CHRYSO Southern Africa has adopted the Global Harmonised System (GHS) making it the first construction chemicals company in South Africa to comply with an international attempt at standardising safety communication around chemicals.
This development demonstrates CHRYSO Southern Africa’s strong commitment to health and safety. The GHS has already been adopted by the European Union with other countries expected to follow suit soon. This move will also boost the company’s export drive into the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.
Andries Marais, GM: operations of CHRYSO Southern Africa says the company will now have a formidable competitive edge when doing business with international contractors and consulting engineers who are operating on the continent.
The system, implemented by the United Nations, harmonises the classification and labelling of all chemical products in a direct response to the challenges created by differing safety communication standards from one country to the next. Some states even have more than one standard for the classification and labelling of chemical products, which restricts trade, increases costs of doing business and, at times, hampers compliance.
Marais says the GHS will also improve and promote consistent hazardous information; encourage safe transport, handling and use of chemicals and promote better emergency response to chemical-related incidents.
CHRYSO Southern Africa will also communicate important product information on all of its material data sheets (MDS), over-and-above replacing all existing labels and transport classification signage and documentation requirements.
Marais describes the MDS as the “bible” of the GHS. “It is a very thorough document that details everything the consumer needs to know about our products,” he says.
GHS is still voluntary in South Africa, but work is already under way by the relevant government bodies, including the Department of Trade & Industry, to make its adoption compulsory.
More information from Kirsten Kelly, Tel: +27(0)11 395 9700 / email: kirsten@chrysosa.co.zawww.chryso.com
