Abhisam is pleased to announce it’s new GHS e learn portal, which is part of the Abhisam Learning Portal. The GHS for Managers and Supervisors course can be taken online on the portal.
The GHS for Managers and Supervisors online course covers everything that a manager or supervisor needs to know about the UN Globally Harmonized System for the classification and labeling of chemicals, known as GHS for short.
Very soon another course, GHS Essentials, will also be available. This course is meant for workers, operators and other front line employees, who need to know about the new Globally Harmonized System for the classification and labeling of chemicals.
What is the GHS?
The GHS was developed by the United Nations after the Rio conference in 1992 (the Earth Summit) where it was felt to have a common, global system for the classification and labeling of chemicals. Until then, there were several systems for classification of chemicals and they were some times contradictory with each other. For example a chemical might be classified as hazardous in one country or region, but not another. Add to it the different kinds of labels that every country used with different symbols to show the same hazard.
To streamline this entire spaghetti of names, labels and classification, it was decided to have ONE SINGLE common, globally accepted system for the classification and labeling of chemicals, which is the GHS.
What does GHS achieve?
The GHS removes barriers to global trade and also improves chemical safety and protects the environment, since all entities who handle chemicals, now speak the same language of the GHS.
The first edition was out in December 2002 and then was revised several times after that. The latest edition of the GHS is Revision 8 and this Abhisam Course covers it in great detail. Today all OECD Countries have to follow GHS. Several more countries, outside of the OECD are also moving to the GHS in a phased manner.
How to access training via the GHS e learn portal?
If you are in anyway connected to the chemicals industry, whether as a manufacturer, importer, shipper or handler then you need to know, understand and implement GHS as soon as possible. This e-learn portal GHS enables you to learn about it at your own convenience.
You can access the course via any PC/laptop/Macbook/iPad/smartphone- basically any device that has a display and can be connected via the internet to the GHS e-learn portal at https://prettygoodcourses.com
How can OSHA HazCom requirements be implemented that includes GHS?
According to the OSHA Hazard Communication (HazCom) standard, employers must routinely inform and train their employees about workplace hazards. If the workplace handles chemicals, then the hazards of these chemicals must be communicated to the workers. This should include training on how to read GHS labels, GHS pictograms and GHS symbols. The GHS Essentials course can be used for this purpose. All employee activity regarding the course can be automatically logged in the GHS e learn portal from Abhisam and the same can be used to demonstrate compliance with HazCom training requirements regarding GHS.
