UN-GHS —Physical hazard classifications of chemicals: A critical review of combinations of hazard classes

Publication date: Available online 6 April 2017 Source:Journal of Chemical Health and Safety Author(s): Cordula Wilrich, Elisabeth Brandes, Heike Michael-Schulz, Volkmar Schröder, Silke Schwarz, Klaus-Dieter Wehrstedt One of the fundamental principles of the UN-GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals) is that all hazards of a chemical should be assigned and communicated. There is no general prioritization of hazards in the sense that certain hazard classes are not applicable if another one has been assigned. In contrast to health and environmental hazards, there are physical or chemical factors which preclude certain combinations of physical hazard classes. So far, there is no common understanding as to which combinations are relevant and which not. For example, should a pyrophoric liquid be classified as flammable liquid in addition, or is this redundant and unnecessary? In the course of the implementation of the GHS by countries or sectors and the actual application by industry all over the world, such questions become more and more important. This publication systematically discusses all combinations of the UN-GHS physical hazard classes and assesses them with regard to the relevance of possible simultaneous assignment to a chemical. For many of the combinations an unambiguous decision based on the GHS alone is not possible, thus confirming that the question which physical hazard classes might be assigned simultaneously to a ch...
Source: Journal of Chemical Health and Safety - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research