Equipped with the right information and experienced vendor-support, the following steps can help smooth your company’s path to GHS compliance.
1. Get and keep informed. The many sources of GHS information can be mind-boggling. Find a good resource and check it frequently to keep up to date and make adjustments accordingly.
2. Know GHS deadlines. Know your country’s implementation dates as well those in the countries in which you do business. (You can find this information at http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/implementation_e.html.)
3. Communicate with your product and service vendors. Ask them if they have a GHS transition plan in place, one that will aid your company. Ask if they thoroughly understand the OSHA GHS compliance as they relate to supporting your needs for safety data sheet management, ghs labeling and authoring new GHS compliant safety data sheets.
4. MSDS authoring, distribution and management. You’ll need to understand GHS regulations as they relate to other countries when setting in place an authoring method. Securing an MSDS management system that aligns your product reclassifications and distribution with those across borders and countries is critical.
5. Add GHS hazard statements and ghs pictograms to workplace labels. You may need to create a properly formatted GHS labels before an updated MSDS is available. Determine if your vendor MSDS management system can provide a GHS label of if your labeling vendor is able to supply ghs labels.
6. Put a GHS training plan in place. OSHA’s mandate of December 1, 2013 deadline for training compliance has passed. However, the need to incorporate new ghs compliance information and training your employees on new GHS safety data sheet and GHS pictograms will be ongoing. Putting a training plan in place will do much to aid in a successful transition.
