Label elements and what to be careful about

What elements must a label include?

Are there any rules you must take into consideration when it comes to their application?

I apologize if these two questions seem obvious to you, but we get them so often I decided to write a short email about it.

Let’s look at the label elements first.

A substance or mixture, classified as hazardous, is packed in labelled packaging that includes:

• name, address and phone number of the supplier(s);
• the nominal quantity of the substance or mixture in the package that is available for general use, except if the quantity is indicated at another place on the package;
• product identifiers (details enabling the determination of substance or mixture);
• hazard pictograms;
• signal words if necessary;
• hazard statements if necessary;
• precautionary statements if necessary;
• section for supplemental hazard information if necessary.

This becomes clearer when presented in picture. So, here’s a label and all elements we talked about above.

Now to the second question. Here are 5 general rules for the application of labels:

• Labels must be firmly affixed to one or more surfaces of the packaging immediately containing the substance or mixture and shall be readable horizontally when the package is set down normally.
• The colour and presentation of any label shall be such that the hazard pictogram stands out clearly.
• The label elements shall be clearly and indelibly marked (they shall stand out clearly from the background and be of such size and spacing as to be easily read).
• The shape, colour and the size of a hazard pictogram as well as the dimensions of the label shall be as set out in Annex I.
• A label shall not be required when the label elements are shown clearly on the packaging itself.

Hope you find these lists useful.

Please let me know what you think of them.