What are the Different Environmental Hazard Classes?

When learning about the different types of hazards in the workplace, one common category is environmental hazards. This is a common phrase used in many different areas of workplace safety, including the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, or GHS. Learning about the different categories of environmental hazards will help to ensure you know how to label the chemicals in your facility as well as how to keep your facility (and the surrounding environment) as safe as possible.

There are two main hazard classes under the environmental category for GHS. Acute aquatic toxicity and chronic aquatic toxicity. While these are the two main classes of environmental hazards, there are a variety of other categories of hazards that can impact the surrounding environment. For example, any chemical that represents a fire hazard could be a risk to the environment. Even though a fire may not impact the aquatic environment, it can still have a major impact on the surrounding area.

All workplace safety efforts must include making an effort toward protecting the environment. This is because the surrounding environment, and especially the surrounding water supplies, are used by both people and wildlife throughout the area. In addition to being dangerous to living things in the area, the environmental damage caused by a company can result in huge expenses related to cleanup and lawsuits both today and for many years to come. So, in addition to being the right thing to do, it makes business sense to take all types of environmental hazards seriously and eliminate them when possible.