A chemical label isn’t packaging — it’s a legal document that happens to be sticky. If you manufacture, distribute, or repackage chemicals in the U.S., OSHA expects six very specific things on every container, and it doesn’t grade on effort. Here’s exactly what belongs on the label, and how to make sure it survives the environment it’s headed into.
Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom 2012, 29 CFR 1910.1200), every hazardous chemical label needs six elements: a product identifier, a signal word (DANGER or WARNING), hazard statement(s), pictogram(s) in the red diamond, precautionary statement(s), and supplier identification. All six pull from the chemical's GHS hazard classification, which lives in your Safety Data Sheet. Miss one — or print it on stock that fades in a solvent splash — and you're out of compliance.
The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) is the international framework OSHA adopted for U.S. chemical labeling. It standardized what used to be a free-for-all of different symbols and warnings so that a hazard reads the same on a loading dock in New Jersey as it does anywhere else in the world. The rules below are the U.S. version of that system.
Why this isn't optional: OSHA enforces HazCom through workplace inspections, and HazCom violations are consistently among the agency's most-cited standards year after year. A missing pictogram, the wrong signal word, or an illegible label can each be a separate citation — and the fix (a recall and relabel of product already in the field) usually costs far more than doing it right the first time.
Every element below is required by OSHA HazCom 2012 (29 CFR 1910.1200). Tap any one for the specifics your artwork needs to get right.
The chemical name, code number, or batch number that identifies the hazardous chemical. The single most common mistake here is a mismatch: the product identifier on the label must match the identifier used on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for that product. If they don’t line up, an emergency responder can’t cross-reference the two, and you fail the check.
Exactly one signal word appears on a hazardous product’s label. DANGER is used for the more severe hazard categories (Category 1 and 2 for most hazard classes). WARNING is used for less severe categories (Category 3 and above). You never use both, and a hazardous product is never left with neither. Which word you use isn’t a judgment call — it’s dictated by the GHS hazard categories assigned to your chemical during its hazard assessment.
Standardized phrases that describe the nature of the hazard — for example, “Flammable liquid and vapor” (Flammable Liquids, Category 2), “Causes serious eye irritation” (Eye Irritation, Category 2), or “May cause drowsiness or dizziness” (STOT – Single Exposure, Category 3). These are not marketing copy and you don’t get to reword them: each GHS hazard category has a fixed, standardized statement assigned to it. A product with multiple hazards carries multiple statements.
GHS pictograms are standardized black symbols on a white field, enclosed in a red diamond border. There are nine of them, and the correct ones for your product are set by its GHS hazard classification (documented in your SDS). See the full table below for which symbol maps to which hazard.
Standardized phrases recommending how to minimize or prevent harm. GHS organizes them into four types: Prevention (avoiding exposure or unsafe handling), Response (first aid and emergency procedures), Storage (safe storage conditions), and Disposal (safe disposal). Like hazard statements, you select these from the GHS-defined list based on your classification rather than writing your own. Listing every applicable statement can produce very long label text, so GHS allows condensing or omitting redundant statements in certain cases.
The name, address, and phone number of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other responsible party. If you’re a U.S. distributor who didn’t manufacture the chemical, your own company’s information is typically what goes here.
The symbol on the label has to match the hazard in the SDS. Here’s the full map:
| Pictogram | Hazard |
|---|---|
| Flame | Flammable gases, liquids, solids, self-reactives, pyrophorics, self-heating, emits flammable gas, organic peroxides |
| Flame over circle | Oxidizers |
| Exploding bomb | Explosives, self-reactives, organic peroxides |
| Skull and crossbones | Acute toxicity (fatal or toxic) |
| Exclamation mark | Irritants, skin sensitizers, acute toxicity (harmful), narcotic effects, respiratory tract irritants |
| Health hazard | Carcinogens, respiratory sensitizers, reproductive toxicity, target organ toxicity, aspiration hazard, mutagenicity |
| Corrosion | Skin corrosion/burns, eye damage, corrosive to metals |
| Environment | Aquatic toxicity (not required by OSHA HazCom, but may be required by other regulations) |
| Gas cylinder | Gases under pressure |
The correct pictograms for your product are determined by its GHS hazard classification, which should be documented in your Safety Data Sheet.
Don't have your classification handy? Every label element above traces back to the hazard classification. Pull it from the existing SDS for the product, from GHS classification tools and databases (ChemHAT, OSHA's SDS search tools), or from a qualified industrial hygienist or chemical safety professional. If you're relabeling or repackaging a product that already has an SDS, use that SDS's classification to build your label — don't reinvent it.
You can nail all six elements and still end up out of compliance. A label that peels, fades, or goes illegible in a chemical environment is a compliance failure and a safety hazard, no matter how perfect the artwork was. This is the part a label manufacturer earns their keep on:
Polyester (PET) is the standard face stock for chemical labels: highly resistant to many chemicals and solvents, doesn’t absorb moisture, doesn’t tear under normal handling. Paper is not appropriate for most chemical applications. BOPP works for mild environments but is less resistant than polyester to strong solvents.
Use a solvent-resistant permanent adhesive on chemical containers. Standard permanent acrylic adhesives handle mild chemicals; for aggressive solvents, acids, or bases, specify a high-performance solvent-resistant adhesive. The container’s contents (and whether they’ll splash the label) drive the choice.
For labels exposed to chemical splash or vapor, a clear overlaminate applied over the printed label significantly extends its life. UV-cured inks provide better chemical resistance than water-based inks. Together these are what keep the pictograms and text readable after months on the line.
GHS doesn’t mandate a specific label size, but the label must be big enough to hold all required elements in legible type, and OSHA requires it to be prominently displayed on the container. When six elements are competing for space, sizing and layout become a real design constraint.
These two standards get conflated constantly, and they cover different things:
| GHS / OSHA HazCom | ANSI Z535 | |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | Hazardous chemical containers | Equipment, machinery, and product safety |
| Status | Required by OSHA | Voluntary standard |
| Focus | Chemical hazards (toxicity, flammability, reactivity) | Safe use of the product/equipment itself |
| Signal words | DANGER / WARNING | DANGER / WARNING / CAUTION / NOTICE, with red/orange/yellow/blue color coding |
If you manufacture industrial machinery, you likely need ANSI Z535 labels on the equipment itself. If you also supply the chemicals used with that equipment, those containers need GHS labels. Same building, two separate labeling requirements for two separate types of product. We produce both — GHS-compliant chemical hazard labels and ANSI Z535-compliant equipment safety labels — so the right framework gets applied to the right item.
When you’re ready to produce GHS chemical labels, having these three things ready gets your job moving faster:
We manufacture GHS and OSHA safety labels in New Jersey on durable polyester and vinyl materials rated for indoor and outdoor industrial environments, all built to meet the physical durability OSHA expects for chemical container labels. And because we’ve printed for chemical processors, distributors, and manufacturers since 1986 — including clients like Lipo Chemicals — the “will this survive the drum” question is one we’ve answered a few thousand times.
GHS compliance comes down to three things: an accurate hazard classification, the six required elements laid out legibly, and materials that hold up where the product actually lives. Get all three right and the label does its job quietly for years.
Need GHS-compliant chemical labels? Call (908) 495-6235 or request a quote — send us the chemical and the container, and we’ll spec a label that stays compliant and stays stuck.
Under OSHA HazCom 2012 (29 CFR 1910.1200), every hazardous chemical label needs a product identifier that matches the Safety Data Sheet, a signal word (DANGER or WARNING), standardized hazard statements, the applicable GHS pictograms in red diamond borders, precautionary statements covering prevention, response, storage, and disposal, and supplier identification with name, address, and phone number. All six elements are dictated by the chemical's GHS hazard classification, which is documented in the SDS.
Exactly one signal word appears on a hazardous product's label, never both. DANGER is used for the more severe hazard categories, generally Category 1 and 2 for most hazard classes, while WARNING covers the less severe categories. The choice is not a judgment call; it is dictated by the GHS hazard categories assigned to the chemical during its hazard assessment, and a hazardous product is never left with neither word.
There are nine GHS pictograms, each a standardized black symbol on a white field inside a red diamond border, covering flammables, oxidizers, explosives, acute toxicity, irritants, chronic health hazards, corrosives, environmental hazards, and gases under pressure. The correct pictograms for a product are determined by its GHS hazard classification, documented in its Safety Data Sheet. The environment pictogram is not required by OSHA HazCom but may be required by other regulations.
Polyester (PET) is the standard face stock for chemical labels because it resists many chemicals and solvents, does not absorb moisture, and does not tear under normal handling; paper is not appropriate for most chemical applications. Pair it with a solvent-resistant permanent adhesive matched to the container's contents, and for splash or vapor exposure add UV-cured inks and a clear overlaminate to keep pictograms and text legible. A label that fades or peels is a compliance failure regardless of the artwork.
No, GHS does not mandate a specific label size. The label must be large enough to hold all six required elements in legible type, and OSHA requires it to be prominently displayed on the container. With a product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, pictograms, precautionary statements, and supplier identification all competing for space, sizing and layout become a real design constraint, especially on small containers.
GHS labeling under OSHA HazCom is legally required on hazardous chemical containers and covers chemical hazards like toxicity, flammability, and reactivity, using only DANGER or WARNING as signal words. ANSI Z535 is a voluntary standard for safety labels on equipment and machinery, using DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, and NOTICE with color coding. A company can need both: GHS labels on the chemicals it supplies and ANSI Z535 labels on the machinery itself. Certified Labeling Solutions manufactures both types in New Jersey on durable polyester and vinyl.
Send us a sample, artwork, or just your specs — we'll quote it fast. Manufacturing in Hillsborough, NJ since 1986, shipping nationwide.
