GHS Compliance

August 29, 2016

Subject: Transition to Australia’s Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011 and Regulations (current revision March2016) which includes the implementation and alignment to the Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling Chemicals (GHS).

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter is being written in to provide information about DuBois Chemicals, Inc./ CIMCOOL® Industrial Products LLC’s awareness of and transition to comply with Australia’s Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety Regulation2011 which includes the implementation and alignment to the United Nations Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling Chemicals (GHS). CIMCOOL® Industrial Products LLC is fully aware that as a chemical manufacturer we are mandated to be in compliance with Australia’s Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety Regulation2011.

Australia’s integration of GHS into Model WHS Legislation/Regulation was introduced in January 2012 with a five year transition period. The transitionary period ends December 31, 2016. On January 1, 2017 all workplace chemical labels and SDS must be compliant to the 3rd Revision of the UN GHS as implemented under Australia Model WHS Legislation Regulations. Australian regulation allows the use of MSDS and labels compliant to the pre- GHS WHS regulations but Australia has encouraged manufacturers and importers of chemicals/ chemical mixtures to transition as soon as possible. CIMCOOL chose to be proactive and began issuing compliant SDS and labels well in advance of the deadline to allow customers time to get used to the new requirements in addition to insuring our customer’s compliance by the required date.

Australia has implemented GHS for the benefit of workers ensuring they are provided with practical, reliable and easy to understand information on chemical hazards, and can take the appropriate preventive and protective measures for their health and safety. The WHS Regulations using GHS updates the way in which information about the hazards of chemicals and any precautions necessary to ensure safe storage, handling and disposal, is conveyed to users of chemicals. The GHS uses pictograms, signal words, and hazard and precautionary statements to communicate this information.

Major changes that are seen with this implementation:

  • Hazard classification: Chemical manufacturers and importers are required to determine the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import. Hazard classification under the new, updated standard provides specific criteria to address health and physical hazards as well as classification of chemical mixtures.
  • Labels: Chemical manufacturers and importers must provide a label that includes a signal word, pictogram, hazard statement, and precautionary statement for each hazard class and category.
  • Safety Data Sheets (SDS): The new format requires 16 specific sections, ensuring consistency in presentation of important protection information.

It is important to keep in mind that the SDS and labels look very different now in comparison with the MSDS and label from prior legislation/regulation. The products are the same, only the labels and SDSs have changed.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact your local CIMCOOL representative.

Regards,


Ann M. Ball
Product Health & Safety Manager
Regulatory Affairs Department
CIMCOOL Industrial Products LLC