I saw this meme on Social Media that said: “If you see me talking to myself, I’m having a Staff Meeting.” Such is the way for those of us who are self-employed. Although it’s pretty funny, it also reminds me to get out there and network as much as possible. I need to have that connection with other people!
In an effort to relate with others, as well as keep engaged with regulatory updates, I recently spent 3 days in a Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC) virtual conference. Does that sound exciting to you? Probably not, but I enjoyed it. Rather I should say that I was pleased with the content, but I really look forward to the days when we can return to networking in person. SCHC did a nice job with having some virtual social hours in addition to their traditional technical content. It still is not the same though, and I may end up having even more “Staff Meetings”.
Why was this important for me to attend? Global regulations are constantly changing in the world of hazard communications (HazCom). Even here in the United States, we are using the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for classification and labeling of chemicals. We adopted Revision 3 of the GHS Purple Book in 2012 and it went into effect in 2015. Now the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is considering updating the rule to adopt Revision 7 of the Purple Book. OSHA is also working closely with Health Canada to bring both US and Canadian HazCom laws into even better alignment. These changes could mean your Safety Data Sheets (SDS) may require some updates, but hold tight for now until anything is officially decided. When OSHA publishes new requirements with timing, I’ll be sure to cover it in a future blog.
In next month’s blog, I’ll cover some additional information that I learned about at the SCHC conference regarding California Prop 65 and also a new tool for Occupational Exposure Banding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
At Strategic Realm Consulting, we try hard to keep up to date on the latest changes to product regulations, so you don’t have to. We know that the global regulatory landscape can be complex and challenging. We will help you find the right cost-effective solution that meets your needs. Then we will train your personnel to keep the process evergreen. Contact us for more information.