Companies Should Prepare to Update Entire MSDS Libraries, Author New MSDSs and Produce New Safety Labels
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) July 05, 2011
GHS stands for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. It is a global approach to identifying hazardous chemicals and communicating those hazards to workers via labels and material safety data sheets (MSDS). OSHA intends to publish a rule in August that will revise the current HCS to align with GHS principles and create new compliance obligations for everyone in the lifecycle of hazardous materials. For example, if OSHA adopts its proposed changes, then chemical manufacturers will need to author new MSDSs and employers will need to update their entire MSDS library in a short time frame.
MSDSonline has been leading the effort to educate safety professionals on GHS with a series of presentations at regional and national conferences. Earlier this month, MSDSonline presented on GHS to a standing room only audience at the American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) Safety 2011. And in the fall, MSDSonline will present on GHS at the National Safety Council’s 2011 Congress and Expo – the world’s largest annual safety event.
“GHS is coming and chemical manufacturers, employers and safety professionals should already be preparing,” said Mike Flynn, vice president of product development at MSDSonline. “Unfortunately, what we’re seeing is that a lot of companies are behind in their understanding of, and preparations for, GHS. There’s still time, and our webinar will provide a checklist of things companies can do now to get ready.”
“We’ve seen a big increase in MSDS authoring as chemical manufacturers prepare for the new regulation. However, there are a lot of companies with MSDSs that still need to be updated,” Flynn added. “In the long term, GHS adoption is going to be a good thing in terms of employee safety and risk reduction. In the short term, however, it’s going to make a lot of work for a lot of companies. With our webinar, we want to help as many people as we can stay on the path of compliance.”
More information about OSHA’s adoption of GHS can be found on OSHA’s website and by visiting MSDSonline’s GHS Answer Center. If you’d like to learn about MSDSonline’s suite of on-demand solutions that can help with GHS compliance, including MSDS authoring, MSDS management and the generation of GHS compliant labels – visit http://www.MSDSonline.com.
About MSDSonline
Founded in 1996 and based in Chicago, MSDSonline is a leading provider of on-demand EH&S compliance solutions, offering products and services for managing material safety data sheets (MSDSs), reporting workplace incidents, training employees and administering other critical EH&S information. The company's mission is to provide sustainable solutions that help customers improve employee safety, streamline compliance recordkeeping and reduce potential exposures to workplace hazards and risks. MSDSonline has been recognized for the last four years on Inc. magazine’s list of America’s 5,000 fastest-growing private companies.
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Brad Harbaugh
MSDSonline
312.881.2855
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