AOMG 1st GHS Workshop, JW Marriott Hotel Medan, October 2, 2014 (Thursday)
HAZARD COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS
Introduction
The Globally Harmonised System (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals is a common and consistent approach to define and classify hazards and communicating hazard information on labels and safety data sheets (SDS). It is a set of guidelines for ensuring the safe production, transport, handling, use and disposal of hazardous materials.
GHS scope is divided into two main elements:-
1) Harmonized criteria for classifying substances and mixtures according to their health environmental and physical hazards
2) Harmonized hazard communication elements, including requirements for labelling and safety data sheets.
The first edition of GHS was published in 2003 and is improved every two years, the latest in 2013. Our members in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are at different stages of implementation and using their country’s choice of building blocks.
The Trainer
She is Siti Rosemina Bux bt Shaikh Abdul Rahman, Senior Manager, Regional Product Safety& Regulations at Emery Oleochemicals (M) Sdn Bhd. Siti Rosemina is a chemist with more than 25 years experience in the oleochemical industry. She has participated in the GHS Instructors Course in Tokyo in 2006 and a MITI (Malaysia Ministry of International Trade & Industry) appointed trainer for GHS. She led the Malaysian Oleochemical Manufacturers Group (MOMG) working group to draft out the MOMG SDS.
Workshop Summary
The modules delivered were:-
1. What is GHS?
2. Introduction to Hazard classes
3. Hazard communication elements
4. What should industry do?
Siti Rosemina is a very experienced trainer and there was a quiz at the end of the workshop. There were 19 participants.
The Next Step
The participants proposed to have a common SDS for AOMG members as a best practice to uniformly meet customer requirements. Hazard classification can vary as it depends on the data available to the company. MOMG has about 60 single substances as a common SDS, initially drawn up to meet port authorities, customs, fire brigade and other government department requirements. This base can be expanded further and to include mixtures.
The next GHS workshop will therefore be a classifiers training before making a start to expand the list.
All member companies should participate in this exercise and some work is expected outside the workshop. Besides Siti Rosemina we have identified other trainers/facilitators who have also participated in the GHS instructors course. They are Mohamad Nasir from PT Musim Mas and Tan Pei Fong from Southern Acids.
Please click HERE for photos.
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