Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:26:04 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Christopher Suznovich <snuz**At_Symbol_Here**MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Fwd: COMMERCIAL: Free GHS Webinar
In-Reply-To: <6c429.e1fec52.39021553**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com>

My company is reviewing our chemical storage procedures and we are updating the chemical classifications for each chemical and reagent in our database.  In reviewing the MSDS sheets I was surprised as well that so many had ‘not available’ for so many of the sections or the information was vague. It made it very difficult to assign the chemical into a category.  

Chris


From: <ACTSNYC**At_Symbol_Here**CS.COM>
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu>
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:10:43 -0400 (EDT)
To: <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: COMMERCIAL: Free GHS Webinar

In a message dated 4/22/2010 7:10:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Alvaldenio**At_Symbol_Here**AOL.COM writes:


Define GHS!

GHS=Globbally Harmonized System for labeling and Safety Data Sheets developed by the UN in cooperation with many countries including the US but spearheaded by the Germans.  The system is now accepted by the European Union and many other countries.  OSHA proposed last September to convert our MSDSs to GHS SDSs.  EPA, DOT and CPSC are all in the process of attempting to adopt the GHS for labeling.  

I just taught a class on this in Amsterdam and another here in the US for my scenic artists.  In the course in NYC, I used the GHS format and two MSDSs from Sigma-Aldrich to illustrate the difference between the old and the new data sheets.  The Sigma-Aldrich data sheets from 2010 use most of the GHS format.  This format has blanks for various toxicity tests required under GHS.  You can just look down the blanks and see the either the test results or the words "no data available" which quickly shows when tests have not been done.  The only thing Sigma-Aldrich does the old way is that dumb line about not being listed by IARC when instead, they should say that there is "no data available."

I'm so enthused about finally being able to easily demonstrate how few chemicals have been tested, especially for chronic hazards, even when they are in suspect classes.  Students and workers need to know that their chemical's hazards are mostly unknown.

Monona Rossol


Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.