Product Safety Code | Responsible Care

Product Safety Management Priority Scheme Hazard Assessment Matrix

Endpoint assessed	Very Low Hazard Potential: Score 1	Low Hazard Potential: Score 2	Medium Hazard Potential: Score 3	High hazard potential: Score 4
Acute oral toxicity	GHS cat 5 LD50 > 2000 mg/kg bw	GHS cat 4 LD50 > 300 ≤ 2000 mg/kg bw	GHS cat 2 and 3 LD50 > 5 ≤ 300 mg/kg bw	GHS cat 1 LD50 ≤ 5 mg/kg bw
Acute dermal toxicity	GHS cat 5 LD50 > 2000 mg/kg bw	GHS cat 4 LD50 > 1000 ≤ 2000 mg/kg bw	GHS cat 2 and 3 LD50 > 50 ≤ 1000 mg/kg bw	GHS cat 1 LD50 ≤ 50 mg/kg bw
Acute inhalation toxicity	GHS cat 5 LC50 > 5000 ppm (gas), or > 20 mg/L Vapor, or > 5 mg/L dust aerosol	GHS cat 4 LC50 > 2500 ≤ 5000 ppm (gas), or > 10 ≤ 20 mg/L Vapor, or > 1 ≤ 5 mg/L dust aerosol	GHS cat 2 and 3 LC50 > 100 ≤ 2500 ppm (gas), or > 0.5 ≤ 10 mg/L Vapor, or > 0.05 ≤ 1 mg/L dust aerosol	GHS cat 1 LC50 ≤ 100 ppm (gas), or 0.5 mg/L Vapor, or 0.05 mg/L dust aerosol
Specific target organ effects after single exposure	Not classified no specific target organ effects observed	GHS SE Cat. 3 reversible acute target organ effects in humans or animals or respiratory tract irritation.	GHS STOT SE Cat. 2: Severe target organ toxicity. Human evidence or: oral rat > 300 mg/kg ≤ 2000 mg/kg; dermal rat or rabbit: > 1000 ≤ 2000 mg/kg; 4 h inh. Rat > 2500 ≤ 20,000 ppm (gas), or > 10 ; mg/L ≤ 20 mg/L vapor, or > 1 ≤ 5 mg/L dust, aerosol	GHS STOT SE category 1: human evidence or severe effects observed at ≤300 mg/kg oral rat, ≤ 1000 mg/kg dermal rat or rabbit, ≤ 2500 ppm rat 4 h gas or ≤ 10 mg/L vapour rat 4 h, or ≤ 1 mg/L 4 h rat dust, aerosol
Irritation skin	Not irritating	GHS cat 3 irritant, animal 4 h reversible ≥ 1.5 < 2.3 for erythema/eschar in 2 of 3 animals and GHS cat 2 irritant, animal: 4h exposure rev. damage mean ≥ 2.3 <4 erythema, eschar or edema, or inflamation persisting in 2 of 3 animals, or surrogate valid data	UN GHS cat 1 A/B/C skin corrosive: animal irreversible damage to skin after up to 4 h of exposure or surrogate data
Irritation eye	Not irritating	UN GHS 3 mild irritant: fully reversible lesions in animals within 7 days or human experience and UN GHS cat 2A animal corneal opacity ≥ 1 < 3, or Iritis ≥ 1 < 3 or conjuctival redness or chemosis ≥ 2 in 2 of 3 animals, or surrogate data	UN GHS cat 1 eye corrosive: animal irreversible damage to eye or cornea opacity ≥ 3 and or iritis > 1.5 in 2 of 3 animals, or surrogate data
Sensitization respiratory and skin	Not sensitizing	CLP cat 1B weak animal skin sensitizer, or good epidemiological evidence that no human sensitizer	UN GHS cat 1, CLP cat 1A or 1 strong Skin sensitizer or potency cannot be assessed: positive animal tests or human experience	UN cat 1 Respiratory sensitizer mostly based on human evidence
Mutagenicity	Not mutagenic in at least 3 in vitro assays, or if positive, proof that not mutagenic in vivo for the relevant genetic endpoint	positive in one in vitro assay and no in vivo data available.	UN GHS Cat. 2 positive in vivo genotoxicity assays in somatic cells	UN GHS cat 1 A/B Known germ cell mutagen
Carcinogenicity	Not classified based on sufficient data	No data on carcinogenicity and absence of indications in repeated dose and mutagenicity tests.	UN GHS cat. 2 suspected carcinogen based on limited data or threshold mode of action demosntrated	UN GHS cat 1 A/B known or presumed human carcinogen, animal carcinogen
Repeated dose toxicity	No effects at the limit dose for repeated dose studies: 1000 mg/kg/d oral and.or dermal, rat, inhal, 6 h/d, 5d/week: 20000 ppm (gas), 20 mg/L vapor; 5 mg/L dust or aerosol or at the saturation or maximum attainable conc.	Effects not classifyable under UN GHS, but observed below a limit dose of 1000 mg/kg bw/d for repeated dose exposures via the oral and dermal route, for inhalation 6 h/d 5d/week rat: < 20,000 ppm (gas), < 20 mg/L for vapours, < 5 mg/L dust, aerosol; or below the saturation conc or max attainable conc. for inhalation studies.	UN GHS, CLP STOT cat 2. Human experience or animal studies based on 90d exposure severe target organ effects observed at > 10, ≤ 100 mg/kg bw/d oral rat; > 20, ≤ 200 mg/kg/d dermal rat or rabbit; inhalation rat 6 h/d 5d/week: > 50, ≤ 250 ppm (gas) or > 0.2, ≤ 1 mg/L (vapour) or > 0.02, ≤ 0.2 mg/L dust or aerosol. (for 28 d exposure :3)	GHS cat 1 CLP STOT cat 1. Specific target organ toxicity. Human evidence or animal studies based on 90d exposure severe target organ effects observed at ≤ 10 mg/kg bw/d oral rat; 20 mg/kg/d dermal rat or rabbit; inhalation rat 6 h/d 5d/week: ≤ 50 ppm (gas) or ≤ 0.2 mg/L (vapour) or ≤ 0.02 mg/L dust or aerosol. (for 28 d exposure :3)
Toxicity to reproduction fertility	No effects in adequate studies.	Not classified, but some specific effects at NOAEL > 300 ≤ 1000 mg/kg bw	UN GHS cat. 2 . NOAEL > 1 ≤ 100 mg/kg bw/d (ICCA)	UN GHS category 1 A/B for fertility. Human evidence or animal studies. NOAEL ≤ 1 mg/kg bw/d (ICCA)
Toxicity to reproduction developmental and lactation	No effects in adequate studies.	Not classified, but some specific effects at NOAEL > 300 ≤ 1000 mg/kg bw	UN GHS cat. 2 . NOAEL > 1 ≤ 100 mg/kg bw/d (ICCA)	UN GHS category 1 A/B for fertility. Human evidence or animal studies. NOAEL ≤ 1 mg/kg bw/d (ICCA)
Acute ecotoxiicty (aquatic)	No classification. No acute toxicity at or above 100 mg/L or at solubility limit	UN GHS Cat 3. EC50, daphnia 48 h > 10, ≤ 100 mg/L or EC50, 72 h growth rate algae > 10, ≤ 100, or LC50 96 h fish > 10, ≤ 100	UN GHS Cat 2. EC50, daphnia 48 h > 1, ≤ 10 mg/L or EC50, 72 h growth rate algae > 1, ≤ 10, or LC50 96 h fish > 1, ≤ 10	UN GHS Cat 1. EC50, daphnia 48 h ≤ 1 mg/L or EC50, 72 h growth rate algae ≤ 1 mg/L or LC50 96 h fish ≤ 1 mg/l
Chronic toxicity aquatic	Not classified or Cat 4: if poorly soluble and no acute toxicity up to solubility limit and not rapidly biodegradable or BCF ≥ 500, or log Kow ≥ 4 unless chronic NOECs are > 1 mg/L	UN GHS Cat 3. EC50, daphnia 48 h > 10, ≤ 100 mg/L or EC50, 72 h growth rate algae > 10, ≤ 100, or LC50 96 h fish > 10, ≤ 100 and not rapidly biodegradable or BCF ≥ 500, or log Kow ≥ 4 unless chronic NOECs are > 1 mg/L	UN GHS Cat 2. EC50, daphnia 48 h > 1, ≤ 10 mg/L or EC50, 72 h growth rate algae > 1, ≤ 10, or LC50 96 h fish > 1, ≤ 10 and not rapidly biodegradable or BCF ≥ 500, or log Kow ≥ 4 unless chronic NOECs are > 1 mg/L	UN GHS Cat 1. EC50, daphnia 48 h ≤ 1 mg/L or EC50, 72 h growth rate algae ≤ 1 mg/L or LC50 96 h fish ≤ 1 mg/l and not rapidly biodegradable or BCF ≥ 500, or log Kow ≥ 4
Flammability (flah point FP)	UN GHS level 4: FP > 60 deg. C, ≤ 93 deg. C or higher	UN GHS level 3: FP > 23 deg. C but ≤ 60 deg. C	UN GHS level 2FP ≤ 23 deg C and initial boiling point > 35 deg. C	UN GHS level 1FP ≤ 23 deg C and initial boiling point ≤ 35 deg. C
Reactivity	No reactivity	unstable when heated or under pressure, not reactive with water	Unstable, detonable, reactive with water	Readily detonates or explodes and decomposes under normal temperature and pressure.

Exposure Ranking Tool

Product Safety Management Priority Scheme Exposure Assessment Matrix

Criterion	Very Low Exposure Potential: Score 1	Low Exposure Potential: Score 2	Medium Exposure Potential: Score 3	High Exposure Potential: Score 4
Tonnage produced or imported mt/year	10 to 100	100 to 1000	1000 to 10,000	> 10,000
PB properies (based on EU criteria Annex XIII REACH)	not P, not B	B or P (but not if P is due to metal or inorganic character)	P and B	vPvB
Use	Intermediate only: Emission control, closed/strictly controlled system	Industrial: Emission control, technical measures, organisation wide	Professional, skilled trade: Emission of substance not intended, in matrix, adhesives, coatings etc.	Consumer use or intentional releases
Sum of score	≤ 3	4 to 6	7 to 9	8 to 12
Resulting environmental score: Division of upper limit of range by 3	1	2	3	4

Screening Level Risk Assessment Score

Prioritization Scheme Based on Hazard and Exposure Scores

	Exposure Score
Hazard Score	1	2	3	4
1	2	3	4	5
2	3	4	5	6
3	4	5	6	7
4	5	6	7	8

High Priority	7 and 8
Medium Priority	5 and 6
Low Priority	3 and 4
Very Low Priority	2

Risk Management and Communication

Risk Management and Communication in the Value Chain
Forms of communication with the value chain is dependent upon mechanism chosen for risk management which is primarily the result of the degree of risk identified.

Safety Data Sheets
The hazards and basic mechanisms for dealing with the identified hazards are communicated to all customers via Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). All Safety Data Sheets include phone numbers, email address, and physical addresses where customers can direct questions they may have concerning information provided on each product. Thus direct communication is always available on the hazards and risk of each product.

Voluntary Emission Control Action Program (VECAP)
Albemarle is committed to minimizing risk from leakage, personnel exposure and environmental impact associated with the distribution and use of brominated flame retardants. This program includes: 1) requirements of the customer in handling and using brominated flame retardants, and 2) services offered by Albemarle to assist customers in utilizing brominated flame retardants in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner. The program includes sharing the following with customers; 1) best practices for storing and unloading bags, 2) best practices for unloading tote bins, 3) customer evaluation and baseline potential emission calculations, and 4) customer service (training and design/engineering support. VECAP is a global voluntary initiative.

Distribution Risk Assessments
Albemarle has established a Distribution Risk Assessment Team (DRAT) to evaluate new and existing systems for transportation of hazardous products. The DRAT conducts Vulnerability Assessments on the distribution and value chain activities for all hazardous products. A hazard ranking process identifies both new and existing raw materials and final products to be considered for DRAT evaluation. These identified raw materials or final products are then further prioritized by exposure criteria and then combining the two to determine an overall risk ranking. The DRAT conducts an overall evaluation of the shipping process and prepares recommendations, if necessary, to the overall risk of the material shipping process.

US Significant New Use Rule Compliance
Where products in the United States are regulated by a Significant New Use Rule (SNUR), new customers are sent a letter summarizing the requirements under the SNUR. Since EPA has determined these products require some form of risk management when handled in the United States, this additional communication is provided on these products. Again these letters contain a name and phone number to contact for further information on those requirements. Again this process provides an open line of communication for the customer on these products where they have questions.

Product Stewardship Programs
For certain products or families of products, Albemarle has determine the hazards or risks of the product warrant a high degree of stewardship with downstream customers. For these products a Product Stewardship Manual is written which details the stewardship activities for each of the products or groups of products. These Product Stewardship programs are led by the Product Manager for the product and executed by different company resources depending upon the activity. The products stewardship program for the products may include equipment specifications, qualifications for carriers, customer handling and use instructions and emergency response mechanisms. Communications to customers for these products is through audits of the handling facilities at the customer locations, documentation of incidents and the investigation of the incidents, and customer visits for on-site review of the proper equipment, facilities and handling as laid out by the Product Stewardship program.