September 17, 2008 -- Welcome to the September issue of 3E HazMat Matters! Please forward this newsletter to any colleagues who might find it useful or have them request a subscription by clicking here. For information on how to opt-out, see the instructions at the end of this email.
In this Issue:
3E News
Tips N Tricks
Product News
Ask the 3Expert
Meet the 3Experts
Events
Industry Articles - News You Can Use
3E Company is proud to announce that it has received the Appreciation Award from the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (ACHMM) for the second consecutive year. The Award recognizes outstanding contributions in advancing the objectives of the Academy. 3E Company is the first and only EH&S information services company to ever receive the Award, and the only company to receive the award for two consecutive years. Please click here for more information.
3E Company also recently announced the availability of Ariel GHS Rules for SAP EH&S at ASUG Fall Focus in Nashville. Ariel GHS Rules for SAP EH&S is a new tool for SAP EH&S users which facilitates compliance with the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) by simplifying mixture classification and labeling practices. Please click here to learn more.
3E Online®-MSDS makes it easy to manage MSDSs for GLOBAL Hazard Communication compliance with robust international capabilities, including:
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MSDS search in 15 languages!
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Multi-jurisdictional MSDS management (if we don’t have the MSDS from the country you need, we’ll get it!)
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A REACH Module to determine substances subject to pre-registration based on your
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REACH role for each product and its associated tonnage
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A 3E-ARIEL REGIMPACT Module to understand the impact of global regulatory changes on your business
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Access to WHMIS Classification for satisfying Canadian requirements
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Multi-lingual access to EU labeling information (Risk & Safety Phrases)
Schedule a demo! Click here, call
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Product News...................................................................................................................
MSDgen 6.0 - NEW!
MSDgen 6.0 is now available! The latest version of the MSDgen MSDS authoring system features several REACH- and GHS- related enhancements, including:
- Enhanced GHS Auto Classify and Calc procedures. Average calculation time has been reduced by 50%.
- The addition of a new Generic Search Object entitled "GHS Acute Toxicity Estimates." This new search object in the Regulatory group shows the table used by MSDgen to determine the GHS Acute Toxicity Point Estimate in the GHS Classification Algorithms.
- Enhanced identification of carcinogenicity. Now includes the presence of substances on the ACGIH, NTP, California Proposition 65 and EU carcinogen Ariel Regulatory Lists.
- Enhanced REACHsync. The IUCLID5 export mechanism in MSDgen has been enhanced to encompass bulk pre-registration in addition to individual pre-registration. This data is imported into IUCLID5 for subsequent upload to REACH-IT. Bulk pre-registration functionality has also been added to handle a data export for direct upload to REACH-IT, bypassing the feed through IUCLID5.
- Improved REACHsync error handling. If the Legal Entity’s UUID number is missing, the user will be prompted at the time of the export.
- New location for Legal Entity’s UUID number. The number is now stored within the name/address module instead of at the substance level. The Legal Entity may be an entry in either the Manufacturer or Addresses module within MSDgen.
- New substance defintions. Users now have the ability to identify a substance as Mono-constituent, Multi-constituent, or UVCB (Substances of Unknown or Variable Composition, Complex reaction products or Biological Materials).
- New REACH Compliance Analysis Search Object. New search assists with the identification of substances requiring registration/pre-registration.
- Automated determination of envisaged registration date. Determination has been automated based on tonnage band and CMR assessment.
To request more information, please click here.
Ariel GHS Rules for SAP EH&S
The new Ariel GHS Rules for SAP EH&S facilitates GHS-compliant mixture classification and labeling. Classification is based on the physical, health and environmental hazards of the mixture.
Ariel GHS Rules for SAP EH&S considers the underlying physical, chemical, eco-toxicity, toxicity and regulatory data on the substance and mixture when performing hazard classifications. Once classification is complete, the Ariel GHS Rules provide a detailed audit trail of the decision making process. Then, labeling Rules assign the correct hazard and precautionary statements for the respective classifications.
The Ariel GHS Rules also take into account the variations in the GHS implementation in different legislative systems. The current version reflects the variations introduced in the Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese implementations. It also takes into consideration a variety of regulatory sources such as EU Directive 67/548 Risk and Safety phrases, National Toxicology Program (NTP), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) when making classification determinations.
To request more information, please click here.
Inventory Activity Summary Report for Excel Export Added to 3E Online
In addition to the recently released Inventory Activity Detail Report, we’ve now added a summary version of this report that shows by location the total number of products added to the location’s inventory, the total number of products removed, and the total number of changes. This is a quick and easy way to stay of top of which locations are managing their inventories within 3E Online.
3E Online User Interface Translated into French
The user interface for 3E Online has now been translated into French! To see the site translated into French, simply select "French" from the dropdown box on the login page and then enter your username and password.
3E Company is constantly looking to improve our operations and add new products and services to better serve you. We always appreciate hearing what's on your mind. Your feedback, suggestions and ideas are what keep us going 24 hours a day. We encourage you share your ideas and feedback by emailing info@3ecompany.com
.Tips N Tricks .........................................................................................................................
MSDgen: viewing data elements for a selected field
The MSDgen Operations center in Massillon regularly receives inquiries regarding the modification of certain data entry windows in MSDgen so that certain fields in these windows show all of the possible values for that field in a drop down list. These inquiries are usually a result of the client wanting to ensure that users have access only to a limited set of values when entering data into these fields. Although this request can certainly be accomplished, it does require a change to the system. A convenient alternative to this problem is to utilize a standard feature in MSDgen that instantly allows users to see all the data elements ever entered into the selected field. This feature is available on all material based section windows. Users can view the list from any field in the system by using the right click menu option Field Properties | Values, or by simply pressing the F5 key. Either of these operations will open the List of Values window. Here, the user will be able to see all the values entered into this field and may then highlight the appropriate data value and choose the Pick button. This will insert the selected data value into the current field of the current data entry window.
For more information on MSDgen, please contact 3E Company at
Ask the 3Expert......................................................................................................................
"When I transfer gasoline from a fuel tank on an engine to a storage container I was told I need to 'bond and ground.' What exactly does that mean, and is it necessary regardless of the volume transferred?"
Bonding and grounding are two distinct, non-interchangeable electrical safeguards used together to reduce the potential for electrical sparking, arcing, and shock. When you transfer gasoline, a flammable liquid, proper grounding and bonding will dramatically reduce the potential for release of a static spark that could cause the gasoline to ignite.
When gasoline is pumped through a hose or is poured from one vessel to another, the potential exists for developing an electrical charge or static electricity (just as when your shoes are scuffed across carpeting).
Bonding is creating an electrical connection between two containers, allowing the electrical charge to move from one to the other - equalizing the charge and decreasing the potential for sparking or arcing. This is typically accomplished by connecting the two containers with a conductive wire or cable.
Grounding is the process of bonding a container to the earth, often through the electrical or plumbing system of a permanent structure but sometimes through a rod driven directly into the ground. The earth absorbs the electrical charge and eliminates the static charge.
In your situation, a bonding cable would be connected to the tank and the container, and either the tank or the container would be connected by a cable to a ground connection. Any charge that develops during gasoline transfer would then flow through both containers and harmlessly out into the ground.
Bonding and grounding should always be used together to ensure that the potential for a sudden, unanticipated electrical spark, is reduced as much as possible.
The greater the volume and duration of liquid transfer, the greater the potential for developing sufficient charge to create a static spark. Therefore it is prudent to bond and ground whenever possible, especially if transferring more than 3.8 liters (approximately one gallon) of flammable liquids.
For more information on this topic, you may wish to reference IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards, from which best practices are derived. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations relevant to bonding and grounding may be found in 29 CFR 1910.106.
--- Billy Rogers
Billy Rogers is the Team Lead in the 3E Company's Hazardous Materials Response Team (HRT), which facilitates spill clean up, and provides advice, instruction, support and agency reporting for clients when they have HazMat spills.
Have a question for our experts? Please send it to asktheexperts@3ecompany.com and it might be featured in an upcoming newsletter!
This month's featured employee is Tammy Steinert, Senior MSDS Author. As one of 3E Company's MSDS authoring experts, Ms. Steinert is responsible for the creation of complex 
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), including those that require chemical expertise and understanding of chemical compositions and associated reactions. To accomplish this, Ms. Steinert utilizes her vast chemical expertise to create chemical compositions based on chemical ingredients and analyzes chemical compositions to determine final product compositions.
Ms. Steinert has extensive experience with SAP, WERCS, and ProSteward MSDS authoring platforms. She also has ten years of experience in International Dangerous Goods Regulations and more than five years experience in Product Safety compliance.
Prior to joining 3E Company, Ms. Steinert worked as a Regulatory Compliance Specialist II at Ciba Corporation where she authored MSDSs, completed TSCA Premanufacturing Notification, provided Emergency Response Phone Coverage for transportation incidents and was the Water Paper Treatment NAFTA Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor. She also previously held the position of Support Supervisor at Atlantic Container line, where she specialized in international dangerous goods transportation.
"I enjoy helping our customers achieve compliance with the ever changing global MSDS and Labeling Regulations. The scattered implementation of GHS intertwined with each country’s existing regulations has made the compliance matrix tricky to navigate. I like that we are able to help our customers stay up to date and be confident that they can stay in compliance as their business expands globally. I am also excited to expand my role to include TSCA services. This service will help our customers feel comfortable with their Compliance Solutions," said Ms. Steinert.
Ms. Steinert is a graduate of Radford University with a BS in chemistry and a minor in math. She is currently attending classes at Concord Law School. When she is not working or attending class, she enjoys spending time with her family.
Events.............................................................................................................................CONFERENCES
Please come visit 3E at the following upcoming shows:
Chemical Notification World Summit
September 15-17, 2008
Location: Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, VA
Chicagoland Safety & Health Conference
September 15-18, 2008
Location: Northern Illinois University, Naperville Campus, IL
SCHC 2008 Fall Meeting
September 23, 2008
Location: Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA
NSC Congress & Expo
September 22-24, 2008
Location: Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
RILA Environmental Sustainability & Compliance Conference 2008
September 22-24, 2008
Location: Embassy Suites, Dallas-Frisco, Frisco, TX
EEI Fall 2008 Occupational Safety & Health Conference
October 5-7, 2008
Location: Renaissance Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
Clean Gulf
October 28-30, 2008
Location: Henry Gonalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
UPCOMING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
NSC Congress & Expo
September 22-24, 2008
Location: Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
Session: CSR Initiatives and EH&S Regulatory Compliance
Speaker: Robert Christie, Chief Executive Officer
Date: Wednesday, September 24
Time: 1:00 p.m.
WEB SEMINARS
Please join us on September 18th for a Web Seminar on Corporate Leadership: Sustainable Management Systems and Market-Expanding Environmental Partnerships.
Many factors in the global political economy are converging to impact corporate opportunities. These include:
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Resource scarcity and increased competition for limited resources
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Primary geographic focus of demand growth is outside the United States and OECD
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Expanding "green" customer and supply chain requirements and expectations
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New emerging categories of business risk which are material, including climate change and water.
On September 18th, 3E will present Hank Habicht, a 3E Board Member who has served as Deputy Administrator of U.S. EPA, Senior Vice President of Safety Kleen, CEO of the Global Environment & Technology Foundation, and Managing Partner of SAIL Venture Partners, a fast-growing clean technology venture fund. His focus will be on the critical success factors for corporate leadership in environment, health, safety, and resource management in the years ahead. He will also emphasize the opportunities presented by partnerships with public and private entities in both the developed and developing world. Areas of focus include:
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Opportunities in emerging clean technology markets
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Applications of ISO14000 principles to business operations
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Impact of initiatives such as REACH
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Addressing dynamics of changing corporate culture
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Opportunities for partnerships to build markets and market share.
Mr. Habicht will leave ample time for questions and discussion.
This web seminar has been approved for Certification Maintenance Points (CMP) through the IHMM and is pending approval through ABIH.
When: September 18th, 2008
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Pacific
Cost: No Cost
How: Internet
Register: Here (please note that the last day to register is September 17th)
Industry Articles: News You Can Use..................................................................................
From ECHA
Guidance on Information Requirements and Chemical Safety Assessment
Guidance on inclusion of substances in Annex XIV
From eMaxHealth.com
New rules on pesticide residues to strengthen food safety in the European Union
From Environmental Expert
Three more hazardous chemicals up for review in New Zealand
From OH&S Magazine
North Carolina passes pesticide exposure bill by a landslide
From NSC
OSHA issue instruction for lead exposure
Proposed rule revisits list of hazardous materials
From SOCMA
Non-EU companies should monitor REACH candidate lists
California Legislature Passes Toxics Bills
EPA Releases Risk-Based Prioritization Evaluations for 29 HPV Chemicals