CHICAGO — Grainger, a leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products, is offering support and tools to help customers meet the Dec. 1, 2013 training requirements for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) new Globally Harmonized System (GHS) standard for hazard communication.

OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is adopting GHS to provide a single set of criteria for classifying chemicals according to their health and physical hazards, and to bring consistency to the labels and data sheets designed to communicate those hazards. The modified U.S. standard will create global alignment among other OSHA standards and federal U.S. agency regulations. In anticipation of this change, and as an initial step, OSHA requires all U.S. workers who produce or handle hazardous chemicals be trained on the new label elements and format by Dec. 1, 2013.

“This is a significant change for dealing with hazardous chemicals, and it will take time for businesses and workers nationwide to adjust accordingly,” said Nino Granatiero, vice president of Grainger’s safety strategy. “Grainger is working with customers to help ensure their employees are trained to understand the changes. We have the tools and resources to assist organizations in the process toward overall compliance, whether they are in the final stages of meeting the December 1 deadline or are just beginning to work toward that goal.”