Risk Management Services
Chemical Safety Update:
Global Harmonized System (GHS)
!
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What is the GHS?
 A common and coherent approach to defining and
classifying hazards, and communicating
information on labels and safety data sheets.
 Target audiences include workers, consumers,
transport workers, and emergency responders.
 Provides the underlying infrastructure for
establishment of national, comprehensive chemical
safety programs.
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Why is the GHS needed?
 No country has the ability to identify and
specifically regulate every hazardous chemical
product.
 For example, in the United States, there are an
estimated 650,000 such products.
 Adoption of requirements for information to
accompany the product helps address protection
needs.
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Georgia Law for State Workers
 The “Public Employees Hazardous Chemicals
Protection and Right to Know Law” was passed in
1988.
 Georgia 300-3-19 is the governing law. The rules
of the law can be found at the GDOL website and
the Secretary of State website as well.
 The purpose of these rules, of course, is to ensure
that all Public employees understand their “Right
to Know” as it regards to hazardous chemicals in
the workplace.
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State Agency Responsibilities
 Section 300-19-02 requires Public Employers to
ensure that all Public employees are aware of the
Act, the regulations, and their responsibilities.
Typically this means having a written Hazardous
Chemical Communication Program or Hazard
Communication Plan.
 A Hazardous Chemical Protection Communication
Coordinator or “Right to Know Coordinator” must
be designated within the agency.
 The “Right to Know Coordinator” will be provided
with the proper authority to carry out the duties of
the assigned position.
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Public Employee Hazardous Chemicals
Protection and Right to Know Law:
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Administration of the law (300-3-19.02)
Training (300-3-19.03)
Contractors’ Responsibilities (300-3-19.04)
Employee Grievance/Complaints (300-3-19.05)
Exemptions (300-3-19.06)
Monitoring of the law (300-3-19.07)
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Administration (300-3-19.02)
 The GA Department of Labor (GDOL) Safety
Engineering Division shall as required
under the Act ensure compliance with all
training programs required under the law.
 GDOL must provide written approval of all
agency training programs required under
the law.
 GDOL must also provide written approval of
the Hazard Communication Plan.
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Written Program
 Shall contain how the following will be met:
 Labeling practices
 Other forms of warning
 Safety data sheets
 Information and training
 List of chemicals
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Training (300-3-19.03)
 Each employee shall be provided with training
as required by the Act at the time of initial
assignment to a workplace.
 Re-training must occur at least annually.
 Department of Labor will verify annual Right to
Know training.
 A written training log must be kept for three
years.
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Definitions
 “Chemical”
 Any element, chemical
compound or mixture of elements
and/or compounds.
 “Hazardous chemical”
 Any chemical which is a physical
hazard or a health hazard.
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Definitions
 “Physical hazard”
 A chemical for which there is scientifically valid
evidence that it is a combustible liquid, a
compressed gas, explosive, flammable, organic
peroxide, oxidizer, pyrophoric, unstable,
reactive or water-reactive.
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Definitions
 ”Health hazard”
 A chemical for which there is
statistically significant evidence,
based on at least one study
conducted in accordance with
established scientific principles,
that acute or chronic health effects
may occur in exposed employees.
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Definitions
 “Label” means any written,
printed or graphic material
displayed on or affixed to
containers of hazardous
chemicals.
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GHS Hazard Communication - Pictograms
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 Exemptions for labeling under OSHA
 Pesticides (Federal insecticide, fungicide, and rodenticide Act 7 U.S.C. 136)
 Food, food additive, color additive (FDA 21 U.S.C. 301)
 Cosmetic, medical or vet device (FDA 21 U.S.C. 301)
 Distilled spirits (Federal Alcohol Administration Act 21 U.S.C. 201)
 Consumer products (Consumer Product Safety Act 15 U.S.C. 2501)
 Agricultural or vegetable seed (Federal Seed Act 7 U.S.C. 1551)
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Definitions
 “Safety Data Sheet”
 Written or printed material
concerning a hazardous
chemical which is
prepared in accordance
with the standard.
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Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
 SDS access for employees
 Readily accessible, and
 During work shift
 Electronic and other alternatives are acceptable
 No barriers to immediate employee access
 When employees travel
 May be kept at primary workplace
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SDS Format:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
16 headings
Identification
Hazard(s) identification
Composition/information on ingredients
First-aid measures
Fire-fighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling and storage
Exposure control/personal protection
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SDS Format: 16 headings (cont.)
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Physical and chemical properties
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information
Disposal considerations
Transport information
Regulatory information
Other information
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Contractors (300-3-19.04)
 It is the responsibility of independent
contractors working on State property to ensure
its contract employees are provided information
and trained on hazardous chemicals.
 Workplace Managers shall be notified at least
(30) thirty days prior to any hazardous chemical
work at a State site by an independent
contractor.
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Employee Grievance/Complaint
(300-3-19.05)
 Any grievance/complaint filed by a Public
employee alleging that the employee has been
adversely affected by a violation of the Act,
must first be processed through the
employer’s established grievance/complaint
procedure.
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Exemptions (300-3-19.06)
 Students enrolled in educational institutions are not
required to receive hazardous chemical training, unless
employed by the institution either full or part-time.
 The law does not cover local, city, school systems or
private colleges or the employees of these institutions
including county governments.
 Publicly available cleaning and household products and
supplies and latex paints used in the same manner in
which a consumer would use them and on an irregular
basis are not covered by these regulations. Personnel
engaged in routine cleaning and painting operations are
covered.
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Monitoring (300-3-19.07)
 The Safety Engineering Division of the Georgia
Department of Labor will monitor public
employer compliance with the Act.
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State Agency
Reporting Requirements
 File the Name of your agency’s Right to Know
Coordinator with the GDOL Safety Engineering Division.
 Submit your Written Hazardous Communication Plan for
approval with the GDOL Safety Engineering.
 File with the GDOL Safety Engineering a List of
Hazardous Chemicals used at your agency by January
1st and July 1st of each year.
 Provide a log of employees’ hazardous chemical training
conducted annually to the GDOL.
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Questions?
This PowerPoint is meant to supplement an existing
Chemical Safety Training Program. Another great
source of information is the BOR EHS website
http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/rtkbasic/
More information is available on the OSHA website.
Contact Information
C. G. Lawrence, III, MS, CSP, REM, ARM-P
Chief Loss Control & Safety Officer
(404) 657-4457
Charles.Lawrence@doas.ga.gov
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