Global Strategy for GHS Compliance
Today’s Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) teams benefit greatly from the
regulatory compliance efficiencies introduced by the Globally Harmonized System
of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Developed through the
collaboration of nearly 70 countries, GHS is a worldwide regulation for
classifying and communicating chemical hazards using Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
and shipping labels.
GHS helps organizations achieve legal compliance with greater
certainty while streamlining compliance-dependent business processes such as the
manufacturing, authorization, shipment, importing and exporting of chemicals.GHS
classifications use physical chemical end-point data to determine which
pictograms, hazard (H) statements and precautionary (P) statements should appear
on SDSs and labels. While this harmonizes many hazard communications between
countries, GHS still includes some country-specific data requirements. Without
the right software for ensuring compliance according to region- and
country-specific rules and regulations, the process is difficult, expensive and
cumbersome. Costly and time-consuming errors can result. Fortunately, Lisam
Systems has provided a solution.
At Lisam Systems, we have been supplying customers with an effective software
platform and strategy for GHS compliance since 2005. Our flagship productExESS®
provides a comprehensive, modularized, cost-effective solution that empowers
your EH&S teams to achieve and automate GHS compliance. ExESS
addresses both domestic needs and compliance for countries and regions in all major
commercial markets
around the world. ExESS provides tools for important functions
such as accessing current substance classification lists, performing automated
classification calculations, and rapidly generating and delivering the SDSs
and
shipping labels necessary to comply with location-specific regulations. Lisam
Systems offers flexible licenses so you pay only for the countries or regions
you need, knowing you can add scope later with technical and licensing ease.
Advantages of ExESS for EH&S Teams
ExESS facilitates and streamlines GHS compliance for EH&S teams, saving time and
money while helping you avoid expensive errors.
GHS Classifications Based on Physical State, Toxicological and Ecotox Data,or
Official Lists
ExESS can classify a substance using chemical data, official lists, manual
selection, or any combination of the three.To use chemical data, you enter
physical parameters such as boiling points and flash points as well as general or
country-specific toxicological and ecotox data in ExESS. The software does the
calculation for you at the click of a button.If you prefer to use a list, ExESS
also provides substance classifications based on official lists across a variety
of
countries and regions. If you choose to manually select a hazard statement,
ExESS automatically populates the right pictograms associated with them.
To keep your data-entry tasks to a minimum, ExESS re-uses fields whenever data
can be shared between countries and regions. Furthermore, ExESS is able to link
to many third-party databases to facilitate the creation of SDSs and labels.
Standard license options include the ChemADVISOR LOLI® Database, Japanese
Chemicals Database (JCDB), BIG database, and Qualisys supplemental data.
Ability to Classify Both Substances and Mixtures
ExESS classifies both substances and mixtures according to GHS. ExESS allows you
to identify the GHS classification of a mixture through a formulation analysis
of the mixture’s composition and chemical data. This can be useful during the
research and development stage as you test different formulations to determine
the resulting classification. Companies in countries where mixture
classifications are not yet required on the SDS will benefit by having this
capability in place early so compliance will go smoothly when the regulatory
deadline nears.
Updates for Existing SDSs and Labels
GHS requires companies worldwide to change their
SDSs and
labels. With its
ease-of-use and rapid processing capabilities, ExESS is the best solution for
automating the creation, revision, distribution and management of these
materials. It is critical to continuously remain compliant with the latest GHS
regulation amendments. However, if you attempt do this manually, maintaining and
tracking changes and versions can be a nightmare. With ExESS, easy version
tracking and software upgrades ensure ongoing compliance with the latest GHS
regulation amendments.
Justification Reporting for Peer Review
In addition to automating the classification of substances and mixtures, the
ExESS classification calculator generates a report that displays the information
about the substance or composition that resulted in the classification decision.
All variables used by the classification calculation algorithm are displayed
along with the classification. This report provides the basis for every decision
made by the software during the classification process. You can view the report
online, or export it to Excel® spreadsheet software and share the information
with parties who want to see the justification for the GHS classification.
Time Savings via ExESS Product Families and Inheritance
If you have products that share certain hazards, you can create an ExESS product
family that defines the hazard characteristics and includes the appropriate
phrases. For example, you might create a corrosives family, a flammables family
and more. You can then associate families with products. Products “inherit” the
relevant families,thus linking the products to the hazard characteristics.
This is a powerful way to minimize data re-entry and maintenance. By
defining hazards once within a product family and then associating families with
products, you can maintain and update hundreds of products simply by maintaining
and updating the families.To change a hazard characteristic, you go to the
product family and change the characteristic once. The characteristic is
automatically changed for all products associated with that product family. This
is far more efficient than cutting and pasting characteristics for each and
every product. Not all EH&S companies offer this time-saving capability.
Registration and Authorization Assistance
When purchasing chemicals from a supplier, you can use ExESS to see if they are
registered. If you have a chemical that requires registration and authorization
in the EU, ExESS enables you to exchange information with the IUCLID® system, the
free downloadable software from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). ExESS also
supports the Classification and Labeling (C&L) Notification.
Best GHS Software Investment
Why is ExESS the best software investment for achieving GHS compliance? In
addition to the above advantages, here are more ways ExESS stands out from the
competition:
Rapid, accurate SDS authoring:
ExESS provides accurate SDSs in 40+
languages specific to a wide range of
countries and regions. SDSs can be automated
and delivered via email. This provides the speed and convenience required for
efficient business processes, particularly when dealing with high volumes.
Firsthand participation in GHS standards development:
ExESS users have the
benefit of our early involvement in the development, creation and implementation
of the GHS guidelines.We have invested extensive resources to participate in
working groups, associations and federations,providing input to the regulators
and assistance with developing GHS in ways relevant to the needs of EH&S teams.
ExESS addresses the practical concerns that were raised in the process of
defining GHS.
Achieving legal compliance in all key global markets:
We are highly knowledgeable
with respect to GHS regulations and guidelines, and we designed ExESS to be used
in all major commercial markets worldwide. Because legal compliance is
essential, ExESS is your ideal choice.Standard in-house tools are likely to
generate incorrect SDSs and labels. In addition, many GHS software vendors lack
our experience, knowledge and ability to apply GHS in practical ways across all
applicable criteria using scalable and flexible software technology. We are
committed to helping our customers achieve GHS legal compliance through ExESS,
particularly with respect to SDSs and labels.
Easy-to-use Microsoft® platform:
Many EH&S teams are comfortable with Microsoft
applications’ familiar look-and-feel. We developed ExESS within an environment
that is fully compliant with the Microsoft Office® suite, eliminating the need
to learn a new, complex system. ExESS creates SDSs and labels in Microsoft
Word and in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software, facilitates Microsoft Excel and
Microsoft Access® data import, leverages Microsoft Outlook® messaging and
exchanges information with mail-merge systems.ExESS enables your EH&S team to
easily automate the process of sending SDSs and label information to your
customers. ExESS also integrates smoothly with Microsoft-based enterprise
resource planning (ERP)systems.
Critical link between IT systems:
ExESS is an essential link between ERP and
other information technology (IT) systems, bringing together critical data for
chemicals management.The ExESS solution is also Substance Inventory Management
System (SIMS) compliant.
Competitive pricing:
The rich functionality of the solution suite combined with
low pricing make ExESS an excellent value. Compared to similar offerings, ExESS
delivers far more for your money. In addition, many companies pay high fees to
consultants or third parties to create labels and other materials that can have
questionable accuracy. Efficiencies achieved with ExESS save time and money,
rapidly leading to a substantial return on investment (ROI).
Impact on Critical EH&S Functions
GHS compliance is an essential internal development requirement across the Lisam
Systems product line. For SDS authoring,ExESS calculates GHS classifications
and applies the format required for
country- and region-specific compliance.
When generating labels, you can be confident that the information fully complies
with the destination’s legal requirements.
ExESS applies GHS regulations for our chemical management capabilities —
including inventory management and safety management— according to rules for
chemicals storage and handling, workplace risk, and workplace safety. ExESS
generates workplace inventory and Workplace Safety Instruction Cards with
information about safe chemical use and handling in the workplace.
Many content libraries are available for use with ExESS. The software allows you to
find the correct GHS classification of a substance through calculations and also
gives you the option of drawing directly upon integrated content libraries. Some
examples of ExESS content libraries that contain GHS classification content
include the ChemADVISOR LOLI Database, Annex VI for Europe, the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA) list for the United States, the National Institute of
Technology and Evaluation (NITE) list for Japan and many others. GHS information
consists of lists as well as the chemical, physical, toxicological and ecotox
data needed for GHS classifications.
General, Regional and Country-Specific GHS Compliance
ExESS supports the general definition of GHS as established by the United
Nations (UN) and specified in the UN’s “Purple Book.” In addition to this broad
interpretation, ExESS also provides regional and country-specific support. In
the coming years, additional countries will continue to adopt GHS, resulting in
increasingly diverse location-specific requirements. As this occurs, Lisam
Systems will continue to keep our GHS-compliance dynamic and integrate many such
country-specific GHS capabilities into ExESS.
We know legal compliance is critical for companies shipping chemicals to various
global locations.The following have specific GHS data versions available in
ExESS based on our belief that they require targeted GHS solutions:
• UN: Globally Harmonized System,fourth edition— SDS UN
• Europe: Classification, Labeling and Packaging(CLP), substances and mixtures —
SDS EU (Reach Annex II) according to 435/200
• Japan: GHS Japan — SDS Japan according to JIS Z 7250/2005
• Brazil: GHS Brazil — SDS Brazil according to ABNT NBR 14725-4
• United States: GHS US — HazCom 2012 according to Federal Register 17574 (29 CFR
Parts 1910, 1915 and 1926)
• China: GHS China —SDS China according to GB/T16483-2008
• Korea: Data integration from LOLI Database
• Taiwan: Data integration from LOLI Database