At AIHCE 2008, I attended a presentation that was a worldwide update on 
GHS.  One presenter was the individual heading up the OSHA HazCom/GHS 
merger.  In October 2008, OSHA plans to publish the proposed rule making 
for the Hazard Communication program.  It plans to convert the current 
HazCom standard to GHS, making it a specification standard.  I imagine 
the lab standard will follow suit, but this was not discussed at the 
presentation.

For those of you not familiar with GHS, I would encourage you to start 
reviewing it.  One of the biggest obstacles is that the category 
numbering system is opposite the NFPA or HMIS.  A category 1 is the most 
severe, whereas NFPA and HMIS uses a 1 for the first level of hazard and 
a 4 for the most severe.

At some point NFPA will likely need to change, but for now they are 
indicating that they will not be changing.

Hope this helps.

Kent A. Candee, CIH
Assistant Secretary
Environmental Health Services Manager
Home Office Risk Improvement
EMC Insurance Companies
Ph: 515-345-2728
Cell: 515-321-5874
Fax: 515-345-2220

www.emcinsurance.com

Count on EMC for Loss Control Services


On 6/25/2008 9:54 AM, David C. Finster wrote:
> I would like to query the CHAS-L group about what chemical labelling system they use in labs and stockrooms, particularly with regard to safety diagrams and pictograms.  The NFPA fire diamond seems quite common but it not intended for "lab use" (but rather for firefighters.)  The HMIS system seems well-designed but is this in common use?  The GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals) has yet to be implemented but seems destined to become the standard.  Others?
>
> What are you using?
>
> Thanks.
>
> David C. Finster
> Professor of Chemistry
> University Chemical Hygiene Officer
> Department of Chemistry
> Wittenberg University
> dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu
>
>   

 
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