Chemicals can be very dangerous, and as with any hazardous item, it's important to label chemicals and other substances clearly so that people can identify possible risks.

For instance, if a substance is highly flammable, you should use the appropriate sign or label to make this clear to all.

What does the law say about labelling hazardous chemicals?

Chemical label requirements vary from one country to the next, but here in Britain, the law is currently based on European Regulation No. 1272/2008 (also known as the CLP regulation - CLP stands for 'classification, labelling and packaging'). In England, Wales and Scotland, this regulation is primarily enforced by the HSE (Health & Safety Executive).

Here's what the HSE website has to say about labelling hazardous chemicals:

"Some chemicals need more careful handling than others. Labels can help you identify the more hazardous chemicals, tell you what the hazards are and how to avoid them...where the supplier does conclude that a chemical could cause harm, they are expected to provide information about this on the label...chemical suppliers must use [specific symbols and warnings] where hazardous properties have been identified."

If you are a supplier/manufacturer of potentially hazardous chemicals, it is your duty to label these goods using the appropriate pictograms. Under the CLP regulation, the UK and all other EU member states use the UN's Globally Harmonised System (GHS) to label hazardous chemicals. Standard GHS labels look like this:

These labels and their symbols are recognised internationally, and so all hazardous substances you supply should feature these pictograms as necessary. GHS classifications are explained here.

(Of course, the law may be subject to change when the UK leaves the European Union in March 2019, but given that the GHS is used all over the world - and not just in the EU - there is a good chance that the requirements for chemical labels in this country will remain more or less the same post-Brexit. 

Buy GHS labels >

Here at Label Source, we sell a huge variety of chemical hazard labels and signs bearing GHS-compliant pictograms and warnings. No matter what sort of chemicals you need to label, we can provide a suitable solution - click here to browse all chemical labels and signs.

If your work involves hazardous substances or chemicals, it's vitally important that the correct safety labels are put in place. Safety labels are important as they ensure your workers and public are safe by ensuring they're aware of the presence of harmful chemicals. 

Whatever the chemical and substance may be, we're confident we supply the correct safety label to prevent any risk of contact. Our chemical labels have been designed to educate and protect anyone who works with hazardous chemicals and substance. They're highly visible, versatile, and use internationally-recognisable symbols, allowing even them to be easily identifiable by everyone. 

Our range of safety labels includes: 

Hazard Wrning Diamond labels 

Our hazard warning diamond labels are used for the storage and transportation an extensive range of hazardous goods and substances. All of these labels are self-adhesive to allow you to apply them with ease. They're made from vinyl, and come in a variety of sizes to suit your requirements. They're produced to BS 5609 standards; and conform to DR, RID, IATA and IMDG requirements. To view this range, please click here.

GHS Labels

Our GHS labels allow you to clearly identify any potential hazards and reduce any risk of an accident. GHS stands for Globally Harmonised System, and this system is the international standard for labeling. Our GHS labels covers all areas, and with GHS regulations becoming legally binding in the UK in 2015, these labels will not only keep you safe, but will also keep you on the right side of the law.  To view our range of GHS labels, click here.

UN Labels 

Un labels are used to alert people of the transport of hazardous materials and substances. These labels help emergency services identify that a vehicle contains hazardous materials and substances that may cause harm. These labels comply with BS 5609, and meets the requirements for RID, IATA, ADR and IMDG. These UN labels feature four digit numbers that have been assigned to hazardous substances by the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. To view our selection of Un Labels, please click here.

For more information, you can get in touch or call us on 0800 3761 693. 

Here at Label Source, we provide a huge selection of products for safe marking purposes, so if you're looking for a chemical hazard label, you're sure to find a suitable product in our comprehensive range. Although we pride ourselves on our ability to offer this variety, we realise that it may not always be helpful for locating and choosing the product you need, especially if you're not quite sure what you should be looking for.

For this reason, we decided to publish this blog as a quick introduction to the chemical hazard labels in our range, as a handy guide to their specifications and use:

Diamond Hazard Warning Labels

This type of chemical hazard label is the most common and well-recognised product in our range, and are commonly used during the storage and transportation of hazardous substances. This can include everything from gases and flammable materials, to toxic substances and corrosive chemicals, each of which have their own recognisable symbols and colour code.

Write-on Diamond Hazard Labels

While our standard labels supply the desired level of warning instructions in most cases, there are certain operations which require additional detail to be added. In transportation and shipping environments, handlers may require more information about the package in question. The write-on panel on these labels allows the UN details of the consignment to be added for display, making it easy to retrieve additional details.

UN Labels 

As mentioned above, UN details can aid in identifying specific forms of hazardous chemicals, which is why we supply a range of labels which are designed with this exact purpose in mind. These are ideal for marking vehicles which are used to transport hazardous goods, and can be particularly useful for allowing the emergency services to act accordingly in the event of an accident. The number sequences are unique to each chemical hazard label, identifying the type of substance being carried.

GHS Labels

This labelling system was put in place by the United Nations, in order to ensure that dangerous chemicals are labelled the same way across the globe. This 'Globally Harmonised System' ensures that potential hazards are easy to indentify and recognise in any country, which is particularly useful for those who trade overseas, or regularly ship goods between countries/continents.

To find a specific chemical hazard label, view our full range here.