The final regulation modifying the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard to adopt the Globally Harmonized System has been published and the key deadlines for U.S. American companies to come into compliance are now clear:

• Employers must train employees on the label and SDS elements by 1 Dec 2013.
• A GHS safety data sheet (SDS) and label must be provided for all hazardous materials, both substances and mixtures, by 1 June 2015.
• An additional 6 months, until 1 Dec 2015, is allowed for distributors to relabel containers they receive close to the compliance deadline for GHS labels.
• Final updates to hazard communication programs or other workplace signs will close out the adoption of the GHS approach on 1 June 2016.

OSHA has dubbed the HazCom 2012 rules "Right-to-Understand"  in order to emphasize the benefits of harmonized and standardized elements in improving the Right-to-Know systems currently in place.