be adopted. It is unlikely that the
environmental hazard classes will be adopted under WHMIS (but this
does not exclude that it may be adopted by another government
department).
 Continue to include some hazards that are currently not in the GHS
system, but are present in the current WHMIS system - such as
biohazardous infectious materials.
 Have more specific names for its hazard classes.
 Combine two WHMIS classes (teratogenicity/embryotoxicity and
reproductive toxicity) into one new GHS hazard class called reproductive
toxicity.

8. Supplier labels
Labels requirements will also change, and will probably have a few
new requirements. Labels will use new pictograms, as well as a
signal word - Warning or Danger.
Under the GHS system, once a chemical is classified, specific signal
words, hazard statements and pictograms are required (prescribed)
for each hazard class and category. These elements must appear on
the label.
All of the required elements for labels are not yet determined. It is
still not clear, for example, if the names of hazardous ingredients
will be included on the label, or if the WHMIS hatched border will
still be required.

9. Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
SDSs will use a 16-section format. There will be standardized
information requirements for each section. The 9-section WHMIS
format for MSDSs will no longer be acceptable. Another important
change to note is that the product classification and some of the
label information will probably be required on the SDS. It has not
been determined if the SDS updating requirements (every 3 years)
will be kept; however, SDSs must be updated as new information
comes available.
NOTE that Health Canada has announced an administrative policy
which allows a properly prepared and formatted GHS Safety Data
Sheet (SDS) to be used in Canada at this time. All of the
information required by the 9-section Canadian MSDS must be
listed on the GHS SDS.
Specific information on this administrative policy can be found at
the following web page from Health Canada:
Material safety data sheets - Format
The information requirements of Canadian 9-heading SDS
(Schedule I, Column III of the Controlled Products Regulation) can
be found here:
Schedule I - Information to be Disclosed on a Material Safety Data
Sheet, Reference Manual for the WHMIS Requirements of the
Hazardous Products Act and Controlled Products Regulations
Note that there are additional Canadian requirements for
MSDSs/SDSs which must continue to be met at this time, for
example:
 The SDS must be available in English and French.
 The SDS must not have a preparation date exceeding 3 years.
 The SDS must provide the name and address of a Canadian supplier.
 Hazardous ingredients must be disclosed according to the requirements
of the Hazardous Products Act.
How can suppliers prepare now?
Under WHMIS after GHS, suppliers will continue to classify products,
create labels and create SDSs (formerly MSDSs) but they will follow
the WHMIS after GHS requirements.

10. To prepare to classify a product, suppliers could:
1. Obtain a copy of the GHS criteria.
2. Identify the relevant hazard data for their ingredients and products.
3. Review the data in light of the classification criteria to determine the
appropriate hazard classes and categories. Note that there is specific
guidance for classifying the health and environmental hazards of
mixtures.
4. Document the rationale and information for future reference.
Once changes to WHMIS legislation have been published, confirm
product classifications.
Suppliers must use a weight of evidence approach to classify
products. The validity of research reports and other information
must be evaluated as a whole. In some cases a single, well-
conducted study will be sufficient.
If they are not already doing so, suppliers could also switch to a 16-
section SDS format.
How can employers prepare now?
After GHS implementation, SDSs and labels for products originating
within and outside of Canada will share common elements. This
standardization should simplify education and training after the
transition period is over. However employees will need training on
both systems until the transition is complete.
Keeping up-to-date inventories of all controlled products and the
status of the MSDS/SDS will be essential.