Part 7:
Chemical Classification and Hazard Pictograms
The first step needed to fulfil your duties is recognising which chemicals are dangerous and which are not. This information can be found in the classification system. As you may already know, in 2015 the classification system for chemicals changed from the old CHIP system to the new CLP Regulations, which is part of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification.
As the name implies, the aim is to have a unified system used worldwide to give a common understanding to these chemicals. The old-style orange/yellow square symbols have been replaced by red bordered diamond pictograms.
This chart outlines the old pictogram and the associated hazard with its new counterpart.
Corrosive
Flammable
Oxidising
Irritant/Harmful
Dangerous for the enviroment
The classification is broken down into three categories: health hazards, physical hazards, and environmental hazards.
Health
Physical
Enviromental
It’s essential that you and your teams can easily identify any hazardous substances and the risks they may pose from their COSHH pictograms. Let’s take a closer look at the 9 COSHH symbols and what each means below:
Acute Toxicity
Fatal if swallowed/inhaled; Toxic if swallowed/in contact with skin/inhaled
Warning
May cause respiratory irritation; May cause drowsiness or dizziness; May cause an allergic skin reaction; Causes serious eye irritation; Cause skin irriation; Harmful when in contact with skin; Harmful if swallowed; Harmful if inhaled.
Corrosive
May be corrosive to metals; Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
Explosive
Unstable explosive; Explosive; Mass explosion hazard; Fire; blast or protection hazard; May mass explode in fire
Health Effects
May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways; May cause damage to organs/causes damage to organs; May damage fertility or the unborn child/ suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child; May cause cancer/suspected of causing cancer; May cause genetic defects/suspected of causing genetic defects
Flammable
Extremely flammable gas/flammable gas; Extremely flammable aerosol/flammable aerosol; Highly flammable liquid and vapour/flammable liquid and vapour; Flammable solid
Gas Under Pressure
Contains gas under pressure; May explode if heated; Contains refrigerated gas; May cause carcinogenic burns or injury
Oxidising
May cause or intensify fire; May cause fire or explosion
Environmental Effects
Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects/ toxic to aquatic life long lasting effects.
GHS/CLP Labelling
A chemical may have multiple hazards and pictograms associated with it. These combine to form the classification of the chemical. The classification information for the chemical can be found in section 2 of the safety data sheet and is also on the product’s label.
Here’s an example of section 2 within a safety data sheet. This chemical is flammable and corrosive. When we look at a safety data sheet or label, it can have a lot of information displayed. In section 2, there must be at least one hazard statement to give more accurate information if the product is classified as hazardous.
SECTION 2: Hazards identification
2.1
Classification of the substance or mixture
Classification according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008
Flammable liquids (Category 3), H226
Skin corrosion (Category 1A), H314
For the full text of the H-Statements mentioned in this Section, see Section 16.
2.2
Label elements
Labelling according Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008
Pictogram
Signal word
Hazard statement(s)
H226
H314
Danger
Flammable liquid and vapour.
Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
Looking at the chemical outlined in the SDS above, there are a few questions we can ask from the information covered in the early sections of this guide.
Q: What are the routes of exposure?
A: This chemical can cause severe skin burns and eye damage; therefore, the routes of exposure are the skin and eyes.
Q: What do the above pictograms represent?
A: There are two pictograms shown in this section. The first means that the substance is flammable and the second means that the substance is corrosive.
Q: What does the signal word stand for?
A: The signal word seen here is “danger”. This signal word represents an overall hazard level of the hazards of this material. When you see “danger”, this means that the substance carries severe hazards. You might also see “warning” or no signal word at all in this section.
Example scenario
You are spraying a cleaning chemical into an oven. To protect yourself and form a barrier, you need PPE. An obvious route of exposure is inhalation, so you will need a face mask to protect your respiratory system. You will also need gloves to protect your skin and safety googles to protect your eyes.
When we carry out COSHH Assessments, a full review of all hierarchy of controls is required. It’s important to evaluate elimination, substitution and all other control measures that could be implemented.
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