Please find below a news release that I hope will be of interest to your readers.
 
Is your organisation ready for the new chemical warning labels?

Final phase of the transition to the UN's Global Harmonised System has started

June saw the start of the final phase of the United Nations sponsored programme to harmonise the chemical warning symbols found on many industrial and household products on a global basis. As a result, the warning labels on many products used in industry have changed.

Stuart Longworth, Chairman of the Chemical Hazards Communication Society, says the changes will benefit industry and consumers, "The UN's Global Harmonised System aims to harmonise the symbols and warning statements used on the labels on a global basis. They will make life easier for businesses when they import and export products, and consumers when they travel because eventually there will be only one set of symbols to deal with throughout most of the world."

The labels are commonly found on numerous products used across a wide range of industries and alert users to the hazards associated with chemicals in the products to enable them to take appropriate care when using them.

The design of the new symbols comprises a white diamond with red borders containing a black pictogram. Some are similar to the previous versions and are easily recognised, but several are new. To help users familiarise themselves with the new labels, the Chemical Hazards Communication Society (CHCS) has created a handy guide which can be downloaded from a specially created website at http://www.understandthelabel.org.uk.

To give industry and consumers time to adapt to this new system, manufacturers have been able to continue using the "old" warning labels over a transitional period. The timing of the switch depends on whether the chemical is a pure substance or a component in a mixture. Labels for substances have already been harmonised. The deadline for mixtures, which will include many products used in industry, was 1st June 2015, although products already labelled with the "old" warning symbols and on the shelves on that date can continue to be supplied until 1st June 2017.

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Notes to Editors:

The Chemical Hazards Communication Society

This information has been provided by the Chemical Hazards Communication Society (CHCS). The CHCS is a not for profit organisation dedicated to promoting the awareness of chemical hazards and improvements in their identification and communication by providing information and training to companies that market chemical products. More information is available on the CHCS website at http://www.chcs.org.uk.

The CHCS has also created a Facebook page and a Twitter feed. Useful information will be posted on these as the harmonisation programme continues.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UnderstandTheLabel

Twitter: http://twitter.com/labelmeanings

Background to the new regulations

1. A Eurobarometer survey published in May 2011 (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_360_en.pdf) highlighted the poor level of understanding of the current symbols and how to use chemicals safely amongst consumers.

2. The new chemical labelling regulations fall under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures, commonly known as CLP. CLP is replacing the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2009, commonly known as CHIP4.

3. CLP introduces the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) into Europe. More information about the GHS can be found on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) website at http://live.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html.

4. Graphics files for the new pictograms can be downloaded free of charge from the UNECE website at http://live.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/pictograms.html. The pictograms are available in gif, eps and tiff formats. The symbols to be used for CLP are the diamonds with the red border and black symbol. The other pictograms on this web page are used for the transport of dangerous goods.

Editorial Contact:

Steve Gunn, steve.gunn@stevegunn.co.uk, Tel: 01844-352540, Mob: 07764-621527.