Home > Loss Control > Loss Control Insights > Spring 2010 Volume 47 > Understanding The International Language Of Safety

Understanding The International Language Of Safety

No matter what language your employees speak, they will clearly understand the universal language of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), a language based on the use of highly recognizable pictograms to identify hazardous chemicals.

One of the primary goals of GHS is to enhance the protection of human health and the environment by providing an internationally comprehensible system for identifying hazardous chemicals. The use of pictograms is a step in that direction.

As you can see from the GHS pictograms to the right, these symbols are graphical representations that convey essential and specific information about various chemicals. Your employees should become familiar with these GHS pictograms and their meaning.

Under GHS, these internationally accepted pictograms will appear on chemical labels as well as material safety data sheets.

Warnings

  1. Health Hazards—chemicals that may cause cancer, infertility or genetic defects, asthma-like symptoms, or may damage organs with one or repeated exposures
  2. Gas Under Pressure—contents under pressure and may explode if punctured or heated
  3. Irritant—causes discomfort if swallowed, inhaled or comes into contact with skin or eyes; may cause allergic response to skin
  4. Corrosive—causes burns to skin and eyes; may be corrosive to metals
  5. Explosive—may generate explosive gasses, heat, light, or smoke; may be unstable and explode on contact
  6. Aquatic Pollutant—may be toxic to aquatic life
  7. Oxidizer—may cause fire or explosion by liberating oxygen
  8. Flammable—contents may burn, generate heat during chemical reaction or on contact with water, or may emit flammable gasses
  9. Acute Toxicity—may be toxic or fatal if swallowed, inhaled or comes into contact with skin

For complete hazard definitions, refer to www.osha.gov.

 

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