HMIS

HMIS was created by the National Paint and Coatings Association, now the American Coatings Association, which still owns it, to help employers meet hazard communication duties. The widely used HMIS III label shows blue for health, red for flammability, orange for physical hazard, and white for the recommended protective equipment.

Numbers run from 0 for minimal hazard to 4 for severe hazard. An asterisk beside the health rating indicates a chronic hazard from long-term exposure. The white bar uses letters that correspond to a set of PPE, so a worker can see what to wear without opening the SDS.

HMIS is optional. OSHA's HazCom standard requires GHS-aligned labels, with product identifier, signal word, pictograms, hazard statements and precautionary statements. An employer who prefers HMIS can use it in addition, but it cannot replace the required elements, and the information must not conflict with them.

It is easy to confuse HMIS and NFPA 704. Both use colors and 0 to 4 numbers, but NFPA 704 is designed for emergency responders and fixed locations, while HMIS is meant for workers handling containers. The ratings are also assigned separately, so the same chemical can have different numbers in each.

The same chemical may be rated differently by different employers, because HMIS ratings are assigned by the user based on data and judgement. Training is important so workers understand what the bars mean and what they do not.