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InfineumInsight.com
Shaun Harkin
Shaun Harkin, talks about Infineum’s approach to meeting the June 2015 deadline for the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.
The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals is a United Nations initiative for defining and classifying chemical products according to their hazards. Originating over 20 years ago, the system and how it relates to the sound management of chemicals is fully described in the lengthy GHS ‘Purple Book’, first published in 2003 and now on its fifth revision.
The ultimate goal of GHS is to use the same basis, right across the world, to communicate health, environmental safety and physical hazard information to producers, users and handlers of chemicals on labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS). By doing so it aims to not only ensure a high level of
Cross functional collaboration
In anticipation of the work required to achieve GHS compliance Infineum initiated a project in late 2013, and has already transitioned across to GHS in some countries to meet local regulatory deadlines. However, the focus of our efforts is currently the June 1 2015 deadline, imposed by a number of countries and trading blocs, to have GHS compliant labels and SDS in place. In Europe, Singapore and Brazil, for example, where GHS is already required for chemical substances, this deadline applies to chemical mixtures and in the US it will cover both chemical substances and mixtures.
GHS implementation is a complex prospect and, because it touches so many of our operations, we created a cross- functional project team to manage it. Colleagues from IT, Manufacturing, Supply, Sales and Technology have been contributing so that we can assess every aspect of its potential impacts.
A key element behind the success of our GHS undertaking is our robust IT platform. Colleagues have invested significant
Far reaching initiative
GHS is no small undertaking for the chemicals industry and involves a considerable resource investment. Infineum alone has many thousands of SDS and labels, and operates across the globe, which means multi-language, compliant versions must be developed. If you imagine that undertaking multiplied by the number of industry players, the size of the task starts to come sharply into focus. What’s more, GHS impacts everyone up and down the supply chain as both the materials we supply and receive must comply.
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While our attention is currently focused on the June 1 2015 deadline this is far from the end of the story. The ‘Purple Book’ will continue to be updated biennially and will guide future changes to GHS. So the work to maintain up to date, GHS compliant SDSs and labels is set to continue.
time and effort in implementing tools and testing rule sets to ensure accurate information is supplied.
Having passed all areas of our quality testing, Infineum has already moved into the implementation phase. We have been distributing GHS compliant paperwork since December 2014 in seven countries and trading blocs, ahead of the regulatory deadline.
By June 1 2015, Infineum will have GHS compliant SDS and labels in place for all countries with mandatory GHS requirements.
“GHS provides a consistent and effective way of communicating the hazards associated with chemicals that will be easily understood.”
health and environmental protection, but also to support the movement of chemicals around the world.
Currently a voluntary international system, each country or region is choosing how and when to integrate GHS into their existing governing laws and regulations. So far close to 70 countries have either adopted or made progress towards adopting GHS. However, this flexibility does create complexity in that different ‘building blocks’ of GHS may be adopted. And, because at any given time countries can be on different versions of the ‘Purple Book’, legislation can be updated at different rates.
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