GHS - Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of ChemicalsThe European Approach

GloBally

HarmoniZed

SySTem (GHS)

PHYSICAL HAZARDS

Hazard classes and hazard categories* Label elements NEW** Label elements OLD

Explosives• Unstable explosives• Explosives, divisions 1.1 to 1.3

Self-reactive substances, mixtures, types A, BOrganic peroxides, types A, B

H200H201, H202, H203

H240, H241H240, H241

Dang

er

(R2, R3)

Expl

osiv

e

Explosives, division 1.4 H204

War

ning

No classification

Flammable gases, category 1Flammable aerosols, category 1Flammable liquids, category 1

H220H222H224

War

ning

/Dan

ger

(R12)(R12)R12 Ex

trem

lyfla

mm

able

Flammable liquids, category 2Flammable solids, category 1Flammable solids, category 2

H225H228H228

R11(R11)(R11) Hi

ghly

fla

mm

able

Flammable aerosols, category 2Flammable liquids, category 3

H223H226 W

arni

ng No symbol(R10)R10

Flam

mab

le

No classificationflashpoint 56-60°C

Pyrophoric liquids, category 1Pyrophoric solids, category 1Substances, mixtures which in contact with water emit flammable gases, categories 1, 2 and category 3

H250H250H260H261H261

War

ning

/Dan

ger

R17R17(R15)(R15)(R15)

High

lyfla

mm

able

Self-reactive substances, mixtures, type BSelf-reactive substances, mixtures, types C, D and types E, FSelf-heating substances, mixtures, category 1 and category 2

H241H242H242H251H252

R12R12 Hi

ghly

flam

mab

le

Organic peroxides, type BOrganic peroxides, types C, DOrganic peroxides, types E, F

H241H242H242

R7R7

Oxid

isin

g

Oxidising gases, category 1Oxidising liquids, categories 1, 2 and category 3Oxidising solids, categories 1, 2 and category 3

H270H271, H272H272H271, H272H272

Dang

er/

War

ning R8

R8, R9R8, R9 Ox

idis

ing

Gases under pressure• Compressed gases• Liquefied gases• Refrigerated liquefied gases• Dissolved gases

H280H280H281H280

War

ning

No classification

Corrosive to metals, category 1 H290

War

ning

No classification

* Based on Annex I Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 for all hazard categories with GHS pictograms** Based on the translation table of Annex VII Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008*** Specific Target Organ Toxicity

HEALTH HAZARDS

Hazard classes and hazard categories*

Label elements NEW** Label elements OLD

Acute toxicity, categories 1, 2• Oral• Dermal• Inhalation

H300H310H330

Dang

er

R28R27R26 Ve

ry to

xic

Acute toxicity, category 3• Oral• Dermal• Inhalation

H301H311H331

R25R24R23

Toxi

c

Germ cell mutagenicity, categories 1A, 1BCarcinogenicity, categories 1A, 1BReproductive toxicity, categories 1A, 1BSTOT***, single exposure, category 1STOT***, repeated exposure, category 1

H340H350H360H370H372

Dang

er

R46R45, R49R60, R61R39R48

Toxi

c

Respiratory sensitisation, category 1Aspiration hazard, category 1

H334H304

R42R65

Harm

ful

Germ cell mutagenicity, category 2Carcinogenicity, category 2Reproductive toxicity, category 2STOT***, single exposure, category 2STOT***, repeated exposure, category 2

H341H351H361H371H373

War

ning

R68R40R62, R63R68R48

Acute toxicity, category 4• Oral• Dermal• Inhalation

H302H312H332 W

arni

ng R22R21R20

Skin corrosion, categories 1A, 1B, 1C H314

Dang

er

R34, R35

Corro

sive

Serious eye damage, category 1 H318 R41

Irrita

ntSkin irritation, category 2Eye irritation, category 2Skin sensitisation, category 1STOT*** after single exposure, category 3

• Respiratory tract irritation

H315H319H317

H335 War

ning

R38R36R43

R37

Irrita

nt

• Narcotic effects H336 No symbol R67

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

Hazardous to the aquatic environment, acute, category 1Hazardous to the aquatic environment, chronic, category 1

H400

H410 War

ning R50

R50/53

Dang

erou

s fo

r the

env

ironm

ent

Hazardous to the aquatic environment, chronic, category 2 H411 R51/53

This poster is only a simplified and exemplary view on GHS. A direct conversion from GHS to the former EU classification and labelling is not possible.

GHS - the new system for the classification and labeling of chemicals in the EUIntroduction of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals and their mixtures in the European Union

GloBally

HarmoniZed

SySTem (GHS)

NEw GHS REGULaTIoNOn January 20, 2009 the regulation (EC) no. 1272/2008, called the GHS or CLP Regulation, entered into force.

It regulates the classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP: Regulation on Classification, Labeling and Packaging of substances and mixtures) and as of 2015 will completely replace the European Dangerous Substances Directive 67/548/EEC as well as the Dangerous Preparations Directive 1999/45/EC.

The CLP Regulation is based on the recommendation of the UN, the so-called ‘Globally Harmonized System’ (UNGHS, or “purple book”), that can be traced back to the sustainability conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (Agenda 21, Chapter 19).

wHaT wILL CHaNGE?Labeling must take place in accordance with the CLP as of December 1, 2010 for substances and as of June 1, 2015 for mixtures, however this labeling is already allowed as of now.

Regardless of which labeling law is selected within the transition periods, only one form of labeling is allowed on the label - either in accordance with the old law or the new one. The old classification in accordance with directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC must still be provided in the safety data sheet until June 1, 2015.

The long transition period for the labeling systems (2009 - 2015) is intended to ensure that all of the relevant parties - public authorities, companies and stakeholders - are able to concentrate their resources on the new obligations in a timely manner.

The new European CLP Regulation is based on the previous system of classification and labeling as it represents a compromise between the established systems in North America and the EU.

The most noticeable feature is the change in the labeling symbols: instead of the hazard symbols with black printing on orange-yellow rectangles that have been used to date, now nine hazard pictograms with black symbols on a white background with red-rimmed rhombuses are used to provide warnings (Annex V, CLP Regulation). While most of the nine hazard pictograms correspond to the well-known hazard symbols, the pictograms GHS 04, GHS 07 and GHS 08 are completely new. The St. Andrew’s cross (Xn/Xi) that has been used to date no longer exists.

GHS01 Exploding bombs GHS02 Flame GHS03 Flame over circle

GHS04 Gas cylinder GHS05 Corrosion GHS06 Skull and crossbones

GHS07 Exclamation mark GHS08 Health hazard GHS09 Environment

The previous “nomenclature for hazards” (e.g. toxic, harmful to health), that were assigned to the hazard symbols have now been replaced by the two “signal words” ›Danger‹ or ›Warning‹. R and S sentences have been replaced by H and P statements (hazard and precautionary statements).

CoNSEqUENCES FoR SUbSTaNCESInstead of being assigned to one of 15 ›hazardous properties‹ (also called hazard categories) as in the past, substances are now categorized into ›hazard classes‹ and ›hazard categories‹ (Annex I, Part 2-4 of the CLP Regulation). With the new regulation there are now 16 classes for physical dangers, 10 for health hazards and two classes for environmental dangers that apply in the EU. While the danger classes indicate the type of danger, the danger categories are used for indicating levels within the classes.

Physical dangersExamples for new PC danger classes are ›gases under pressure‹, ›self-reactive substances‹ and ›self-heating substances‹. In the case of explosive characteristics that were previously determined using the intrinsic properties of the substance (thermal and mechanical sensitivity), the classification scheme that was originally developed for the transportation of dangerous goods - which is also based on the testing of packaged substances - has now been adopted.

Health hazardsInstead of the nine old hazardous properties, in accordance with the CLP regulation the health hazards are subdivided into 10 hazard classes: for the ‘acute toxicity’, ‘skin or respiratory tract sensitization’, ‘reproductive toxicity’ and ‘specific target organ toxicity - single exposure’ hazard classes, various routes of exposure or modes of action are differentiated (e.g. acute / chronic).

A further significant change is that substances which are acutely toxic are now labeled with a skull and crossbones if the LD50 (the dosage of a substance that proves fatal for 50% of the laboratory animals when consumed) lies between 200 - 300 mg/kg (oral) or 400 - 1000 mg/kg (dermal), and are still labeled with the St. Andrew’s cross (Xn) in accordance with previous EU criteria. The classification of gases is also changing due to the GHS criteria.

Environmental hazardsThe CLP Regulation intends the ›hazardous to aquatic environmental‹ class to be used mainly for environmental dangers, which are divided into acute and chronic hazards to the aquatic environment. Furthermore, the CLP Regulation contains a second danger class, ›hazardous to the ozone layer‹, which does not however have its own pictogram.

CoNSEqUENCES FoR mIxTURESThe rules have changed for the classification of mixtures (previously preparations) in particular: there is a greater freedom of evaluation than before. An expert evaluation is granted more freedom to deviate from the standard criteria. In addition, as a ›supplier‹ (previously: ›distributor‹), it will become possible for a company to determine specific concentration limits for many hazard classes itself. The European Commission plans to have guidelines created for this.

In particular, the classification of mixtures with regard to the level of irritation they can cause has been tightened. The concentration limits used to classify mixtures have been lowered by a factor of 3-5 such that now the “exclamation mark” or “corrosion” hazard pictograms will be attached to considerably more mixtures.

LISTS oF SUbSTaNCES FoR CLaSSIFICaTIoN aNd LabELINGThe regulations for the ›classification and labeling inventory‹ have been moved from the Chemical Regulation 1907/2006 (Reach, Art. 112 - 116) to the CLP Regulation (Art. 39 - 42). Annex I of the Dangerous Substances Directive 67/548/EEC has been deleted and transferred to the CLP Regulation (Attachment VI, Part 3, Table 3.2) - including a translation into the new system (Table 3.1).

Furthermore, as a rule only those substances and inhalation allergens which are carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic will have a legally binding classification and labeling. The classification of all additional chemicals available on the market should be carried out by December 1, 2010 by the respective ›supplier‹ itself, and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) should be notified. All classifications will then be published on the internet.

How do wE PREPaRE oURSELvES FoR THE NEw SySTEm?This flyer is a good first step. A guide to the GHS provides further insight: in the fall of 2007 the German Federal Environmental Agency (at the time still using the draft CLP as a basis) published the GHS, which is intended to provide the manufacturers and formulators with a basic understanding of the new regulation (see below for web link).

For further information consult the website of your local Competent Authority, for example in the UK, the HSE - http://www.hse.gov.uk/ghs/eureg.htm

Label old labeling New labeling

Substances Permitted until 1.12.2010. (Stocks: + 2 years) Permitted as of 20.1.2009 mandatory as of 1.12.2010

Mixtures Permitted until 1.6.2015. (Stocks: + 2 years) Permitted as of 20.1.2009 mandatory as of 1.6.2015

Safety data sheet old classification New classification

Substances Mandatory until 1.6.2015 Permitted as of 20.1.2009 mandatory as of 1.12.2010

Mixtures Mandatory until 1.6.2015 Permitted as of 20.1.2009 mandatory as of 1.6.2015

Implementation deadlines