Global harmonized system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global harmonized system - Essay Example Initially, countries venturing into the trade of chemicals used their symbols to represent different classifications. For example, different countries developed their own symbols for acute toxicity in different chemicals. However, this proved to be challenging during trade as the symbol was probably used for a different level of toxicity. As a result, the importing country would not apply the necessary. From the Global Harmonized System classification scheme, acute toxicity is classified under health hazards. Toxicity may be transmitted through oral methods, dermal methods or through inhalation (Kutz. 2009). The standardized symbol for acute toxicity is a skull with cross bones, or an exclamation mark. The exclamation mark applies in chemical hazards that may cause damage to specific body organs. This will allow countries exporting and importing acutely toxic substances to understand the necessary precautions to be applied, in countries that have implemented the Global Harmonized Sys tem.The acute toxicity grid was designed by the United Nation to help in the monitoring of effects of oral or dermal administration of multiple or single dose of a substance within a period of 24 hours. If a chemical substance has an oral LD50 of 295 mg/kg body weight, the GHS category for acute toxicity is category 3(United Nations, 2007). This is because it is close to the maximum range mark of 300 mg/kg body weight. The inhalation LD50 range that will give a category 3 classification for acute toxicity is 50-300 mg/kg body weight.