Navigating GHS Revision 7 Compliance
he Globally Harmonized System (GHS) is the United Nations agreed-upon system for classifying chemical hazards and communicating them consistently through labels in Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). Learn more about it here: About the GHS | UNECE.
North America’s transition to the (GHS) Revision 7 marks a new phase of hazard communications. Both the United States and Canada are updating their regulatory frameworks, which means that your organization will be facing not only immediate compliance changes, but also a growing need to prepare for continuous regulatory change worldwide.
The compliance window runs from 2024 to 2028. During this time, you can expect a steady flow of updates to Safety Data Sheets, along with ongoing adjustments to your internal processes.
What’s changing?
GHS Revision 7 introduces updates around the following:
- New and modified hazards and hazard classes
- Requirements to classify chemicals based on known downstream uses and include hazards from known chemical reactions (US only)
- Labeling requirement changes
- Precautionary statement updates
- Hazard statement updates
- Pictogram requirement updates
For a detailed breakdown of OSHA’s HazCom Final Rule, see our blog post: A Closer Look at OSHA’s Final Rule Updating the HazCom Standard.
What impact will this have?
- SDSs and shipped labels in the US and Canada will need to be reviewed and either modified or re-authored.
- Products that were not previously regulated may now be regulated or regulated differently.
- Changes can have an impact on where and how chemicals are stored, how they are handled, PPE, transportation, etc.
- Organizations will need to reevaluate their written hazard communication program and ensure changes are reflected appropriately
Resources
No matter what role your organization plays in this update, there is plenty of relevant information available to help you navigate this implementation, including the following:
