Know your Hazard label – Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals – GHS
Many steps are involved in making, packaging, handling, transportation, and the usage of chemicals. It may come with severe effects on the human being and as well as on the environment.
All ages, from infants to the old, using various languages and alphabets, belonging to different social conditions, including illiterates, are daily faced with dangerous chemical products (API, chemicals, pesticides, etc.).
Global Trade Name
To handle the danger, and given the extensive global trade in chemicals and the necessity to strengthen national programs to assure their safe use, transportation, and destruction, an internationally harmonized access to classification and labeling would give the foundation for such programs.
Once nations have uniform and accurate information on the chemicals they import or exhibit in their place, the infrastructure to manage chemical exposures, protect people, and comprehensively establish the environment.
The innovative and systemic approach, called “Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS),” addresses the distribution of chemicals by types of hazard and proposes harmonized hazard communication elements, including labels and safety data sheets.
It endeavors to assure that data on physical hazards, and toxicity from chemicals is available to enhance human health and the environment during the handling, transporting, and using of these chemicals. The GHS provides a basis for harmonizing rules and regulations on chemicals at the national, regional, and worldwide levels, an essential factor for trade facilitation.
While governments agency, institutions, and international organizations are the primary audiences for the GHS, it also includes sufficient context and direction for those in the industry who will ultimately be implementing the requirements adopted.
GHS pictograms use for packaging sectors other than the transport of dangerous goods (i.e., pictograms with the red border)
Pictograms and Descriptions – Hazmat symbols
Health Hazard
Acutely toxic symbol – A cancer-causing factor (carcinogen) or elements with respiratory, reproductive, or organ toxicity that creates damage over time.
Flame
Flammable symbol likely to self-ignite when exposed to water or air (pyrophoric) or release flammable gas. The flame symbol warns users that a chemical is flammable. It can also symbolize a chemical that may be pyrophoric, self-heating, self-reactive, or emit flammable gas. It may also mean a chemical includes organic peroxides.
Exclamation Mark
An exclamation mark on the packaging indicates a chemical is acutely toxic or can have narcotic effects. It also shows a chemical may cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation.
Corrosion
The corrosive symbol warns users that a chemical may cause burns and skin corrosion and harm the eyes. It also indicates a chemical is corrosive to metals.
Oxidizers
The flame over a circle symbol indicates a product contains oxidizers.
Skull and Crossbones
The skull and crossbones indicate a chemical may be acutely toxic to humans.
Gas Cylinder
Gases stored under pressure, such as ammonia or liquid nitrogen.
Exploding Bomb
Explosives, including organic peroxides and highly hazardous material at risk of exploding even without exposure to air (self-reactive).
Environmental Hazard
Chemicals are toxic to aquatic wildlife. (Non-Mandatory)
Hazadous Labels
The pictograms for transporting dangerous goods (usually referred to as “labels” in the transportation of dangerous goods regulations) apply to transport classes for which an equivalent GHS hazard class exists.
For hazard packaging (labels and marks) apply to other transport classes, or transport conditions used by transport of hazard goods regulations but not addressed in the GHS (e.g., labels for classes 7 and 9; elevated temperature substance mark; lithium battery mark; etc.).
References: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe – UNECE
