Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals - Hazard Communication

Hazard Communication

After the substance or mixture has been classified according to the GHS criteria, the hazards need to be communicated. As with many existing systems, the communication methods incorporated in GHS include labels and MSDS’s. The GHS attempts to standardize hazard communication so that the intended audience can better understand the hazards of the chemicals in use. The GHS has established guiding principles:

• The problem of trade secret or confidential business information has not been addressed within the GHS, except in general terms. For example, non-disclosure of confidential business information should not compromise the health and safety of users.
• Hazard communication should be available in more than one form (for example, placards, labels or MSDS’s).
• Hazard communication should include hazard statements and precautionary statements.
• Hazard communication information should be easy to understand and standardized.
• Hazard communication phrases should be consistent with each other to reduce confusion.
• Hazard communication should take into account all existing research and any new evidence.

Comprehensibility is challenging for a single culture and language. Global harmonization has numerous complexities. Some factors that affected the work include:

• Different philosophies in existing systems on how and what should be communicated;
• Language differences around the world;
• Ability to translate phrases meaningfully;
• Ability to understand and appropriately respond to symbols/pictograms.

These factors were considered in developing the GHS communication tools. The GHS Purple Book includes a comprehensibility-testing instrument in Annex 6.