GHS label

A GHS label is a label used for chemicals that complies with the GHS standard.

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (or Globally Harmonized System - GHS) is an international standard developed by the United Nations that harmonizes the labeling of chemical substances.

The first version of the GHS standard was adopted in 2002 and published in 2003. The standard has been amended several times since then.

Although not mandatory, the GHS has been adopted by countries all around the world, including the United States and the European Union. In the case of the United States, the GHS standard was implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) via a revision of the Hazard Communication Standard in 2012 (HazCom 2012). In the case of the European Union, the GHS standard was implemented by the CLP Regulation in 2008.

GHS labels usually contain six elements:

• A signal word to indicate the hazard level of the chemical substance (e.g. ‘Danger’, ‘Warning’).
• Hazard pictograms with a red border (also known as GHS symbols) to indicate the hazards of the chemical substance and usually grouped by physical, health and environmental risk.
• Information about the manufacturer, including name, address and contact details.
• Precautionary statements that describe general precautions to be taken regarding the chemical substance.
• Hazard statements that describe the nature of chemical substance and the degree of hazard.
• A product identifier or ingredient disclosure statement to identify the hazardous chemical or ingredient.

If you manufacture or supply chemical substances, the first step consists in identifying the regulation that implements the GHS standard in your country. Although this regulation will typically replicate the contents of the GHS standard, it might add other labeling requirements that your company will have to comply with (e.g. the label must be abrasion-resistant).

Once you identify the regulation that applies in your country, you will have to print and apply the GHS label in accordance with the requirements outlined in it. There are several options to print and apply labels, including label printers, label dispensers or label printers and dispensers. However, because of the precautions involved in GHS labeling, it is possible that the labeling system has to be adjusted before the labels can be printed and/or applied.