Page 54 - Occupational Health & Safety, May 2017

CHEMICAL SAFETY/SDS
Understanding Chemical Safety Following the Final GHS Deadline
Don’t view the conclusion of this round of GHS deadlines as the end of the process, but rather the beginning of the new state of HazCom and what OSHA now expects for compliance. BY GLENN TROUT
50 Occupational Health & Safety | MAY 2017
www.ohsonline.com
Following a decade-long effort, the final effec- tive completion date to align OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized
System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) has come and gone. While companies cov- ered by HazCom may see the conclusion of the GHS deadlines as an ending, it’s critical that they view the changes enacted with GHS alignment as just the be- ginning. Moving forward, OSHA will not only con- tinue to enforce the current GHS modifications to its HazCom Standard, but the agency has also expressed intent to review and possibly update the rule in the future to align with newer versions of the GHS.
Is your facility fully GHS aligned and prepared for any future GHS-related modifications to the HazCom Standard? Following are the key steps you should perform now, not only to safeguard employees from
hazardous chemical dangers, but also to ensure your facility remains in compliance.
Step One: Organize Your Chemical Inventory
Having an accurate chemical inventory creates the foundation for effective chemical management initia- tives and is a key building block to ensuring compli- ance with GHS updates to HazCom. Without a true understanding of what chemicals you have and where they are, it’s impossible to know what products should be on your radar and accounted for in your hazardous chemical management, reporting, and compliance strategy. As part of your overall strategy, ensuring an updated inventory will allow you to more easily iden- tify chemicals that are missing their corresponding safety data sheets (SDSs) or have out-of-date versions that should be replaced.
A good first step is to follow the chemical inven-
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