How are Product Hazard Ratings assigned?

This guidance article explains how Product Hazard Ratings (PHRs) are assigned to chemical products in the RBA's Chemical Platform based on data derived from Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), in accordance with the standardized Facility Risk Rating Methodology of the Chemical Platform. For full details on this methodology, please reference the guidance article ‘How are Facility Risk Ratings calculated?’.

When a SDS of a chemical product is uploaded to the Chemical Inventory of a facility in the Chemical Platform, it is automatically parsed to capture key data points (e.g., H-Codes from Section 2, CAS numbers from Section 3) and assign a Product Hazard Rating to the chemical product.

The process of assigning PHRs based on SDS data is depicted in the flowchart below:

PHRs are based on formulation-level hazard data derived from Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)5F information disclosed in chemical products’ SDSs and ingredient-level hazard data derived from ChemFORWARD Hazard Band ratings based on comprehensive, best-in-class chemical hazard assessments (CHAs). Using codified GHS hazard statements (H-codes) contained in Section 2: Hazard Identification of SDSs, formulation-level hazards are assigned hazard ratings of ‘Very Low’ through ‘Very High’ (quantified as ‘1’ through ‘5’) based on Table 1. Using substance CAS numbers contained in Section 3: Composition/Information on Ingredients of SDSs, ingredient-level hazards are assigned hazard ratings of ‘Very Low’ through ‘Very High’ (quantified as ‘1’ through ‘5’) using ChemFORWARD Hazard Band ratings based on Table 2. The highest hazard rating between all formulation-level hazard ratings and all ingredient-level hazard ratings is assigned as the PHR of the chemical product.

Table 1: Formulation-level Hazard Ratings

Hazard Class	Hazard Category, Sub-Category	H-Codes	Hazard Rating
Explosives	Division 1.1	H201	Moderate (3)
Explosives	Division 1.2	H202	Moderate (3)
Explosives	Division 1.3	H203	Moderate (3)
Explosives	Division 1.4	H204	Low (2)
Explosives	Division 1.5	H205	Very Low (1)
Explosives	Division 1.6	None	Very Low (1)
Explosives	Unstable Explosive	H200	High (4)
Flammable gases	Category 1A, Flammable gas	H220	High (4)
Flammable gases	Category 1A, Pyrophoric gas	H220, H232	High (4)
Flammable gases	Category 1A, Chemically unstable gas A	H220, H230	High (4)
Flammable gases	Category 1A, Chemically unstable gas B	H220, H231	High (4)
Flammable gases	Category 1B	H221	Moderate (3)
Flammable gases	Category 2	H221	Low (2)
Aerosols	Category 1	H222, H229	Moderate (3)
Aerosols	Category 2	H223, H229	Moderate (3)
Aerosols	Category 3	H229	Low (2)
Gases under pressure	Compressed gas	H280	Low (2)
Gases under pressure	Dissolved gas	H280	Low (2)
Gases under pressure	Liquefied gas	H280	Low (2)
Gases under pressure	Refrigerated liquefied gas	H281	Low (2)
Flammable liquids	Category 1	H224	High (4)
Flammable liquids	Category 2	H225	Moderate (3)
Flammable liquids	Category 3	H226	Low (2)
Flammable liquids	Category 4	H227	Very Low (1)
Flammable solids	Category 1	H228	Moderate (3)
Flammable solids	Category 2	H228	Low (2)
Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Type A	H240	High (4)
Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Type B	H241	High (4)
Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Type C	H242	Moderate (3)
Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Type D	H242	Moderate (3)
Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Type E	H242	Low (2)
Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Type F	H242	Low (2)
Self-reactive substances and mixtures	Type G	None	Low (2)
Pyrophoric liquids	Category 1	H250	Moderate (3)
Pyrophoric solids	Category 1	H250	Moderate (3)
Self-heating substances and mixtures	Category 1	H251	Moderate (3)
Self-heating substances and mixtures	Category 2	H252	Low (2)
Substances and mixtures, which in contact with water, emit flammable gases	Category 1	H260	Moderate (3)
Substances and mixtures, which in contact with water, emit flammable gases	Category 2	H261	Low (2)
Substances and mixtures, which in contact with water, emit flammable gases	Category 3	H261	Low (2)
Oxidizing gases	Category 1	H270	Moderate (3)
Oxidizing liquids	Category 1	H271	Moderate (3)
Oxidizing liquids	Category 2	H272	Low (2)
Oxidizing liquids	Category 3	H272	Very Low (1)
Oxidizing solids	Category 1	H271	Moderate (3)
Oxidizing solids	Category 2	H272	Low (2)
Oxidizing solids	Category 3	H272	Very Low (1)
Organic peroxides	Type A	H240	High (4)
Organic peroxides	Type B	H241	High (4)
Organic peroxides	Type C	H242	Moderate (3)
Organic peroxides	Type D	H242	Moderate (3)
Organic peroxides	Type E	H242	Low (2)
Organic peroxides	Type F	H242	Low (2)
Organic peroxides	Type G	None	Low (2)
Corrosive to metals	Category 1	H290	Low (2)
Desensitized explosives	Category 1	H206	Moderate (3)
Desensitized explosives	Category 2	H207	Moderate (3)
Desensitized explosives	Category 3	H207	Low (2)
Desensitized explosives	Category 4	H208	Low (2)
Acute toxicity	Dermal, Category 1	H310	Very High (5)
Acute toxicity	Dermal, Category 2	H310	High (4)
Acute toxicity	Dermal, Category 3	H311	Moderate (3)
Acute toxicity	Dermal, Category 4	H312	Low (2)
Acute toxicity	Dermal, Category 5	H313	Very Low (1)
Acute toxicity	Inhalation, Category 1	H330	Very High (5)
Acute toxicity	Inhalation, Category 2	H330	High (4)
Acute toxicity	Inhalation, Category 3	H331	Moderate (3)
Acute toxicity	Inhalation, Category 4	H332	Low (2)
Acute toxicity	Inhalation, Category 5	H333	Very Low (1)
Acute toxicity	Oral, Category 1	H300	High (4)
Acute toxicity	Oral, Category 2	H300	Moderate (3)
Acute toxicity	Oral, Category 3	H301	Low (2)
Acute toxicity	Oral, Category 4	H302	Very Low (1)
Acute toxicity	Oral, Category 5	H303	Very Low (1)
Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 1	H314	High (4)
Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 1A	H314	High (4)
Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 1B	H314	High (4)
Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 1C	H314	High (4)
Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 2	H315	Moderate (3)
Skin corrosion/irritation	Category 3	H316	Low (2)
Serious eye damage/eye irritation	Category 1	H318	High (4)
Serious eye damage/eye irritation	Category 2	H319	Moderate (3)
Serious eye damage/eye irritation	Category 2A	H319	Moderate (3)
Serious eye damage/eye irritation	Category 2B	H320	Low (2)
Respiratory sensitization	Category 1	H334	High (4)
Respiratory sensitization	Category 1A	H334	High (4)
Respiratory sensitization	Category 1B	H334	High (4)
Skin sensitization	Category 1	H317	High (4)
Skin sensitization	Category 1A	H317	High (4)
Skin sensitization	Category 1B	H317	High (4)
Germ cell mutagenicity	Category 1	H340	Very High (5)
Germ cell mutagenicity	Category 1A	H340	Very High (5)
Germ cell mutagenicity	Category 1B	H340	Very High (5)
Germ cell mutagenicity	Category 2	H341	High (4)
Carcinogenicity	Category 1	H350	Very High (5)
Carcinogenicity	Category 1A	H350	Very High (5)
Carcinogenicity	Category 1B	H350	Very High (5)
Carcinogenicity	Category 2	H351	High (4)
Reproductive toxicity	Additional category for effects on or via lactation	H362	High (4)
Reproductive toxicity	Category 1	H360	Very High (5)
Reproductive toxicity	Category 1A	H360	Very High (5)
Reproductive toxicity	Category 1B	H360	Very High (5)
Reproductive toxicity	Category 2	H361	High (4)
Specific target organ toxicity – single exposure	Category 3, Narcotic effects	H336	Low (2)
Specific target organ toxicity – single exposure	Category 3, Respiratory tract irritation	H335	Low (2)
Specific target organ toxicity – single exposure	Category 1	H370	High (4)
Specific target organ toxicity – single exposure	Category 2	H371	Moderate (3)
Specific target organ toxicity – repeated exposure	Category 1	H372	High (4)
Specific target organ toxicity – repeated exposure	Category 2	H373	Moderate (3)
Aspiration hazard	Category 1	H304	High (4)
Aspiration hazard	Category 2	H305	Moderate (3)
Hazardous to aquatic environment, long-term	Chronic 1	H410	Moderate (3)
Hazardous to aquatic environment, long-term	Chronic 2	H411	Low (2)
Hazardous to aquatic environment, long-term	Chronic 3	H412	Very Low (1)
Hazardous to aquatic environment, long-term	Chronic 4	H413	Very Low (1)
Hazardous to aquatic environment, short term	Acute 1	H400	Moderate (3)
Hazardous to aquatic environment, short term	Acute 2	H401	Low (2)
Hazardous to aquatic environment, short term	Acute 3	H402	Very Low (1)
Hazardous to the ozone layer	Category 1	H420	High (4)

Table 2: Ingredient-level Hazard Ratings

Note – If a chemical product’s SDS doesn’t disclose any CAS numbers for ingredients or H-Codes for the formulation, a Product Hazard Rating of Very Low (1) is assigned to the chemical product.

Note – If substances result in ChemFORWARD Hazard Band ratings of “U” or “?”, ingredient-level hazard ratings of Moderate (3) are assigned to those substances to avoid over- or under-rating such substances and ChemFORWARD uses this information to help prioritize future development of CHAs.

Within the Chemical Inventory of a facility in the Chemical Platform, the PHRs of chemical products are listed in the ‘Hazard’ column as illustrated below.

product safety rating method product hazard hazard rating chemical chemforward cas h-code

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