WHAT IS A SDS, WHAT IS A GHS LABEL AND HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND H-CODES, P-CODES, HAZARD AND PICTOGRAMS

WHAT IS A SDS, WHAT IS A GHS LABEL AND HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND
H-CODES, P-CODES, HAZARD AND PICTOGRAMS

By Tony Diamantidis, Sr. Director, Chemical Safety Software, www.chemicalsafety.com

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a document created by the manufacturer or supplier of a chemical or chemical product that primarily describes the hazards, handling, storage, disposal and emergency response to a spill or accident. All chemical suppliers are required to follow a consistent format when creating SDSs in a 16-section format, but not all SDS will contain information in all 16 sections.

A GHS label contains the following information:

1. Product Identification, product supplier information including address and phone number, and product ingredient information.

2. A Signal Word, which is either DANGER or WARNING. By definition, a chemical marked with the DANGER word is more hazardous than one marked with the WARNING word, but that is not to assume that the latter must not be handled with care.

3. One or more pictograms that describe the hazard or hazards associated with this chemical. There are only nine symbols that are included in GHS, and though some of them are clear and intuitive, not all are.

Below are the nine pictograms with a simplified explanation of what they mean and a hazard statement example:

4. GHS H (Hazard) Codes and Descriptions. These describe the Hazards associated with the chemical. These statements are chosen from a list of approved H Codes in the GHS program to provide consistency in every industry, country and language.  There are 72 individual hazard statements and 17 combined hazard statements.

5. GHS P (Precautionary) Codes and Descriptions. These describe recommended measures that should be taken to minimize or prevent adverse effects resulting from exposure to a hazardous chemical or improper storage or handling. These statements are chosen from a list of approved P Codes in the GHS program to provide consistency in every industry, country and language.  There are 116 individual and 33 combined precautionary statements.