MS Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, 2001

BS, North Carolina State University, Biology with Minor in Genetics, 1995

Member of the Society of Chemical Hazard Communications (SCHC)

Past Chair of the Professional Development Committee for SCHC

Karin F. Baron, MSPH, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy with Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C^®) has more than 20 years’ experience developing, implementing, and managing complex chemical regulatory compliance strategies for some of the largest industrial and specialty chemical companies in the world. Her primary areas of practice include navigating the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), including classification, labeling, and authoring of compliant safety data sheets (SDS), hazard and risk assessment, industrial hygiene, and environmental health and safety (EHS) programs. She managed assessments for product manufacturers wishing to comply with the food contact materials and cosmetics regulations under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumer products under the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Canada’s Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations (CCCR).

Ms. Baron provides clients with expert advice and guidance in a broad range of chemical-specific regulatory matters involving the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the European Union’s (EU) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), UK REACH, South Korea REACH, KKDIK (Turkey REACH), China’s MEE Order No 12, FDA, Canada’s Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), and the transport of dangerous or hazardous goods. She maintains certifications to provide guidance on a variety of issues on hazardous materials transport under the U.S. Department of Transportation Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (49 C.F.R. Parts 105 - 180), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.

Ms. Baron’s comprehensive grasp of the sometimes bewildering tangle of worldwide chemical control regulations is a powerful asset for clients bringing products to market in multiple jurisdictions. As Manager of Hazard Communications at International Specialty Products (ISP), Manager of FDA Compliance at Ciba Specialty Chemicals, and Product Safety Toxicologist and Global Health and Safety officer at Reichhold, Inc., Ms. Baron gained extensive, hands-on knowledge of how to commercialize a wide variety of chemical end products, distribute them globally, and manage the documentation necessary to maintain compliance. Clients rely on Ms. Baron’s skillful project management to bring large projects to completion under tight deadlines and intense competitive pressures.

Representative Engagements:

• Assisted multi-national companies with introduction of new chemistries across multiple regulatory schemes.
• Assisted with resolution of statutory jurisdiction issue on multi-purpose products.
• Developed and designed cross-functional labels for multi-jurisdictional products.
• Provided classification for complex products under a variety of regulatory frameworks.
• Developed a global labeling solution for a large chemical company, including regionally compliant labels in Asia, South America, the United States, Canada, and the EU.
• Supported a large company-wide integration across multiple Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and provided hands-on support in the classification of thousands of chemicals under various classification criteria.
• Provided technical expertise and project management support, including direct agency interactions in completing food contact notifications for a client.

Professional & Community Involvement:

Member of the Society of Chemical Hazard Communications (SCHC) Board of Directors, 2022 –

Publications:

Carla N. Hutton and Karin F Baron, MSPH, “How Might EU Proposals on Harmonised Classification and Prioritisation of Chemicals for Classification Impact Industry?,” Chemical Watch, April 14, 2022.

Carla N. Hutton and Karin F. Baron, MSPH, “Expert Briefing: What could the European Commission’s plan to strengthen CLP mean for industry?,” Chemical Watch, August 2, 2021.

Lynn L. Bergeson, Bethami Auerbach, Lisa M. Campbell, Timothy D. Backstrom, Sheryl L. Dolan, Jane S. Vergnes, Richard E. Engler, Jayne P. Bultena, Karin F. Baron, and Charles M. Auer, "The DNA of the U.S. Regulatory System: Are We Getting It Right for Synthetic Biology?," Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Synthetic Biology Project Report, October 15, 2015.

Hildeberto, Nava, and Nelson-Baron, Karin F.  1999.  "Polyesters Prepared From Alkoxylated Intermediates," United States Patent 5,998,568.

Patton, David A., Schetter, Amy L., Franzmann, Linda H., Nelson, Karin, Ward, Eric R., Meinke, David W.  1998.  "An Embryo-Defective Mutant of Arabidopsis Disrupted in the Final Step of Biotin Synthesis." Plant Physiol. 116(3):935-946.  Note:  This article was published under Ms. Baron's former name, Karin F. Nelson.

Speaking Engagements:

“WEBINAR -- Food Safety Issues in the United States,” Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., (October 26, 2022).

“Situational Regulatory Awareness -- What to Do When a Single Chemical Product Is Subject to Three Major Regulations -- TSCA, FIFRA, and FFDCA,” NACD Pre-Conference Regulatory Workshop, (August 17, 2022).

“WEBINAR -- Keeping up with FSMA – Rules, Obligations, and Key Compliance Dates,” Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., (October 17, 2018).

"South Korean and China Regulations and other Asian Market Regulations & Opportunities," Exporting Chemicals and Hazardous Materials: Major Global Markets Regulatory Compliance, Akron, Ohio (February 23, 2017).

"Avoiding HCS Citations: OSHA Issues Useful 'How To' Guidance," B&C and 3E Company Webinar (April 2, 20215).

"NAFTA Members' GHS Programs: A Comparative Analysis," Bloomberg BNA Webinar (December 10, 2014).