By: Kirsten Alcock, Manager of Product Safety, email
This is a new classification to Canada that came about with the adoption of the GHS in 2015. It is not a category that existed under the old Controlled Products Regulations (CPR) where a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) was required.
It is not a category under the actual GHS classification system. It is found under the Hazardous Products Regulations, Schedule 5. Schedule 5 is where one can find the specific classification that Health Canada wanted to include in addition to those found under the Globally Harmonized System.
In Part 2 of Schedule 5, you will see the requirements that go along with this category.
As you can see, the category itself does not have a requirement for a symbol, but there is a requirement for the signal word Warning and the Hazard Statement of May displace oxygen and cause rapid suffocation.
This is not only expected to be on your Safety Data Sheet but also on your GHS compliant Label for Canada.
If you are selling a gas, this may be a new requirement for your product. It is your responsibility to ensure that your product label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) have been brought up to date to include this classification if you are dealing with one of the commonly used gases.
If you need help determining if the Simple Asphyxiant category applies to your product, contact us. Dell Tech has been in the business of authoring Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for more than 40 years. Come to the experts that have the experience you need.
Contact:
Dell Tech
Kirsten Alcock, B.Sc. (Hons)
Manager, Product Safety Group
519-858-5074
kirsten@delltech.com
Dell Tech has provided professional, confidential consulting services to the chemical specialty
industry in Canada, the USA, Europe, and Asia for the last 40 years.
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