Comprehension of labels of hazardous chemical household products among consumers
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study investigated the comprehension of chemical hazard labels according to the globally harmonized system of classification and labeling of chemicals (GHS), aiming to determine the factors associated with comprehension of GHS labels. The study participants included 310 Bangkok residents. Individuals were surveyed regarding demographics, use of hazardous chemical household products, and perceptions and comprehension of GHS labels. The results indicated that only 11.9% of the participants had a proficient level of correct perception of GHS labels, and 11.6% possessed a proficient level of comprehension. A significant association was found between proficient perception of the GHS labels, employment in government or private sectors, and comprehension of the GHS labels. This study's results can be used to develop more effective risk communication strategies that effectively convey product hazards to consumers, thereby reducing potential dangers from hazardous chemical household products.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Arbastan, H. G., & Gitipour, S. (2022). Evaluating the consequences of household hazardous waste diversion on public health and ecological risks of leachate exposure. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 19(5), 4407–4420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04063-5
Çelebi, H., Bahadır, T., Şimşek, İ., & Tulun, Ş. (2021). Coronavirus (COVID-19): What could be the environmental effects of disinfectant use in the Pandemic? Medical Sciences Forum, 4(1), Article 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/ECERPH-3-08981
Child Safety Promotion and Prevention Research Center and Ramathibodi Poison Center. (2018). Guide to safe use of household cleaning products. Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital.
Dalvie, M. A., Rother, H.-A., & London, L. (2014). Chemical hazard communication comprehensibility in South Africa: Safety implications for the adoption of the globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals. Safety Science, 61, 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2013.07.013
Department of Industrial Works. (1992). Hazardous substance act B.E. 2535. Department of Industrial Works.
Dewey, H. M., Jones, J. M., Keating, M. R., & Budhathoki-Uprety, J. (2022). Increased use of disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impacts on health and safety. ACS Chemical Health and Safety, 29(1), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.1c00026
European Commission. (2011). Consumer understanding of labels and the safe use of chemicals. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/872
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A.-G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 1149–1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149
Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Performance according to key indicators of the food and drug Administration for the fiscal year 2020. Food and Drug Administration. [in Thai]
Gungor, C. (2024). Evaluating the impact of safety pictogram training on comprehension scores and knowledge retention among engineering students. Journal of Safety Science and Resilience, 5(3), 317–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnlssr.2024.05.003
Handcock, H. E., Rogers, W. A., Schroeder, D., & Fisk, A. D. (2004). Safety symbol comprehension: Effects of symbol type, familiarity, and age. Human Factors, 46(2), 183–195. https://doi.org/10.1518/hfes.46.2.183.37344
Hesse, R. G., Steele, N. H., Kalsher, M. J., & Mont'alvao, C. (2010). Evaluating hazard symbols for the globally harmonized system (GHS) for hazard communication. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 54(21), 1832–1836. https://doi.org/10.1177/154193121005402101
Jahangiri, M., Omidvary, F., Amirikhorasani, M. & Maghsoudi, A. (2018). A comparison study of perceptions towards chemical hazard warning signs in old and globally harmonized system (GHS) among chemical workers in Shiraz, Iran. Iran Occupational Health, 15(5), 1–9. http://ioh.iums.ac.ir/article-1-2236-en.html [Persian]
Kalsher, M. J., & Mont’Alvão, C. (2010). Communicating risk in a global economy: Emerging issues associated with the globally harmonized system (GHS) for labeling hazardous chemicals. Proceedings of the 10th Ergodesign, 2010, 1–17. http://www.leui.dad.puc-rio.br/arquivosartigos/kalsher_montalvao_ergodesignusihc_2010.pdf
Kathare, M., Julander, A., Erfani, B., & Schenk, L. (2022). An overview of cleaning agents’ health hazards and occupational injuries and diseases attributed to them in Sweden. Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 66(6), 741–753. https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxac006
Koulaouzidou, E. A., Tsitsimpikou, C., Nikolaidis, A. K., Karanasiou, C., Foufa, E., & Tsarouhas, K. (2020). Safe use of chemicals and risk communication among dentists and dental students in Greece. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 36(6), 427–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/0748233720933062
Laughery, K. R., & Wogalter, M. S. (2014). A three-stage model summarizes product warning and environmental sign research. Safety Science, 61, 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2011.02.012
Lesch, M. F. (2003). Comprehension and memory for warning symbols: Age-related differences and impact of training. Journal of Safety Research, 34(5), 495–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2003.05.003
Mehrifar, Y., Ramezanifar, S., Khazaei, P., Azimian, A., Khadiv, E., Dargahi-Gharehbagh, O., & Sahlabadi, A. S. (2023). Safety culture and perception of warning signs of chemical hazards among hospital cleaning workers: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 23, Article 817. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15726-4
Meyer, S., Eddleston, M., Bailey, B., Desel, H., Gottschling, S., & Gortner, L. (2007). Unintentional household poisoning in children. Klinische Pädiatrie, 219(5), 254–270. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-972567
Ministry of Public Health Announcement on the Labeling of Hazardous Substances under the Responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration B.E. 2558. (2015, September 15). Royal Thai Government Gazette. No. 132 Special section 219 D. pp. 4–6. https://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2558/E/219/4.PDF [in Thai]
Monteiro, S., Heleno, L., & Ispolnov, K. (2016). Perception of chemical hazard through chemical labeling, a case study. In L. Gómez Chova, A. López Martínez, & I. Candel Torres (Eds.), ICERI2016 Proceedings (pp. 7621–7627). IATED.
Padilla, L. M., Creem-Regehr, S. H., Hegarty, M., & Stefanucci, J. K. (2018). Decision making with visualizations: A cognitive framework across disciplines. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 3, Article 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-018-0120-9
Petré, L. (1996). Safety information on dangerous products: Consumer assessment of hazard symbols. International Journal for Consumer and Product Safety, 3(1), 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09298349608945760
Rai, N. K., Ashok, A., & Akondi, B. R. (2020). Consequences of chemical impact of disinfectants: Safe preventive measures against COVID-19. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 50(6), 513–520. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408444.2020.1790499
Sathar, F., Dalvie, M. A., & Rother, H.-A. (2016). Review of the literature on determinants of chemical hazard information recall among workers and consumers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(6), Article 546. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13060546
Soontornchai, S. (2011). Chemical hazard classification and labelling of household products according to GHS and opinion & comprehensibility survey among consumers. Thai Journal of Toxicology, 26(1), 60–73. https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/ThaiJToxicol/article/view/244007 [in Thai]
Soontornchai, S. (2019). Policy recommendations for capacity building on chemical safety management based on GHS (globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals) among household dangerous product enterprises (Report No. 2562_027). Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. https://ird01.stou.ac.th/researchlib/ShowDataResearch.php?AutoID=2562_027 [in Thai]
Su, T.-S., & Hsu, I.-Y. (2008). Perception towards chemical labeling for college students in Taiwan using globally harmonized system. Safety Science, 46(9), 1385–1392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2007.09.002
Ta, G. C., Mokhtar, M. B., Mohd Mokhtar, H. A. B., Ismail, A. B., & Abu Yazid, M. F. B. H. (2010). Analysis of the comprehensibility of chemical hazard communication tools at the industrial workplace. Industrial Health, 48(6), 835–844. https://doi.org/10.2486/indhealth.ms1153
United Nations. (2009). Globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (3rd ed.). United Nations.
Wogalter, M. S., DeJoy, D. M., & Laughery, K. R. (1999). Warnings and risk communication. CRC Press.
Wogalter, M. S., Sojourner, R. J., & Brelsford, J. W. (1997). Comprehension and retention of safety pictorials. Ergonomics, 40(5), 531–542.
Young, S. L., & Wogalter, M. S. (1990). Comprehension and memory of instruction manual warnings: Conspicuous print and pictorial icons. Human Factors, 32(6), 637–649. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872089003200603
