CHICAGO, June 25, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Safety professionals who attended Safety 2014 this month, one of the biggest gatherings of safety professionals in the world, received a special compliance update on OSHA's adoption of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) by MSDSonline — the leading provider of online environmental, health and safety solutions. The conference was hosted by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), which is the world's oldest safety society with over 35,000 members.
The presentation, titled GHS: Already Aligned or Hardly Harmonized? What You Need to Know!, was delivered by MSDSonline's President & CEO Glenn Trout and VP of Sales Chuck Haling, two of the industry's top speakers on GHS, having delivered hundreds of presentations on the topic at regional and national conferences in recent years.
"This is a critical time for chemical manufacturers, distributors and employers covered by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom). GHS adoption brings with it the need for new chemical classification, new safety data sheets, new labels and new training," said Trout. "We have one deadline behind us and several more on the horizon. There are steps companies need to take today to ensure compliance and employee safety."
Haling added, "We are honored that ASSE entrusted this important topic, which millions of companies are grappling with, to MSDSonline. We also appreciate the seriousness with which ASSE members take their responsibilities as the standard bearers of safety for their organizations — which is why we approach educating stakeholders on GHS compliance issues with the same gravity."
The presentation highlighted HazCom compliance deadlines, including the ongoing obligation to train employees on updated GHS formats for safety data sheets and chemical labels. Also covered was the upcoming deadline for chemical manufacturers and distributors to reclassify chemicals and update hazard information. This second deadline is less than a year away, and one that has many chemical producers scrambling to get new safety data sheets authored in the OSHA-required GHS format.
Attendees were also introduced to MSDSonline's Roadmap to HazCom Compliance, which included the following key strategies:
- Taking control of your chemical inventory
- Developing a workplace label strategy
- Preparing for the influx of new safety data sheets
- Looking ahead to upcoming OSHA chemical initiatives
Safety professionals interested in learning more about OSHA's adoption of GHS can view a recording of MSDSonline's popular GHS webinar at www.MSDSonline.com/blog/webinars/. The video is available on-demand at no cost.
For more information on MSDSonline and its suite of OSHA-related resources and solutions, including online training, visit MSDSonline.com or call toll-free 1.888.362.2007.
About MSDSonline
Founded in 1996 and based in Chicago, MSDSonline is a leading provider of cloud-based EH&S compliance solutions, offering products and services for managing safety data sheets, reporting workplace incidents, training employees and administering other critical EH&S information. The company's mission is to provide sustainable solutions that help customers improve employee safety, streamline compliance recordkeeping and reduce potential exposures to workplace hazards and risks. MSDSonline has been recognized for the last six years on Inc. magazine's list of America's 5,000 fastest-growing private companies. More information is available online at www.MSDSonline.com and on the official company blog at www.MSDSonline.com/blog. MSDSonline is an ICG (Nasdaq:ICGE) company.