8 March 2012- Johannesburg, South Africa: During the National Occupational Health and Safety Conference at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre, South Africa from 6 to 9 March 2012, a one-day seminar on the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) was held. The seminar was organized by the Department of Labour of South Africa in association with UNITAR/ILO.

During the seminar, participants were familiarized with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling (GHS), its purpose, objectives, scope of application, as well as with the basic elements of the GHS (labels and safety data sheets) and its relation to other international chemicals conventions.

The national OHS conference was also attended by the Labour Minister HE Mr. Mildred Oliphant, whose paper focused on interventions to reduce injuries and diseases in South Africa.

More information about the UNITAR chemical labeling programme can be found here: http://www.unitar.org/cwm/ghs.