New rules come into force next year governing the classification of hazardous chemical mixtures. James Killerby, director of labels and software provider Hibiscus plc, explains how and why companies need to comply.
Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend – they are becoming an increasingly important and prominent factor in the safe transportation of all manner of hazardous chemicals. Next summer, chemical mixtures that could be harmful to health will be classified in the same way as single chemicals that are stored, delivered and distributed. The symbols, or pictograms, used to highlight the potential for danger will be diamond shaped as the old CHIP Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) images are replaced by a single, worldwide policy.
This strategy – the United Nations’ Globally Harmonised System – translates across European countries into the CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures) and is due to come into effect on June 1, 2015. Its aim is to create an international standard for communicating and classifying the hazardous properties of industrial and consumer chemicals and will have a number of important safety benefits.
The new legislation covers important packaging issues, which in some cases include child-resistant closures and/or fastenings and tactile, raised-profile warnings that can be understood by people with impaired vision.
In terms of labelling, the in-depth rulings will dictate the size of labels, the information contained on them and the precise positioning of that information as well as stringent specifications on the types of supplemental information that should be included on the labelling.
In the UK and most of Europe, where the former EU orange and black warning symbols have been used successfully for years, this may seem like an overreaction. But the new, uniform labelling will rid the industry of anomalies that have led to chemicals being described as toxic in some countries and not in others, resulting in unnecessary testing, often on animals, being carried out in countries where no classification was available.
In a nutshell, simplicity and accuracy are key to the labelling while the definitions themselves are complex. By next June, firms will need to have successfully picked their way through the GHS-CLP minefield. But help is at hand, with guidance on drawing up a transition plan and creating new labels available from industry experts.
At Hibiscus plc, we have more than 30 years’ experience in labelling, assisting firms with often complex legislative changes. To that end, our CLP Mixtures Seminar will include two key speakers specialising in the transportation and chemical industries and will explain how to successfully manage this major overhaul of safety regulations.
It will allow attendees to ask questions of the experts in order to cascade vital information for successful transition to employees and service providers, ensuring compliance across the business.
In the meantime, you can follow us on Twitter @HibiscusPLC where you’ll find our top tips for transition to CLP.
For information about attending, please contact the Hibiscus office on 0113 242 4272 or email [email protected].
