2015
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH | OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES | DIVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Chemical
Safety
Guide
A companion to the NIH Chemical Hygiene Plan and Hazard Communication Program
Hazard Identification
Globally Harmonized System Classification of physical, health and environmental hazards:
PHYSICAL HAZARDS HEALTH HAZARDS
The United Nations adopted the Globally
Label Elements Label Elements
Harmonized System (GHS) to provide an Old New Hazard Classes Old New Hazard Classes
internationally standardized approach to the • Unstable explosives
• Acute toxicity
Very toxic/toxic
Explosive
• Fatal if inhaled, in contact
classification and labeling of chemicals. The
Danger
• Self-reactive substances
with skin, or swallowed
Danger
and mixtures
Occupational Safety and Health Administration • Organic peroxides
• Acute toxicity
(OSHA) is modifying its Hazard Communication • Toxic if inhaled, in contact
with skin, or swallowed
Standard (HCS) to conform with the GHS and
Warning
No Explosives
classification • Specific target organ toxicity
ensure consistency of information. Compliance
Toxic
(single or repeated
exposure)
with some changes begins December 2013, with
Danger
flammable
Extremely
full compliance required within two years. The Extremely flammable • Carcinogenicity
Danger
Harmful
liquids, vapors, gases • Germ cell mutagenicity
changes include: and aerosols • Reproductive toxicity
flammable
Hazard classification: Provides specific criteria for
Warning
Highly flammable • Respiratory sensitization
Highly
liquids and vapors • Aspiration hazard
classification of health, physical and environmental • Specific target organ toxicity
Harmful
Warning
(single or repeated exposure)
hazards, as well as classification of mixtures. No
• Carcinogenicity
Flammable
• Germ cell mutagenicity
Warning
symbol
Flammable liquids, • Reproductive toxicity
Labels: Chemical manufacturers and importers No
vapors, and aerosols
are required to provide a label that includes a classification • Acute toxicity
Harmful
Warning
• Harmful if inhaled, in
harmonized signal word, pictogram and hazard • Pyrophoric liquids and contact with skin, or
solids swallowed
statement for each hazard class and category,
Flammable
Warning
• Substances and
Highly
mixtures, which in
along with precautionary statements.
Corrosive
contact with water, emit
flammable gases Skin corrosion
Danger
Safety Data Sheets (SDS): Previously called,
Self-heating substances
Material Safety Data Sheets, will have a specified • Causes serious eye
Irritant
Oxidizing
and mixtures damage
Danger
16-section format. • Self-reactive substances
and mixtures
• Organic peroxides • Causes serious eye irritation
Signal word: There are two signal words in the
Warning
• Specific target organ toxicity,
single exposure (may cause
GHS system - Danger and Warning. These signal
Danger/Warning
respiratory irritation)
Warning
Oxidizing
words are used to communicate the relative level Oxidizing liquids
• Skin irritation
• Skin sensitization
of hazard on both the label and the SDS, with • Specific target organ toxicity,
No
“Danger” indicating the more severe hazard. The symbol
single exposure (may cause
drowsiness and dizziness)
appropriate signal word is determined by the Gases under pressure:
– compressed ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Warning
No
hazard classification. classification – liquefied
– refrigerated liquefied Label Elements
– dissolved
Information and trained: While the GHS does not Old New Hazard Classes
address training, the proposed HCS requires that • Hazardous to the aquatic
Warning environment - acute
Warning
all personnel working with chemicals be properly No
Corrosive to metals
classification • Hazardous to the aquatic
trained to recognize and understand the new environment - chronic
labels and safety data sheets.
Labeling
In compliance with GHS, chemical This includes: The SDS is to include the following
manufacturers and importers are required to • All chemicals transferred from original sixteen sections in this order:
provide a label that includes six elements: container
1. Identification
1. Product identifier • Any prepared solution
2. Hazards identification
2. Signal word • Secondary containers within which a
3. Composition/information on ingredients
chemical is stored
3. Pictogram
4. First aid measures
• Chemical waste (the word “waste” must
4. Hazard statement
also appear on the label) 5. Firefighting measures
5. Precautionary statement
Containers of newly synthesized 6. Accidental release measures
6. Product supplier chemicals have unknown hazards. Label
7. Handling and storage
these containers with hazard information as
EPICHLOROHYDRIN 1
UN No. 2023
3 best determined. It is important to include 8. Exposure controls/personal protection
CAS No. 106-89-8 the location (lab notebook, computer file) for
9. Physical and chemical properties
2 DANGER finding specific information, such as:
4 10. Stability and reactivity
• Chemical name, exactly as it appears on
Flammable liquid and vapor. Toxic if
swallowed. Toxic in contact with skin.
the outside of the container 11. Toxicological information
Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
May cause an allergic skin reaction. May • Molecular formula 12. Ecological information
cause cancer.
• Molecular weight (if known) 13. Disposal considerations
5
Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapor/spray. 14. Transport information
Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection.
Fill Weight: 18.52 lbs. Lot number: AO323111323
Safety Data Sheets 15. Regulatory information
Gross weight: 20 lbs Fill Date: 1/15/2012
6 Jackson Chemical Company - City of Industry, Los Angeles, California, USA (800)-444-456-8989 16. Other information
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) will replace Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) under the Globally
Once in the lab, the user may not obscure or
Harmonized System. They will present details of
remove any of the label elements from the
the chemical hazards in a standardized format
container. If the chemical is transferred into a
to improve clarity and comprehension.
different container, the name of the chemical
and any associated hazards must also be
placed on that container; The label must be
legible, in English, and prominently displayed on
the container.
Image courtesy of Mastery.com
Hazard Identification
