Hazard Communication
Efficient Hazard Communication serves sales and mitigates business risk
The purpose of hazard communication is to inform users of the hazards of substances, mixtures or products and provide advice on safety precautions and risk management measures. Effective hazard communication enables the efficient selling, tracking and traceability of your products, as well as helps to mitigate your business risk and help ensure the safe use of your product. It can help you to effectively communicate throughout your supply chain and with end users, thereby increasing transparency, trust and confidence. Good hazard communication has the potential to save lives and reduce the impact on the environment of your product.
Some forms of hazard communication, such as Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are legally mandated documents. It is not only the regulators who demand clear and concise information about the hazards associated with your products, the growth in a drive towards transparency is fuelled by consumer demand.
From SDS and Product Labels to Poison Centre notifications, any size company that places chemical-based products onto the market must follow an array of regulations. Despite the widespread implementation of globally harmonised hazard communications systems (such as GHS), considerable variation remains from country to country or between regions.
Alongside these variations, the constantly changing regulatory landscape poses challenges for companies who strive to ensure their hazard communications are up-to-date and fit for purpose. This is an incredibly demanding challenge, especially as some forms of hazard communications, such as Safety Data Sheets, are frequently targeted by the enforcement authorities.
For example, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) conducted a study examining the quality of SDS. Their findings are sobering as they identified that many companies are falling short in their hazard communications. This has implications not just for Europe, but globally: over 40% of the SDS for hazardous chemical mixtures were non-compliant.
One recent study of SDS quality carried out by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) found that over 40% of the SDS for hazardous chemical mixtures were non-compliant.
45% of inspected companies had at least one non-compliance
33% of SDSs had issues, shortcomings or deficiencies
20% of products had inconsistencies between their labels and SDS
How Can We Help?
Our expert team can advise you on Safety Data Sheets (and on extended or eSDS) and a full range of Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) and GHS requirements so that you can manage your hazard communications across the globe.
These services also include assessing your current SDS and GHS product labelling for overlapping regulations; including aspects of regulations such as Biocidal Products Regulation, Detergents Directive and the Aerosol Dispensers Directive.
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Almost all those in the chemical industry know of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) of chemicals and most have realised that national or regional implementation of GHS is anything but harmonised. Although many countries have introduced the harmonised pictograms, signal words, and hazard and precautionary statements defined by GHS into local or regional legislation, the rules for classification differ between countries and regions.
We can explain the obligations that the Globally Harmonised System places on you and we can provide technical support to help you meet these obligations, including EU, Great Britain, North America (e.g. OSHA, WHMIS) and Asia.
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You, your team and your suppliers need to be familiar with the new regulations. Visit our Training page for more information.
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We do not just help with the classification of your products, we can also provide advice on the mandatory labelling requirements across the globe such as font or hazard pictogram size, and hazard and precautionary statement selection. We can then verify your final artwork prior to packaging. In addition, we can advise on the small labelling provisions and how to reduce the information on the label for small or awkwardly-sized packages.
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Yordas Group can support you at every stage, from assessing your current situation, drafting or converting your texts into compliant documents, and classifying your substances (including your mixtures), to editing, branding and translating your SDS into more than 40 languages. We also have the facilities to research and fill any gaps in your data.
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Our team of experts can assist with extracting Exposure Scenarios (ES) from your existing Chemical Safety Report for inclusion in the eSDS. We can also convert them into the ECHA-recommended short four-part Exposure Scenario format, meaning that you will have a manageable and user or printer-friendly format. Our texts also use standard phrases, enabling cost-effective translation to meet your various European market requirements.
Meet The Team
Fiona Moir
Managing Hazard Communication Consultant
Fiona is an experienced Safety Data Sheet author with over 10 years of experience. She leads the GHS and SDS services at Yordas, including the delivery, and ongoing development of service structure, operations and training. These services involve compiling and assessing product labels; including aspects of additional regulations such as Biocidal Products Regulation, Detergents Directive and the Aerosols Dispensers Directive.
Nathan Town-Field
Senior Hazard Communication Consultant
Nathan Town-Field is a Senior Regulatory Consultant at Yordas, with a focus on global hazard communication. With six years of expertise in GHS and CLP classification and labelling of substances and mixtures, Nathan is well-versed in navigating the complex regulatory landscape surrounding chemical safety. A key responsibility for Nathan leading the team responsible for authoring Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to global standards, ensuring that they accurately communicate the hazards associated with chemicals and provide essential safety information to downstream users. Additionally, he is proficient in poison centre notification obligations, and as Yordas' lead eSDS author, Nathan plays a crucial role in extracting exposure scenarios from various sources.
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Whether you need assistance with sustainability strategy, regulatory compliance, or environmental impact assessment, our experts are ready to collaborate with you. Get in touch with us today, and let's work together to drive your organization towards achieving your regulatory goals.
Resources
Guide - Poison Centre Notifications and Equivalents Worldwide
Our new guide has been crafted to simplify the complexities of regulatory changes and requirements related to SDSs, ensuring you have all the information and tools necessary to maintain compliance effortlessly in the North American market.
