5 things you did not know about implementing GHS labeling

As of June 1, 2015 chemical manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and end-users are required to identify hazardous substances according to strict GHS labelling guidelines. The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) were adopted to improve safety information and support international trade through standardization of information. There are several areas that need to be considered for GHS-compliant printing: software, labels, printers and supplies.

Who needs to comply with GHS requirements?

Chemical plants, distributors, labs, veterinary clinics, and anyone using “secondary container” in which a chemical has been placed.

What are the GHS label elements?

The GHS label elements are signal word, hazards and precautions statements, product identifier, chemical name, supplier identification, and pictograms. Each chemical, according to its classification, will need the appropriate pictogram to be printed on the label.

GHS Label Elements

GHS-Labels Printing Issues:

GHS labels must be printed in black and red for the pictograms diamonds. This is a departure from previous requirements as the symbols were printed in black, and the DOT diamonds could be pre-printed on the labels.

There are several options to print GHS labels:

1.  Pre-printed labels: have all the GHS label elements including the pictograms pre-printed on the label.

    Pros:

      a.       Only the variable information such expiry date or weight needs to be printed.

      b.      The labels can be printed using Thermal Transfer or Laser Black and White printer.

 Cons:

Each chemical would need its own pre-printed label. Imagine, in a small manufacturing plant that produces 30 products in drums and gallons, you will now need at least 60 pre-printed labels. Besides the difficulty of managing so many different stocks, if any information changes, the stock becomes obsolete. This method is only appropriate for facilities with very limited number of products and sizes.

2.  Partial pre-printed labels (Shell-Label): part of the label elements are pre-printed           on the label, such as supplier identification, empty red-diamonds, and possibly                 colored logo.

Pros:

a.       All the variable information such as product name, chemical name, hazard and precautionary statements as well as pictograms can be printed at time of manufacturing.

b.      The labels can be printed using Thermal Transfer or Laser Black and White printer.

Cons:

Since each chemical has its own pictogram or pictograms, this method leads to accumulation of label-stock that has to be maintained. For example, a company that produces ten different chemicals, some requiring one pictogram, other two pictograms, and the rest requiring four pictograms, will have to carry a minimum of three different label stocks.

3.   Blank label:

Pros:

       a.   Keep only one label stock (more if you need several sizes).

       b.   Allows complete flexibility in adding chemicals to product line at any time.

Cons:

         Labels must be printed using color printers.

Steps to Implementing GHS:

In order to implement the new GHS regulations smoothly and correctly, two main steps should take place:

First step: divide all your products according to pictograms needed on the labels- consult the new SDS labeling section.

Second step: determine how many products are in each category, for example:

Number of Products	Number of Pictograms
15	1
10	2
13	3
3	4

Third Step: determine how many label sizes are required for each product.

Number of Products	Number of Pictograms	Size of Labels	Number of products
15	1	2	5
10	2	3	4
13	3	2	7
3	4	1	1

Using this kind of table, will help you determine which printing technology to use. Looking at the table above, we can conclude that if a company choses to have pre-printed labels, they will need a minimum of 51 different label stocks. If they chose to do semi pre-printed, they will need at minimum 8 different stocks. However, if they choose to do blank labels, they will only need 2 to 3 different labels stocks, depending on the sizes (email us if you would like to see how we arrived at these figures!).

Fourth Step: Choosing a printer. Based on the results in the third step, a company should decide whether to go with pre-printed (semi pre-printed) or blank labels. Assuming we decided to go with blank labels, it is now time to choose the printer: two-color Thermal Transfer, laser, or industrial inkjet.

Fifth Step: Labeling software.

There are many options, depending on company’s size, number of locations, and ERP systems. In general, certain software contains the product information, can possibly produce GHS labels. If a company does not have existing software that can produce GHS compliant labels, they must look into software that allows to connect to existing data sources, or that contains a data-base that can hold all products information and has a label design program attached to it.

Don’t know where to start? Here are some resources that can help you out:

A variety of resources are available online which can help you to obtain more information about the subject: Many organizations provide software and useful tips that can help you with the process without any glitch. TPGTEX Software and Label Solution has over 25 years of experience in the Hazardous, Industrial and Commercial Labeling business, and can help you find the right label printing technology that most fits your needs, including specialty labels for harsh environments, GHS labels, weather proof labels, and they can help you with figuring-out your printing needs and requirements.

• ·   The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) published online guide by The United States Department of Labor, the OSHA Administration -. In this guide you can find GHS background, how the GHS to be applied, what are the GHS physical Hazards, and more.
• ·   Brief- Hazard Communication Standard: Labels and Pictograms published online by The United States Department of Labor, and OSHA. The document describes the classification and labeling in depth of all chemicals, and will also enhance workers comprehension.

GHS implementation demands an extensive assessment of the current labelling practices of the product and understanding the labelling requirements and details that need to be updated or added. Undoubtedly, it is much more cost-effective to print GHS labels in-house as part of a company's packaging process.

While all these steps may seem tough to implement correctly, there is no really need to panic about the new guidelines and their urgent implementation. They may be long and exhaustive, but if you have the right software and system then everything can easily fall in place. So start working on your strategy now and develop a system that ensures that you implement GHS and incorporate it with your product in the most efficient manner, or give us a call- we LOVE brain storming!