Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) was established to create a unified system for identifying and communicating hazardous chemicals. Health care facility and laboratory end users must make sure their chemical labels are GHS compliant.

It is important to know what goes into a GHS label for primary and secondary containers. There are six key elements to a GHS label that you need to know.

Signal Word:

The signal word indicates hazard level.

GHS Symbols:

These pictograms are used to identify hazardous products and are commonly grouped by chemical/physical risk, health risk and environmental risk.

Manufacturer Information:

This identifies the manufacturer's company name, address and telephone number.

Precautionary Statements/First Aid:

These describe general preventative, response, storage or disposal precautions. These statements are found on the chemical's Safety Data Sheet.

Hazard Statements:

These describe the nature of hazardous products and the degree of hazard.

Product Name or Identifiers:

This identifies the product or chemical name.