New Albany, IN (PRWEB) November 14, 2013 -- The Occupational Safety & Health Administration has recently updated the Hazard Communication Standard. The change includes adopting the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System to improve the communication about chemical hazards for the safety and health of workers. As a result, identifying labels will have to be modified to convey health, physical and environmental hazards.
Updating the Hazard Communication Standard will affect millions of workplaces across the United States. Discount Labels is taking steps now to ensure that companies will be able to make the proper label changes quickly and smoothly. The phase-in date under the revised Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires employers to train employees on the new label elements and safety data sheet (SDS) format by December 1, 2013.
“At Discount Labels we are taking many steps to prepare for this change, allowing our customers to easily make the switch to the new regulations,” says Lisa Manning, Brand Manager. “We know how valuable time is to our customers so we want to make this transition as quick as possible for them.”
The Globally Harmonized System is an international approach to hazard communication. Adopting the new system, as detailed in the United States Department of Labor's "Modification of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to conform with the United Nations' (UN) Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)," will improve the quality and consistency of information received from other countries. Using the new universal labels will allow workers to clearly understand hazard information and properly handle chemicals.
Labels will now have to provide the identity of the chemical and appropriate hazard warnings. The Hazard Communication Standard states what information has to be identified for each hazard class and category. Labels will now require a pictogram, which is a symbol, and other elements to show specific hazardous information about the chemical. Also required on the label are signal words of a potential hazard, a hazard statement that describes the nature of the hazard, a precautionary statement that describes proper handling and storage of the chemical, and supplier information of the chemical manufacturer.
Distributors, other label suppliers and printers can contact Discount Labels at 1-800-995-9500 to learn more about how to make the transition to the new labels.
About Discount Labels:
Discount Labels specializes in die cut labels, premier labels, durable labels, variable data labels, printer labels, magnets, stamps and promotional products for every industry including automotive, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, restaurant and retail. Discount Labels sells through the largest authorized label distributor network in the U.S. and Canada. Eligible dealers are active in one of the following: printing, graphic arts, specialty advertising, business forms, packaging and shipping, signs, banners, trophies, rubber stamps, or office products. Established in 1965, Discount Labels has grown to be America’s largest wholesale label supplier. Find more information at Discountlabels.com and visit Discount Labels on Facebook, Twitter (@Discount_Labels), LinkedIn and Google+.
Jennifer LaGrange, Discount Labels, http://www.discountlabels.com, +1 (812) 981-4830, [email protected]
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