From 1 January 2017, manufacturers and importers must label their hazardous chemicals in accordance with the international system used to classify and communicate chemical hazards.
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, or GHS, was introduced in Australia in 2012. A five-year transitional period was allowed to give chemical manufacturers and importers time to reclassify chemicals and implement necessary changes to labels and safety data sheets.
What is the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)?
The GHS is a single internationally agreed system of chemical classification and hazard communication through labelling and Safety Data Sheets (SDS). The GHS is published by the United Nations and includes harmonised criteria for the classification of physical hazards, health hazards and environmental hazards.
The GHS will update the way in which information about the hazards of chemicals and any precautions necessary to ensure safe storage, handling and disposal, is conveyed to users of chemicals. The GHS uses pictograms, signal words, and hazard and precautionary statements to communicate this information.
It is important to note that the GHS does not change your general duties relating to the management of hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
There are nine hazard pictograms in the GHS which represent the physical, health and environmental hazards. These are named:
- Explosives
- Flammables
- Oxidisers
- Gasses under pressure
- Corrosives
- Acute toxicity
- Environmental hazard
- Harmful/irritant Harmful to ozone layer
- Severe health hazards
What’s Next?
To ease the burden on suppliers to re-label existing stock, and ensure a smooth transition, Safe Work Australia has agreed to allow chemicals, manufactured or imported on or before 31 December 2016, to be supplied without needing to meet the new labelling requirements. Any chemicals manufactured or imported after 1 January 2017, will need to be labelled in accordance with the international GHS.
Who will be affected by the GHS?
Manufacturers, importers and suppliers of hazardous chemicals will be the most affected by the introduction of the GHS. The model Work Health and Safety laws impose a duty on manufacturers and importers of chemicals supplied to a workplace to determine if a chemical is hazardous and to correctly classify the chemical according to the GHS. Manufacturers and importers are also responsible for ensuring that correct labels and SDS are prepared for hazardous chemicals.
Suppliers may continue to supply other workplaces with stock they have on hand after 1 January 2017 providing it was manufactured or imported prior to this date and correctly labelled at that time. From 1 January 2017 suppliers should only accept stock with GHS compliant labels. Suppliers will also need to have GHS compliant SDS available from this date.
End users of hazardous chemicals will be affected to a lesser extent. Users of hazardous chemicals are not required to relabel or dispose of existing stock. Hazardous chemicals manufactured or imported after 1 January 2017 must only be received if they are labelled according to the requirements of the model WHS Regulations.
For further details of the GHS click here.