GHS Container Labels in Construction Environments Training

Exposure to hazardous materials in the workplace leads to thousands of injuries and fatalities every year. This course provides essential knowledge regarding OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) and how the integration of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) helps prevent these emergencies. Participants will explore how hazardous materials are classified and how vital safety information is standardized and communicated through container labels, ensuring workers have the “right to understand” the risks associated with the chemicals they handle.

Course Highlights:

• The background and purpose of OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard and the move towards global standardization.
• How the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) functions to provide consistent chemical information worldwide.
• The core components of hazard communication: container labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and written employer programs.
• Identification and explanation of the nine GHS pictograms representing physical, health, and environmental hazards.
• A detailed breakdown of the five standardized text elements required on GHS container labels.
• Special labeling considerations for in-house secondary containers, small volume containers, and bulk shipments.
• Differentiating between GHS workplace labels and Department of Transportation (DOT) shipping placards.

By the end of the course, you will have learned

• Understand the importance of standardized hazard communication for maintaining workplace safety.
• Interpret the specific hazards conveyed by visual elements, such as the flame, skull and crossbones, and health hazard pictograms.
• Assess the relative severity of a chemical’s hazards by identifying signal words like “Danger” and “Warning.”
• Locate and utilize hazard statements and precautionary statements to handle materials safely during routine work or emergencies.
• Identify supplier contact information and product identifiers quickly on a container label.
• Understand the protocols manufacturers must follow for updating labels when new hazard information is discovered.