Perception towards chemical labeling for college students in Taiwan using Globally Harmonized System

Abstract

College students’ perception towards the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), classification and labeling of chemicals, was investigated in this study. A survey was conducted using questionnaires and a sample of 1000 selected college students. The perception of traffic safety signs was also investigated for comparison. Results indicated that the students’ perception of traffic signs was much higher than the perception of the GHS despite a high agreement level that chemical labeling is important. In terms of perception on chemical labeling, students who had taken hazard communication training had better perception rates than those without such a training. By Chi-square analysis, 17 out of the 27 hazards of GHS classification had perception rates of the pictograms lower than the ISO suggested standard for a good design of signage. This may suggest that the pictogram of the GHS should not be used alone. Data analyzed by the logistic regression revealed that having received trainings on hazard communication and having previous experiences with chemical labeling were the most imperative factors. These results lead to a suggestion that training on chemical labeling should be integrated into the school curriculum.