Momar Leads the Industry in GHS Compliance

June 1, 2015, is the deadline for chemical manufacturers to comply with all of the provisions of OSHA HazCom 2012. Julian Mohr Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Momar, Incorporated, shares, “While many chemical manufacturers questioned if OSHA HazCom 2012 would be repealed, our technical department began immediately updating Momar’s 5000+ product labels and safety data sheets (SDSs).

It is with great pride that we announce today that Momar is fully compliant with OSHA HazCom 2012. All of our GHS-Compliant labels and SDSs are available for download on www.momar.com. Every order that ships out of our plant will be labeled with GHS-Compliant labels and will include a physical copy of the GHS-Compliant SDS. Because we ship domestically and internationally, we upgraded our printers, inks, and label stock to meet BS 5609, the British Standard Marine Immersion testing standard that ensures label integrity even after 90-days of submersion in saltwater. We stand ready to help our 11,000+ customers worldwide meet the next deadline (June 1, 2016) for updating all labels and hazardous communication programs in their facilities.”

What is the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), and how does it affect hazard communication?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has required that manufacturers of chemical products supply users with safety and health information since November 1983. This information was communicated by using Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Even though a revision occurred in 1994, the MSDS has remained unchanged for many years.

In March of 2012, a major revision occurred. OSHA brought the United States into alignment with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. This is an effort to provide a single set of standards that will apply worldwide, while making information easier to find and understand.

Compliance with the GHS has caused major changes in how the chemical industry communicates hazards. The largest changes are visible in the MSDS and labels. MSDSs are now called Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), and they now have a standardized 16-part format. There are also standardized hazard statements based on the classification of each product. The label is required to carry the same standardized hazard statements that are found on the SDS. The label also includes pictograms (like those shown above) to help graphically communicate the hazards of the product.

Due to the large amount of changes required, OSHA gave long deadlines to fully implement the requirements. To the right is a chart outlining the deadlines for completion.

Momar has met all deadlines and is now compliant with all requirements

Deadline for Completion	Requirement	Who Needs To Comply?
December 1, 2013	Train employees on the new SDS and label formats	All employers who manufacture or use chemicals
June 1, 2015	Comply with all provisions of the requirement	Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors, and employers
June 1, 2016	Update workplace labeling and hazard communication program as necessary, and provide additional training on newly identified hazards	All employees who manufacture or use chemicals

 

What has Momar done to comply with the new requirements? 
Momar started working to meet the deadlines as soon as OSHA announced the revision. We have trained our work force on the new SDS and label formats, and we provide refresher training annually. In addition, our staff of chemists has created GHS-compliant labels and SDSs for all of our 5,000+ products. All GHS-compliant labels and SDSs have been posted to our website, and they can be downloaded by registering at www.momar.com and using the SDS and product search tools. CLICK HERE TO START UPDATING YOUR SDS FILES. We will continue to ship a physical copy of the most up-to-date SDS with each order and will continue to assist customers with questions about OSHA HazCom 2012.

For any questions concerning the new requirements or how Momar might be able to assist your company in complying with the new requirements, please contact us at sales.support@momar.com.