The Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) is a propritary numerical hazard rating that incorporates the use of labels with color bars developed by the American Coatings Association as a compliance aid for the OSHA Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard. [1] [2] The name and abbreviation is a trademark of the American Coatings Association. [1]
HMIS was introduced in 1981 as a resource for the paint and coatings industry, by the National Paint and Coatings Association, derived from systems developed by PPG Industries and DuPont. [3] Despite being a resource for the paint and coding industry, it soon expanded to general industries also looking to comply with OSHA regulations. [4]
The second edition was released in 1986, HMIS II, which introduced letter codes for identifying personal protective equipment to be used, and the 'asterisk' to the Health bar, to identify when a substance poses a long term health hazard, such as carcinogens. This would be placed in the same box as the health number. [3] [5] [6]
The third edition, HMIS III, released in 2002 represented a significant change to the system, replacing the yellow 'reactivity' bar, with a orange 'Physical Hazard' bar. [3] [6] HMIS III also adopted the OSHA flammability, as defined by Standard 1910.106. [7] [2] [6] The Personal protectieve field also was changed to eliminate the box, and allow for including multiple small letters allowing for easier combinations of PPE that were not provided in the original code set. [8] An extra box was provided in the health field, to allow the asterisk introduced in HMIS II for long term 'chronic' health hazards, to stand out better. [8]
In 2012, OSHA introduced an updated version of their HazCom standard known as HazCom 2012, which mandates GHS Labels on shipped containers, and updated requirements for workplace labels, which are compatible with GHS, although it does not mandate the use of GHS in the workplace. Concerns have been raised due to a contradiction that has occurred, as GHS and HMIS use conflicting scales, with HMIS going 1 (low) to 4 (High), verses OSHA and GHS scales that are 1 (High) to 4 (low). [9] [6]
The four bars are color-coded, using the modern color bar symbols with blue indicating the level of health hazard, red for flammability, orange for a physical hazard, and white for Personal Protection. The number ratings range from 0 to 4.
The Health section conveys the health hazards of the material. In the latest version of HMIS, the Health bar has two spaces, one for an asterisk and one for a numeric hazard rating. [8] If present, the asterisk signifies a chronic health hazard, meaning that long-term exposure to the material could cause a health problem such as emphysema or kidney damage. According to ACA, the numeric hazard assessment procedure differs from that used by NFPA. [6] [8] [10]
For HMIS I and II, the criteria used to assign numeric values (0 = low hazard to 4 = high hazard) are identical to those used by NFPA. [10] In other words, in this category, HMIS I & II are identical to NFPA. [6] [10] For HMIS III, the flammability criteria are defined according to OSHA standards (which add elevated flammability ratings for aerosols). [11] (HMIS II descriptions, excluding the new aerosol criteria, are shown below)
Reactivity hazards are assessed using the OSHA criterion of physical hazard. Seven such hazard classes are recognized: Water Reactives, Organic Peroxides, Explosives, Compressed gases, Pyrophoric materials, Oxidizers, and Unstable Reactives. The numerical ratings are very similar to NFPA's yellow "Reactivity/Instability" rating according to the publicly available data, which is limited to "hazard statements" intended to accompany each rating (as shown below). [12] However, HMIS is a proprietary system, and without referring to the actual criteria for each rating, it is not clear how similar they are.
This is by far the largest area of difference between the NFPA and HMIS systems. In the NFPA system, the white area is used to convey special hazards whereas HMIS uses the white section to indicate which personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used when working with the material. [6] [13]
The HMIS system is frequently compared with the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 704 "fire diamond". The systems, while having some general similarities, are not interchangeable, nor serve the same purpose. [14]
NFPA 704 was devised in the 1960s, in response to a issue that firefighters were encountering: responding to a fire and not knowing specifics about the materials involved and being seriously injured or killed by violent reactions to firefighting efforts. In 1959, 13 firefighters in Charlotte, NC, were seriously injured by an explosion caused by water being poured onto a burning vat containing metallic sodium. The fire department devised a system to inform firefighters of hazards, such as water reactivity or flammability, which became NFPA 704. The intended use is identifying general hazards for first responders in an emergency situations. [14]
HMIS was developed as a solution to OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, which required employers to inform employees of hazardous substances in workplaces. At the time, HCS did not specify a system, nor provide one. Just that employees needed to have a labeling system. The health rating varies from NFPA 704, as a worker using a chemical daily has a different exposure over time compared to a firefighter at a single instance. [14] HMIS is intended for normal usage and conditions, and not emergency situations. [5]
Prior to 2002, with HMIS' third edition (HMIS III), both systems used the same colors, blue, red, yellow and white, and used the same criteria for 'flammability'/'Fire Hazard' and 'reactivity'. HMIS retired the yellow reactivity bar due to changes in how NFPA's equivalent, renamed 'Instability', that resulted in it no longer being suitable for HMIS. HMIS III also adopted the OSHA flammability criteria, as defined by Standard 1910.106. [15] The orange 'Physical hazard' bar is defined through OSHA's physical hazard [2]
Combining the systems, such as using an NFPA 704 fire diamond, but placing HMIS PPE information in the white 'special hazards' square, is discouraged by both the ACA and NFPA. [10] In spite of this position from both organizations, the combining of systems still occurs on labels and posters, sometimes as a result of trying to mimic the proprietary system, while not directly infringing on it. [6]
In organic chemistry, isocyanate is the functional group with the formula R−N=C=O. Organic compounds that contain an isocyanate group are referred to as isocyanates. An organic compound with two isocyanate groups is known as a diisocyanate. Diisocyanates are manufactured for the production of polyurethanes, a class of polymers.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemical, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. Protective clothing is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and protective gear applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others. PPE suits can be similar in appearance to a cleanroom suit.
Spray painting is a painting technique in which a device sprays coating material through the air onto a surface. The most common types employ compressed gas—usually air—to atomize and direct the paint particles.
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Chloroprene (IUPAC name 2-chlorobuta-1,3-diene) is a chemical compound with the molecular formula CH2=CCl−CH=CH2. Chloroprene is a colorless volatile liquid, almost exclusively used as a monomer for the production of the polymer polychloroprene, better known as neoprene, a type of synthetic rubber.
The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System is Canada's national workplace hazard communication standard. The key elements of the system, which came into effect on October 31, 1988, are cautionary labelling of containers of WHMIS controlled products, the provision of material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and worker education and site-specific training programs.
In electrical and safety engineering, hazardous locations are places where fire or explosion hazards may exist. Sources of such hazards include gases, vapors, dust, fibers, and flyings, which are combustible or flammable. Electrical equipment installed in such locations can provide an ignition source, due to electrical arcing, or high temperatures. Standards and regulations exist to identify such locations, classify the hazards, and design equipment for safe use in such locations.
A placard is a notice installed in a public place, like a small card, sign, or plaque. It can be attached to or hung from a vehicle or building to indicate information about the vehicle operator or contents of a vehicle or building. It can also refer to paperboard signs or notice carried by picketers or demonstrators.
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) is an internationally agreed-upon standard managed by the United Nations that was set up to replace the assortment of hazardous material classification and labelling schemes previously used around the world. Core elements of the GHS include standardized hazard testing criteria, universal warning pictograms, and safety data sheets which provide users of dangerous goods relevant information with consistent organization. The system acts as a complement to the UN numbered system of regulated hazardous material transport. Implementation is managed through the UN Secretariat. Although adoption has taken time, as of 2017, the system has been enacted to significant extents in most major countries of the world. This includes the European Union, which has implemented the United Nations' GHS into EU law as the CLP Regulation, and United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
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