RiskPro BD logo RPB-OSHA 30 · Module 7 of 13

Module 7: Hazard Communication (GHS)

Provider: Riskprobd.com Trainer: Engr Mohammad Mohin Uddin LinkedIn

In this module

Objectives covered: LO 3.7.1. By the end you will be able to:

  • Explain the purpose of the Hazard Communication Standard.
  • Read a GHS label and the 16 sections of a Safety Data Sheet.
  • Describe the written programme and training requirements.

7.1 The right to know

Workers have the right to know the hazards of the chemicals they work with. The Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), requires chemical manufacturers to classify hazards and provide labels and Safety Data Sheets, and employers to train workers.

7.2 The GHS label

A shipped container label has six elements:

  1. Product identifier
  2. Signal word: "Danger" (more severe) or "Warning" (less severe)
  3. Hazard statements, e.g. "Causes severe skin burns and eye damage"
  4. Pictograms: red diamond borders, such as flame, skull and crossbones, corrosion, exclamation mark, health hazard
  5. Precautionary statements
  6. Name, address and phone number of the supplier

Workplace containers, such as a decanted spray bottle, must still show the product identifier and the hazards.

7.3 The 16-section SDS

Key sections for workers: 1 identification, 2 hazards, 4 first aid, 5 fire fighting, 6 spills, 7 handling and storage, 8 exposure limits and PPE, 10 stability and reactivity, 11 toxicology. SDSs must be readily available on every shift.

7.4 The written programme

The employer must have a written HazCom programme with a chemical inventory, how labels and SDSs are handled, how workers are trained, and how hazards of non-routine tasks and contractors are communicated.

Standards and rules
  • 29 CFR 1910.1200, Hazard Communication (updated 2024 to GHS Revision 7).
  • UN GHS. Bangladesh: Labour Act 2006 and Labour Rules 2015 provisions on hazardous substances, and the Explosives Act 1884 for explosive and dangerous goods licensing.
Bangladesh industry example

At the BM Container Depot in Sitakunda (2022), hydrogen peroxide was stored as general cargo without clear hazard labelling. Firefighters did not know what was inside the burning containers, and many died in the explosion. Proper labels, SDSs and a chemical inventory shared with emergency services are life-saving, not paperwork.

Learning Check

Answer these two questions to check your understanding. You can try again as many times as you like.