AOMG 2nd GHS Workshop, JW Marriott Hotel Medan, May 9 - 10, 2016

Category: News Published: Tuesday, 17 May 2016

GLOBALLY HARMONISED SYSTEM (GHS) OF MIXTURES

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.

The workshop is a follow-up to the AOMG workshop on “Hazard Communication Elements” held on October 2nd 2014 and specially designed for the oleochemical industry. At the workshop 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 is now a reality and the AOMG SDS has been published.

The second workshop is aimed at enabling participants to carry out GHS classification for hazardous mixtures/chemicals in order to prepare the Safety Data Sheet and Safety Label for compliance with the chemical regulation in their workplace.

The Trainer

The trainer is Siti Rosemina Bux. She is the Senior Manager, Regional Product Safety & Regulations Emery Oleochemicals (M) Sdn Bhd. Siti Rosemina graduated from University Malaya with BSc.

(Hons) in Chemistry and has more than 25 years of work experience in the oleochemical industry. She participatedin the GHS Instructors Course in Tokyo, Japan in September 2006 and was appointed by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to be one of the skilled trainers for Malaysia. She also led the Malaysian Oleochemical Manufacturers Group (MOMG) working group to draft out the MOMG SDS.

In Emery Oleochemicals, she is in charge of product safety regulatory matters and registrations in the

Research & Innovation Division, in charge of product safety label and SDS preparation, product safety and regulatory affairs e.g. REACh, GHS, CWC, DG cargoes matters.She is also accredited by Marine Department Malaysia as a Container Packing Certificate (CPC) inspector for dangerous goods exported via Port Klang, internal auditor for ISO 9001 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System), HACCP (Food Safety Management System), GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and ISO 17025 (Lab Management System) and Chairman for Halal Committee. She is also an Associate Member of the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (A.M.I.C). She is also an active member of the AOMG Technical Committee and she was the trainer for the AOMG GHS workshop held in 2014.

Workshop Summary

The modules delivered were:-

1. Refresher on GHS Hazard Classification (Physical, Health and Environment)
2. Definition of mixtures, types of hazard pictogram and their precedure rule, H&P statements
3. Classification criterias for mixtures, theories on calculations etc
4. Practical on calculations used for classification of mixtures
5. Safety label preparation

There were 22 participants. Participants were very active in the discussions as this was relevant to the work they are doing. Participants felt that this will help their perform their tasks better and welcomed the spontaneous sharing.

The Next Step

The discussion was to collate the ideas of participants for future workshops. Ten items were identified:-

1.   Food regulations and animal feed (Malaysia, Indonesia & Global)
2.   Limit of contaminants & products
3.   International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) & International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG)
4.   Laboratory safety – rules, standards, hazards, guidance, etc
5.   Energy management / efficiency
6.   Pollution control / environmental management
7.   Review of test data of Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
8.   REACh Updates
9.   Combustible Dust : safety, standards: internal (plant) & external (customers)
10. Global inventory listing of chemical substances
11. Customs Tariff Codes (HS Code)

Clearly there is a need for technical understanding as well as input to regulations, laws and standards related to product, their handling and safety that impact on trade. The AOMG Technical Committee will deliberate on the suggestions.

Click here to view the photos.