Every container of hazardous chemicals in your workplace needs a label, and not just any label. OSHA and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) set specific requirements for how you label hazardous chemicals, from the pictograms you use to the exact placement of signal words. Get it wrong, and you're looking at fines, citations, and real safety risks for your workers.
The rules aren't optional, but they don't have to be complicated either. Once you understand what goes on a label and why, the process becomes straightforward. That's exactly what this guide covers: the required label elements, how they work together, and how to stay compliant whether you're labeling primary containers from manufacturers or creating workplace labels for secondary containers.
At Safety Decals, we produce durable, custom safety labels built to meet OSHA and GHS standards, so we know these requirements inside and out. Below, we'll walk you through everything you need to properly label hazardous chemicals in your facility, step by step.
What OSHA and GHS require in the US
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, commonly called HazCom 2012, aligned US labeling rules with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), specifically its third revised edition. This alignment means that when you label hazardous chemicals in the US, you follow a consistent, internationally recognized framework. Manufacturers, importers, and distributors all carry responsibility for producing compliant labels before chemicals ever reach your facility.
How OSHA's HazCom 2012 works
HazCom 2012 is codified at 29 CFR 1910.1200, and it applies to every employer whose workers may be exposed to hazardous chemicals during normal operations or foreseeable emergencies. The standard places the primary labeling burden on chemical manufacturers and importers: they must label every shipped container before it leaves their facility. Once a container arrives at your workplace, your job is to keep that label intact, legible, and in place at all times.
If a label is removed, defaced, or becomes unreadable, you are required to re-label that container before anyone uses it again.
As an employer, you also take on direct labeling responsibilities when you transfer chemicals into secondary containers or use workplace tanks. OSHA gives you some flexibility in how you handle those situations, but the core hazard information must still be present and accessible to workers.
The six required label elements
Every shipped-container label must include six specific elements under HazCom 2012. These aren't optional additions; each one serves a distinct purpose in communicating hazard information to your workers and to emergency responders. Here is what belongs on every compliant hazardous chemical label:
| Label Element | What It Must Include |
|---|---|
| Product identifier | The chemical name, code, or batch number that matches the SDS |
| Signal word | Either "Danger" (severe hazard) or "Warning" (less severe hazard) |
| Hazard statement(s) | Standardized phrases describing the nature of the hazard (e.g., "Flammable liquid and vapor") |
| Pictogram(s) | GHS symbols inside a red diamond border indicating hazard type |
| Precautionary statement(s) | Instructions for safe handling, storage, disposal, and first aid |
| Supplier information | Name, address, and phone number of the manufacturer, importer, or distributor |
Missing any single element puts your label out of compliance, regardless of how much other information you include on it.
Signal words and pictograms in detail
Signal words communicate urgency at a glance. "Danger" applies to the more severe hazard categories, while "Warning" covers the less severe ones. A label never carries both signal words simultaneously; if a chemical presents multiple hazards, you use the signal word that corresponds to the highest hazard category among them.
GHS pictograms work alongside signal words to give workers an immediate visual cue about the type of hazard they face. There are nine GHS pictograms in total, each tied to a specific hazard class:
- Flame: flammable liquids, solids, gases, and self-heating substances
- Flame over circle: oxidizers
- Exploding bomb: explosives, self-reactives, and organic peroxides
- Skull and crossbones: acute toxicity (fatal or toxic)
- Exclamation mark: irritants, skin sensitizers, and less severe acute toxicity
- Health hazard: carcinogens, respiratory sensitizers, and reproductive toxins
- Corrosion: skin or eye corrosion and metals corrosion
- Gas cylinder: gases under pressure
- Environment: aquatic toxicity (included in GHS, not currently mandatory under OSHA)
Each pictogram you place on a label must match the hazard classification documented in your Safety Data Sheet (SDS). The SDS is not a suggestion document; it drives every element you put on the label, and OSHA inspectors will cross-reference the two if they audit your facility.
Step 1. Classify the chemical and gather data
Before you can label hazardous chemicals correctly, you need to know exactly what hazards you're dealing with. Classification drives every element on the label: the signal word, pictograms, hazard statements, and precautionary statements all flow directly from the chemical's hazard class and category. If the classification is wrong, everything downstream will be wrong too.
Determine the hazard classification
GHS organizes hazards into two broad groups: physical hazards (flammable, explosive, oxidizing) and health and environmental hazards (acute toxicity, carcinogenicity, skin corrosion). Each class is further divided into categories numbered 1 through 4 or 5, where Category 1 is typically the most severe. Your classification determines which signal word and which pictograms you must place on the label.
Use the following checklist to work through classification for any chemical in your facility:
- Identify all components: list every ingredient in the mixture, including concentrations
- Check physical properties: flash point, boiling point, and reactivity data from test results or reliable literature
- Assess health data: review toxicology studies for acute toxicity (LD50/LC50 values), skin and eye irritation data, and carcinogenicity evidence
- Apply GHS cut-off concentrations: for mixtures, a component typically triggers a hazard classification if it exceeds the GHS concentration limits for that hazard class
- Document your rationale: record which data sources you used and why you assigned each classification
A classification is only as solid as its underlying data. Using outdated or incomplete test data is one of the most common reasons labels fail an OSHA inspection.
Pull the SDS and verify your data
The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is the primary source document for everything that goes on your label. Section 2 of the SDS lists the hazard classification, signal word, pictograms, hazard statements, and precautionary statements in exactly the format you need. Before you build the label, open the SDS and confirm that Section 2 and Section 11 (toxicological information) are consistent with each other.
When you receive a chemical from a supplier, their SDS already contains this information. Your job is to verify it against the actual product before you use it to label hazardous chemicals in your facility. Discrepancies between the SDS and the container label are a red flag during OSHA audits, so cross-check both documents every time you receive a new shipment or a revised SDS from your supplier.
Step 2. Build a compliant shipped-container label
Once you have your classification data and SDS confirmed, you're ready to put the label together. A shipped-container label is the label that travels with the chemical from the manufacturer, importer, or distributor to the end user. If your facility produces or repackages chemicals for sale, you are responsible for building this label before the container leaves your site. The layout, content, and physical format all affect whether the label passes an OSHA inspection.
Arrange the six required elements
All six required elements must appear on the same label surface. There is no prescribed layout under HazCom 2012, but pictograms, signal word, and hazard statements should be grouped together so they're easy to locate at a glance. Use the template below as a starting point for a basic shipped-container label:
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| PRODUCT IDENTIFIER |
| [Chemical name as it appears on the SDS] |
| |
| [Pictogram] [Pictogram] [Pictogram] |
| |
| SIGNAL WORD: Danger |
| |
| HAZARD STATEMENT(S): |
| Flammable liquid and vapor. |
| Causes serious eye irritation. |
| |
| PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT(S): |
| Keep away from heat and open flames. |
| Wear eye protection. Wash hands after use. |
| Store in a cool, ventilated place. |
| Dispose of contents per local regulations. |
| |
| SUPPLIER: [Company Name] |
| [Address] [Phone Number] |
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Every hazard statement and precautionary statement you list must come directly from Section 2 of the SDS. Don't write your own versions; GHS assigns standardized text codes (H-codes for hazards, P-codes for precautionary statements) to each classification, and you use those exact phrases.
If a chemical falls into multiple hazard categories, include all relevant hazard statements and pictograms on the label, not just the most prominent one.
Select the right label material
You also need to think about the physical label itself before you print and apply it. A label that fades, peels, or smears after two weeks in a warehouse is not a compliant label in practice, even if the content was correct on day one. Match the label material to the environment where the container will be stored or used.
Consider these material factors when choosing your label stock:
- Chemical resistance: will the label contact solvents, oils, or moisture that could degrade it?
- Temperature range: containers stored outdoors or near heat sources need labels rated for that range
- Surface type: curved containers (drums, cylinders) need flexible label stock that won't crack or lift at the edges
- Print durability: use printing methods that resist smearing under the conditions where you label hazardous chemicals regularly
Step 3. Label secondary containers and workplace tanks
When you transfer a chemical from its original shipped container into a secondary container such as a spray bottle, smaller drum, or unlabeled jar, you create a new labeling obligation. OSHA's HazCom standard does not exempt these containers just because they stay inside your facility. The only narrow exception is a portable container that you fill for your own immediate use during a single shift and empty completely before that shift ends. Every other secondary container requires adequate hazard information on it.
What goes on a secondary container label
Secondary container labels don't have to replicate the full six-element format required for shipped containers, but they must communicate the hazard clearly. At minimum, your label needs the product identifier and words, pictures, or symbols that convey the hazards present. Many facilities use simplified GHS-style labels that combine the signal word and pictogram with the chemical name, which gives workers the hazard information they need without cramming too much text onto a small surface.
A practical template for a secondary container label looks like this:
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| PRODUCT IDENTIFIER: |
| [Chemical name or common name] |
| |
| [Pictogram] |
| |
| SIGNAL WORD: Danger / Warning |
| |
| HAZARD: [Brief hazard statement] |
-----------------------------------------
Use the same product identifier on your secondary container label as on the SDS so workers can cross-reference hazard information quickly without guessing which document applies.
Labeling stationary process tanks and piping
Stationary tanks and piping systems in your facility fall under a separate provision of HazCom 2012. OSHA allows you to use alternative labeling methods for these fixed systems instead of attaching individual container labels to every pipe or vessel. Acceptable alternatives include process sheets, batch tickets, or posted signs at the work area, as long as workers can immediately identify the chemical and its hazards before they begin work.
Whatever method you choose, document it in your written hazard communication program. Inspectors will ask to see that documentation, and a posted sign without supporting paperwork does not satisfy the standard. When you label hazardous chemicals stored in fixed systems, connect every alternative method to the relevant SDS so workers can reach complete hazard information without any delay. A well-documented program also speeds up your own internal audits when you need to verify that every system in the facility is covered.
Step 4. Keep labels legible and train employees
A compliant label on day one means nothing if it becomes unreadable six months later. OSHA requires that labels remain legible and in place for the entire time the chemical is in your facility. Faded text, torn edges, or labels covered by tape or paint are all violations, even if the original label met every formatting requirement when you applied it. Build a routine inspection process into your operations so that degraded labels get replaced before they become a compliance problem.
Maintain label condition over time
Your label inspection process should be scheduled and documented, not left to chance. Walk your facility on a set interval, whether weekly or monthly depending on your chemical inventory, and check every container against this list:
- Legibility: all text is clear and fully readable without straining
- Pictogram visibility: red diamond borders are intact and symbols are not obscured
- Adhesion: label edges are flat against the container with no peeling or bubbling
- Physical damage: no tears, chemical splatter, or overpainting covering any required element
- Accuracy: the label still matches the current SDS on file for that product
When you find a damaged label, pull the container from active use and re-label it immediately using the correct six elements from the SDS. Keep blank label stock and your printing materials accessible so your team can resolve issues on the spot rather than waiting for a supply order.
Document every re-labeling event with the date, container identifier, and the name of the person who replaced the label. That record demonstrates due diligence if OSHA conducts an inspection.
Train employees to use labels correctly
Training is not a one-time event you complete during onboarding and forget. HazCom 2012 requires you to train workers before they start a job where they may encounter hazardous chemicals and again whenever a new hazard is introduced to the work area. Your training program must cover how to read and interpret every element on a label, including what each GHS pictogram means and how to connect the product identifier to the right SDS.
Use a structured training checklist to confirm every worker covers the required content:
HAZCOM LABEL TRAINING CHECKLIST
--------------------------------
[ ] Six required label elements and their purpose
[ ] How to read signal words and hazard statements
[ ] GHS pictogram recognition (all 9 symbols)
[ ] Where to find the SDS for each chemical in the work area
[ ] What to do when a label is missing, damaged, or unreadable
[ ] How secondary container labels differ from shipped-container labels
[ ] Who to contact to label hazardous chemicals correctly after a transfer
Keep signed training records for every employee and update them each time you introduce a new chemical or revise your hazard communication program.
Quick recap and next step
Labeling hazardous chemicals correctly comes down to four core actions: classify the chemical accurately, build a complete six-element shipped-container label, handle secondary containers and fixed systems with the right level of detail, and keep every label legible while backing it up with documented employee training. Each step depends on the one before it, so a weak classification will undermine every label you produce downstream.
Your written Hazard Communication Program ties all of this together. Keep it updated, connect every label to its SDS, and run scheduled inspections so damaged labels never stay on containers longer than they should.
When you're ready to produce labels that hold up in the real world, durable materials and print quality matter as much as content. At Safety Decals, we build custom labels designed to meet OSHA and GHS standards in demanding industrial environments. Order custom hazardous chemical labels and get labels your team can actually rely on.
