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Challenges and Opportunities for Laboratory Safety in Implementing the Global

Harmonized System

Robert H. Hill, Jr. Atlanta Analytical Services

Battelle Memorial Institute, Atlanta, GA

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My Perspective and Focus

•  No expert in GHS •  Not Involved in GHS Development •  Learned about GHS by reading •  Worked in Research Laboratories •  Experience in Laboratory Safety •  Potential impact of GHS in improving

lab safety for laboratory workers

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Ruptured!

•  Laboratory worker – Industrial Research •  Needed arsine (AsH3)– Extremely Toxic •  Decided – 100% AsH3 at 200 psig; SCBA •  Conducted in gas cabinet w/:

–  Pneumatic shutoff valve (normal closed) –  Continuous monitor

•  Turned cylinder on – gauge ruptured •  Pneumatic valve closed; no exposure •  Label revealed 10% AsH3/H2 at 2,000 psig!

AHIA Laboratory Safety Committee: Arsine Gas Release

accessed at http://www2.umdnj.edu/eohssweb/

aiha/accidents/gas.htm#Arsine.

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The Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of

Chemicals (GHS) • Protects human health and environment by:

–  Establishing a global system for classifying hazards –  Providing standard labeling for hazards –  Providing uniform safety data sheets

• Promotes global business/commerce for import-export of chemicals with a uniform system for recognizing, labeling of hazards

•  In 2009, 65 countries taking steps to adopt GHS, including U. S.

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GHS and Its Implementation •  In 2007, United Nations Economic

Commission for Europe (UNECE) published – 2nd Revision, Globally Harmonized System for

Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) – Found at:

http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_rev02/02files_e.html.

• Recommendation – voluntary; no legal requirement

• Use as building blocks for regulatory system – Countries select blocks – depends upon fit

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GHS Implementation in U. S.

• Four Federal Agencies w/ responsibilities: – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) – U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC)

• Principal impact on laboratories – lab workers – OSHA (lab safety) – EPA (hazardous waste) – DOT (shipping)

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Hazard Recognition/Communication in U.S. Laboratories

• OSHA oversight of laboratories principally through: – Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450)

-  Chemical Hygiene Plan; Chemical Hygiene Officer

– Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) -  Hazard Labeling; MSDSs

• Performance-based regulations – Employer must comply with regulation – How it is done is up to employer

-  Chemical Hygiene Plan required; Employer designs -  Labels required; Supplier or Employer designs -  Require safety training

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GHS Specifications

• GHS specifies requirements – Definitions, terms – Hazard Classifications – Pictograms (Symbols) – Signal words – Warning statements – SDS (MSDS) format (Hazard Class)

•  Implementation of GHS requires OSHA change HCS to specific requirements

Corrosive?

Danger

Causes severe skin burns and eye damage

Hazard Category?

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Challenges, Opportunities for Laboratory Workers

• Learning about details of GHS – New language, terms, definitions – New symbols – New ways to recognize, classify hazards – Standardizes new SDS format

• GHS Hazard Classes & Categories – Valuable tools for laboratory workers – Define all hazard types – Separate into relative categories – Helps judging relative risks in lab operations

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Hazard Classification • GHS defines, classifies hazards

– Ex.: GHS Flammable liquid – liquid w/ flash point ≤ 60 °C -  Hazard Class (HC) 1 – f.p. < 23 °C, boiling point ≤ 35 °C -  HC 2 – f.p. < 23 °C, b.p.> 35 °C -  HC 3 – f.p. ≥ 23 °C but ≤ 60 °C ° -  HC 4 – f.p. > 60 °C but ≤ 93 °C

– Signal words: Danger; Warning

• GHS provides no examples • Chemical manufacturers, suppliers

– use GHS to determine hazard classes, hazard categories

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Many Hazards Classes

• 29 Physical, Health, Environmental Hazard Classes • 16 Physical Hazard Classes

– Ex.: Flammable gases; Flammable liquids; Pyrophoric solids

• 11 Health Hazard Classes – Ex.: Acute toxicity; Respiratory sensitization;

Carcinogenicity

• 2 Environmental Hazard Classes – Ex: Acute hazards to aquatic environment

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Multiple Hazard Classes •  88 Hazard Categories (HC) within 29 Hazard Classes [not

uniform] – 20 Classes: HC 1, 2, etc. [HC 1 most hazardous] – 5 Classes: HC 1A, 1B, etc. [HC 1A most hazardous] – 2 Classes: Type A, Type B, etc [Most hazardous

designated “Danger”] – 1 Class: Explosives [Unstable; Division 1.1, 1.2, etc.] – 1 Class: Gases Under Pressure (Compressed Gas)

•  Signal word “Danger” used for 44 HCs •  4 Classes HC1 use signal word “Warning”

– Corrosive to Metals; Skin Sensitizer; Acute Hazards to Aquatic Environment; Chronic Hazards to Aquatic Environment

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GHS Definitions • Most – same as OSHA HCA • Changes should not affect how hazards used in labs

– NFPA definition: flammable liquids, f.p.<38 °C – GHS definition: flammable liquids, f.p. ≤ 60 °C – GHS produces change from “combustible” to “flammable”

-  acetic acid (f.p. 39° C), dimethylformamide (f.p. 58° C)

• Many definitions established by exacting numbers – Acute toxicity, HC1, ingestion: ≤ 5 mg/kg

• Other definitions more subjective – Carcinogenicity: carcinogens, presumed carcinogens, etc.

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GHS Pictograms

• Many Familiar to Laboratory Workers

Explosive Flammable Oxidizer

Corrosive Compressed Gas Poison or Toxic

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GHS Pictograms

• Some Not Familiar to Laboratory Workers

Health Hazard Exclamation Point Environmental Hazard

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Pictograms & Puzzles

• GHS uses decision trees for selection process • Most selections seem straight forward, except: • Exclamation Point (E!)

– Puzzling – Does Not Evoke Picture in Mind – Represents Hazard < Torso (T) or Skull/crossbones (SC) – Always uses “Warning” – Toxic hazard:

-  HC1, 2, 3 - SC (Danger); HC4 – E! (Warning)

– Specific Target Organ Toxicity – Single Exposure: -  HC1 – T (Danger); HC2 – T (Warning); HC3 – E! (Warning)

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Puzzles for Laboratorians

• GHS Respiratory Sensitization – HC 1 (Danger)

• GHS Skin Sensitization – HC 1 (Warning) – Why Not? – Appears that skin sensitization slight health hazard – Serious laboratory incidents with skin sensitizers

• Specific Target Organ Toxicity – Single/Repeated – New term for laboratory workers – Seems similar to Acute Toxicity; Chronic Toxicity

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Puzzles for Laboratory Workers

• Some Common Hazard Terms Not Used in GHS – Poison, Lachrymator, Stench

• Poisons – GHS Acute Toxicity, HC 1 & 2; Uses

• Lachrymators – GHS Severe Eye Damage/Eye Irritation; Uses – Does symbol convey hazard?

• Stenches – GHS Classificaton?; Will suppliers omit?

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Hazard Statements

• Provided for each type of hazard and class • Likely to be distinct improvement

– “Fatal if inhaled” for HC 1 Acute Toxicity by Inhalation

– “Catches fire spontaneously if exposed to air” for HC1 Pyrophoric Liquids

– “Explosive, mass explosion hazard” for Division 1.1 Explosive

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Conflicts with NFPA

• NFPA Diamond – Used by fire fighters; laboratory workers – Judges relative hazard under fire

conditions – Highest Hazard Class 4, Lowest Class 1

• GHS Hazard Ratings – Highest Hazard HC 1, Lowest Hazard

(highest number)

• NFPA & GHS ratings are OPPOSITE! • NFPA Diamond use likely to continue • Learn to live with both systems

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Conclusions About GHS for Laboratory Safety

• GHS provides opportunities for improving laboratory safety in future

• Learning details - Important for laboratory workers • Change itself is always a challenge • GHS is new systematic way to assess hazards • GHS presents challenges – New, but not perfect • Remember the incident? • Now, If we can only learn to read, use the label!

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Questions?

• Robert H. Hill, Jr., Ph.D. • Atlanta Analytical Services • Battelle Memorial Institute

• Century Plaza 1, 2987 Clairmont Road, Suite 450 • Atlanta, GA 30329

• Email: hillr@battelle.org • Tel: 404-460-1453; Cell: 678-362-3040