GHS Label Creation

Any workplace that uses hazardous chemicals must use updated chemical labels that reflect the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) standard for chemical labeling, which OSHA adopted in 2012. These labeling requirements became mandatory in the U.S. on June 1, 2016.

GHS labels contain several sections that are necessary to adequately alert employees to the dangers associated with a particular chemical. Once that information is obtained, the person responsible for creating those labels will know how to format them. Furthermore, acquiring that information makes label creation quick and easy, with the ultimate goal of ensuring everyone's safety in the area.

Read on to learn how to properly create your own GHS labels, step by step– starting with the required layout of a GHS label.

Requirements of GHS-Compliant Labels

Globally Harmonized System labels must include six key elements to comply with OSHA's Hazard Communication (HazCom) 2012 standard. Every GHS label or container must contain the following elements:

1) Product Name or Identifier

States the chemical's name so viewers see it right away.

2) GHS Signal Word:

Allows users to quickly determine the chemical's hazard level at a glance.

3) Hazard Pictograms:

Visually convey the hazards of the chemical.

4) Hazard Statements:

Phrase(s) that describe the hazards inherent to the chemical. These should be located within the safety data sheet and are defined with an H-Code (e.g., H-101).

5) Precautionary/First Aid Statements:

Phrases related to each Hazard Statement that provide instructions for use or first aid information. Much like Hazard Statements, these will be defined with a P-Code on the SDS Sheet (e.g., P-101).

6) Manufacturer Information:

States the manufacturer's name, address, and phone number.

When designing your GHS label, it’s important to keep these elements in mind to ensure proper identification of chemicals and their hazards. To meet these stringent requirements, you can take the help of our GHS Labeling Guide.

How To Design Your GHS Label, Step-By-Step

To meet all requirements, we’ve compiled a step-by-step routine for creating GHS-compliant labels.

Step 1: Refer to the Safety Data Sheet

The information needed to make a GHS label can be found on a chemical's safety data sheet (SDS). This document should be given to the user by the manufacturer to ensure they are aware of the potential hazards. All the necessary details can be found in sections 1 and 2 titled "Product and Company Identification" and "Hazards Identification.” Those creating GHS labels should look for the manufacturer’s information, required pictograms, H/P-codes, and any relevant first-aid, handling, and storage instructions.

Section 1: Product and Company Identification - Product Name, CAS # (where applicable), Manufacturer Name, Address, and Phone #

Section 2: Hazard Identification - Hazard Pictograms, Signal Word, Hazard Phrases, Precautionary/First Aid Statements, Storage and Disposal

With a safety data sheet in hand, you can easily learn how to create a GHS-compliant label on your own.

Step 2: Specify Product Identifiers

The product identifier – also known as the common name – of the chemical should be clearly stated. For instance, when storing or shipping Diesel, the product identifier on the label should be “Diesel” and should match the product name on the safety data sheet. This is to ensure that there is no confusion or ambiguity concerning the chemical substance. For chemical mixtures, the GHS label should include the common names of each chemical compound and their relative percentages. A common example of a product identifier on a GHS label would be:

The product identifier can be, but isn’t limited to, the chemical name, code number, or batch number. The product identifier is highly dependent on the manufacturer, importer, and distributor. Additionally, supplementary information, like CAS or UN numbers, is generally recommended for accuracy.

Step 3: Deciding Signal Word

GHS labels use signal words that help indicate the severity of the hazard and a potential threat to the reader. There are only two signal words used within a specific hazard class:

• “Warning” is used to denote less severe hazards.
• “Danger” is reserved for a more consequential hazard

Only one signal word can be used, meaning that it should be picked based on the hazardous implications and should be provided in the SDS of the chemical substance. When labeling chemical mixtures, if one chemical requires “Danger” while the other uses “Warning,” the appropriate choice is to highlight the more severe hazard and use “Danger.”

In the GHS label example above, you’ll find the signal word “Danger” used to highlight its flammable nature and long-term health risks after exposure

Step 4: GHS Pictograms

GHS pictograms are useful because images often take less time to “read” than going through all the small text on a label. This does not mean an employee shouldn’t read the label’s text, but rather pictograms can be used to quickly identify the properties of a substance at a glance. In total, there are nine GHS pictograms that identify risk in three categories: Physical, health, and environmental. A single label may contain one or multiple pictograms depending on the hazards presented by the chemical. Concise and easy to read information is the epitome of visual communication, and pictograms do just that.

Exclamation Mark

Irritant (Skin & Eye), skin sensitizer, acute toxicity, narcotic effects, and respiratory tract irritant

Gas Cylinder

Gases under pressure

Flame

Flammables, self-heating/reactives, emits flames, organic peroxides, pyrophoric

Flame Over Circle

Oxidizers

Corrosion

Skin corrosion, eye damage, corrosive to metals

Skull and Crossbones

Toxic or fatal toxicity

Exploding Bomb

Explosives, self-reactives, organic peroxides

Health Hazard

Carcinogen, reproductive toxicity, respiratory sensitizer, target organ toxicity, aspiration toxicity, mutagenicity

Environment (Non-Mandatory)

Aquatic toxicity

Step 5: Highlighting Hazard Statements

A hazard statement is a specific phrase assigned to chemicals, providing a comprehensible outlook of its nature and the degree of potential hazards it poses to human health. A common example would be, “Causes damage to internal organs through prolonged or repeated exposure when absorbed through skin.” Each hazard statement mentioned on the SDS should be highlighted on the GHS where applicable.

The hazard statement of Diesel would be, “Flammable liquid and vapor. Harmful if inhaled. Causes skin irritation. May be fatal if swallowed and enters the airways. May cause drowsiness or dizziness. Suspected of causing cancer. May cause damage to the thymus, blood, and liver. Keep away from heat, sparks, and open flame. No smoking. Keep the container tightly sealed. Do not breathe vapors.”

Step 6: Mention Precautionary Statements

Use of precautionary statements is a recommended practice to prevent or minimize exposure to chemical hazards caused by improper use, storage, or handling. There are 4 types of precautionary statements:

• Prevention aimed at minimizing exposure to the hazard.
• Response for facilitating immediate first-aid or in case of accidental spillage or exposure.
• Storage to prevent leakage or contamination.
• Disposal to avoid serious environmental contamination and toxic exposure.

Some common precautionary statements for handling Diesel can be, “Wash hands, and any other contaminated skin thoroughly after handling. Wear protective gloves. Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.” It’s important to provide in-depth information on immediate first aid to ensure the exposed individual's health and safety.

Step 7: Provide Manufacturer’s Information

Lastly, the name, address, and telephone number of the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer should be mentioned at the bottom of the label. Having this crucial information at hand provides immediate access to a reliable party for emergency protocols if exposure or accidents occur

Step 8: Add Supplementary Information (If Needed)

When creating your own GHS label, manufacturers may include additional information that may be helpful. It can cover classified chemical hazards that are not disclosed on the label, or reflect the percentage of an ingredient of unknown acute toxicity when present at≥1%.

Other types of supplementary information may include:

• Directions of use
• Expiration date
• Fill date, etc.

Creating GHS Labels in LabelSuite™

The information collected can now be used to create a custom GHS label. To print with a LabelTac® printer, you can format a label in the printer's included LabelSuite™ software which comes with GHS label templates. LabelSuite enables the user to enter their data and format the label design to their specifications. In fact, there are no exact formatting requirements for GHS labels, but they must still contain the six required label components. The sample GHS label below shows a possible label format.

The easiest way to transfer the chemical's information from an SDS sheet is to copy and paste it from the SDS to a label template. Once the text has been moved, the size of the text can be formatted to better fit the template. LabelSuite™ label creation software also has the benefit of preformatted GHS templates available to make label creation easier. Templates can even be made from scratch as well.