The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals GHS) is a system for standardizing the classification and labeling of chemicals. The elements in the GHS supply a mechanism to meet the basic requirement of any hazard communication system, which is to decide if the chemical or product produced and/or supplied is hazardous and to prepare a label and/or Safety Data Sheet as appropriate.

The basic goal of hazard communication is to ensure that employers, employees and the public are provided with adequate, practical, reliable and comprehensible information on the hazards of chemicals, so that they can take effective preventive and protective measure for their health and safety. In addition, the best value would be if GHS is accepted in all major regulatory systems for chemical hazard communication, thus harmonizing the requirements thereby making the communication consistent. The intentions are to ensure the safe use of chemicals throughout the product life cycle or "cradle to grave."

Even though GHS is a voluntary classification system, modifications will be required related to the specific hazard criteria, classification processes, labeling and existing regulations. It is anticipated that ALL existing hazard communication systems will need to be changed in order to conform to the GHS.

In the workplace, it is expected that most of the GHS elements will be adopted. The Safety Data Sheet layout looks similar to the current ISO MSDSs and the elements of GHS are similar to hazard communication and include:

• GHS physical and health hazard criteria, as appropriate;
• Labels that have the harmonized core information under the GHS (signal words, hazard statements and symbols, etc.);
• Safety Data Sheets;
  
• Employee training to help ensure effective communication is also anticipated.

Companies that operate with integrity toward their employees, their communities, and the environment are better positioned for success. You will build a successful learning organization by creating a culture of respect, trust, care, and compassion. Fostering a health, safety & environmental program that involves employees, builds trust, treats all stakeholders with integrity and cultivates effective communication are the strategies to get you there. Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing may correct process issues and increase productivity, but these programs cannot correct the social health of your company. It’s the social health that is often missing and the essential ingredient for success. Without this, employees go through the motions to complete the work requirements, but will not reach their full capacity or be passionately involved in ensuring the success of the safety program, let alone the business.

Your safety and health program can be the key for building the social health of your company and building a learning organization. This means the program is not based on compliance, enforcement and control, where management is the driver and greatest stakeholder of safety. The program is instead built on caring and mutual respect, making the employees the greatest stakeholder. Safety becomes intertwined with daily business activities and is completely sustainable, even when management is absent. Employees become partners, mentor each other, trust, care, and communicate openly. This type of relationship will make all the difference in the world to create a successful, more competitive business and cement a world class safety program.

Did you know that 86% of North Carolinians agree or strongly agree that employees in North Carolina should be able to work in smoke-free environments? Are you interested in the health of your employees and the potential for reduced healthcare costs? Are you aware that the numbers of smokers are declining and most smokers want to quit?

Many employees will be making (and hopefully keeping) new year’s resolutions. Companies can make new year’s resolutions as well and an important one should be to strengthen your company wellness initiatives, including your worksite smoking policy. By adopting a smoke-free workplace companies are protecting the health of their employees, reducing the organization's health care costs, and protecting future business. A completeley smoke-free workplace will encourage employees to quit smoking, thereby not only greatly reducing their chances of suffering from a smoking-related illness in the future, but also reducing the chances their nonsmoking coworkers will suffer from illnesses related to second & third hand smoke. Studies indicate that 70% of smokers want to quit and that nonsmokers resent having to walk through smoke to get to a front door or to be in establishments filled with smoke.

Eliminating secondhand smoke from the workplace and decreasing smoking by employees can reduce health care costs and increase years of productive life. These two factors alone will positively affect a company's bottom line and help employees live full and productive lives. In addition, review your benefit plan and ensure that smoking cessation and tobacco replacement products are covered. These benefits will support employees trying to quit tobacco and greatly increase their chance for success.

Project Assist, a coalition within Wake County Health & Human Services, is available to assist you in strengthening your smoking policy and addressing smoking cessation benefits. In addition, free posters are available to promote the Quitline to your employees. Quitline is a free service providing information and counseling to those trying to quit tobacco. Contact Karen at 676-2877 ext. 12 for additional information or to obtain posters.

In 2006 OSHA published a best practice guide for workplace First Aid programs. The booklet describes the fundamentals for implementing an effective response to occupational injuries. No one ever thinks that the worst will happen at their company or that a crisis will occur; however, our experience, and available statistics disprove these thoughts. The statistics are sobering: about 250,000 sudden cardiac arrest occur outside of hospital settings and approximately 6,000 work-related fatalities occur each year in private industry, with over 4 million injuries and illnesses occurring. Be prepared so that you can respond quickly and appropriately for when the unthinkable occurs!

The first step is to design your First Aid Response Program based on a risk assessment of potential injuries and illnesses. The assessment should also include the response time estimates for emergency services to reach your facility at all hours of the day and night that are appropriate to your work schedules. It is recommended that you develop a written policy and procedures for responding to first aid events and that this information be communicated to all employees.

Of course, adequate training is an important part of your program and should include a basic First Aid and CPR course from qualified instructors who meet the criteria from a nationally recognized agency. It is also important that the available first aid supplies be adequate and based on the injuries that could occur. OSHA now recommends that an automated external defibrillator (AED) be considered when selecting your supplies and equipment. It’s a good idea to assign someone to be responsible for maintaining your supply inventory. We often find empty first aid boxes, or outdated supplies, including AED equipment. We have also witnessed certification training that did not include hands-on practice and was completed in less than 2 hours, yet participants received a card stating all of the criteria were fulfilled.

Remember that the initial training is one component and may not be enough. There are often long intervals between training and so there may be gaps in retention and skills confidence. We recommend review sessions for CPR and AED skills at least every 6 months and strongly recommend getting your team together more frequently (monthly or quarterly) to review and discuss other first aid care and response topics.

We are happy to answer your questions as you review your program, and we are available to assist in establishing an effective Response Team. However, the first-aid program is just one component of a comprehensive safety management system that includes:

• Management Leadership and Commitment
• Employee Involvement
• Worksite Analysis
  
• Hazard Prevention and Control
• Effective Training
  
  

Also remember that the volunteer first aiders may be covered by the requirements of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). Please contact us if you would like additional information.

• What’s New in Safety
• OHSA Recordkeeping Reminder
• Safety & Health Program Guidelines
• PPE Ruling
  
  
• GHS Implementation
• Creating Social Health & Ultimate Success Through Your Safety & Health Program
• Worksite Smoking Policies
• Effective First Aid Teams