GHS and OSHA Safety Label Requirements for Chemical Products

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.

Polyester (PET) is the standard face stock for chemical labels: highly resistant to a wide range of chemicals, 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.