6 WORK ENVIRONMENT GROUP LABELLING OF CHEMICAL CONTAINERS

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Labelling of Chemical Containers

Work Environment Group
Labelling of Chemical Containers

Introduction

Transferring And Decanting Of Hazardous Chemicals Into Secondary Containers

Labelling Of Containers Not Purchased From Commercial Sources

Labelling Of Very Small Containers of Research Material

Labelling Of Containers With A Capacity Of Up To 500 mL (g)

Labelling Of Containers With A Capacity Of More Than 500 mL (g)

Labelling Of Experimental Equipment

Maintenance Of Container Labels

Unlabelled Containers

Research Chemicals With Unknown Properties

Introduction

The primary purpose of the label on a hazardous chemical container is to allow the contents of the container and its associated hazards to be identified. The type and amount of information that is required on a label varies depending upon the:

Hazards associated with the chemical;
Volume of the chemical; and
Type of container that is used for the chemical.

Transferring and Decanting Of Hazardous Chemicals into Secondary Containers

There are many situations when a hazardous chemical may be transferred or decanted into a secondary container.

If a hazardous chemical is transferred into a secondary container, it does not require a label if:

The contents of the container are used immediately; AND
The container is cleaned so that it is free of the hazardous chemical.

Otherwise, a label is required for secondary containers. If a label is required, it must include, as a minimum:

Sufficient information to identify the hazardous chemical in the container; AND
- The identifying information on a label for a secondary container should be in the form of a product or chemical name.
- Other identifiers such as chemical formula, CAS number or UN number may not be readily understood by all persons, and should not be used as a primary method of identification for hazardous chemicals. They are, however, useful to double-check or confirm the contents of a container.
Any relevant hazard statement and hazard pictograms; AND
- Currently, Dangerous Goods Symbols and European Community Hazard Symbols are the pictograms that are used (See the Classification of Hazardous Chemicals).
- Australia also utilises the Globally Harmonised System (GHS) for the classification and labelling of hazardous chemicals. Under the GHS, a new series of pictograms have recently been introduced. Explanations and examples of these pictograms are available here.
Precautionary statement(s):
- Prevention statements refer to precautions to prevent an accident or exposure.
- Response statements refer to instructions in case of an accident (first aid).
- Storage statements refer to instructions for safe storage of the chemical
- Disposal statements refer to appropriate disposal instructions.
- General statements for use as appropriate.

Related precautionary statements should be grouped together on a label with appropriate headings to allow easy location.

Labelling Of Containers Not Purchased From Commercial Sources

The label on a hazardous chemical container should alert employees who handling or use the chemical to the significant hazards which are likely to exist during the use of the substance. It is not generally expected that labels on containers of chemicals that are generated and used at the university will contain the same degree of detail as a commercially produced and retailed product. The amount of information that is required on a label varies depending upon the size of the container.

Labelling Of Very Small Containers of Research Material

In situations where a very small container (e.g. < 1 ml capacity) is used to contain a chemical generated at the university, and it is not practicable to label the container with the required information, the information must be provided in another effective manner (e.g. writing the information on a durable tag that is attached to the container).

The minimal required information for a small container of a research substance is:

Sufficient information to identify the chemical
- e,g, Chemical name, chemical structure or formula
Any relevant hazard pictograms or
Hazard statements

Labelling Of Containers With A Capacity Of Up To 500 mL (g)

Other smaller containers may have limited space available for a label containing detailed information that is legible. A hazardous chemical generated at the university, in a container with a capacity of up to 500 mL (g), other than a very small container, should include the following information on the label, where applicable:

Identification information:
- Product name OR
- Chemical name
Supplier information.
Dangerous Goods information:
- Class symbol (used in transport of chemicals)
Signal words: DANGER or WARNING
The most significant hazard statements including hazard pictograms,
The most significant precautionary statements,
- Prevention statements refer to precautions to prevent an accident or exposure.
- Response statements refer to instructions in case of an accident (first aid).
- Storage statements refer to instructions for safe storage of the chemical
- Disposal statements refer to appropriate disposal instructions.
- General statements for use as appropriate.

Related precautionary statements should be grouped together on a label with appropriate headings to allow easy location.

The name of the person who produced the substance or mixture.
The date that the material was prepared.

Expiry date.

Labelling Of Containers With A Capacity Of More Than 500 mL (g)

A hazardous chemical generated at the university, in a container with a capacity of more than 500 mL (g), should include the following information on the label, where applicable:

Identification information:
- Product name.
- Chemical name.
Supplier information.
Dangerous Goods information:
- Class symbol (used in transport of chemicals).
Signal words DANGER or WARNING.
Hazard statements including hazard pictograms.
Precautionary statements:
- Prevention statements refer to precautions to prevent an accident or exposure.
- Response statements refer to instructions in case of an accident.
- Storage statements refer to instructions for safe storage of the chemical.
- Disposal statements refer to appropriate disposal instructions.
- General statements for use as appropriate.

Related precautionary statements should be grouped together on a label with appropriate headings to allow easy location.

The name of the person who produced the substance or mixture.
The date that the material was prepared.

Expiry date.
Other relevant information not otherwise covered by the hazard and precautionary statements:
- Specific handling instructions.
- First-aid and emergency procedures.
- Reference to the SDS, for example 'Additional information is listed in the Safety Data Sheet'.

Labelling Of Experimental Equipment

Where the hazardous chemicals are decanted in the laboratory into experimental equipment, such as round bottom flasks, distillation apparatus or columns, the label may be attached to supporting apparatus, or clearly visible on a sign adjacent to the equipment. Alternatively, a tag may be used to provide the required information.

Labelling Of Non-Hazardous substances

Non-hazardous substances are required to be labeled with the following information:

Chemical name and concentration of constituents (abbreviations and chemical symbols/structures are not adequate due to potential misunderstandings)
Name of the producer and contact number
Date
Location (School/Section, building, lab number).

Maintenance of Container Labels

The label on a container of hazardous chemicals should be firmly attached to the container and printed in a colour that provides a distinct contrast to the label’s background colour.

Where the label that is required on a container of hazardous chemicals is:

Defaced
Damaged; or
Has fallen off

the label should be replaced immediately, provided that the contents of the container can be conclusively identified. If the contents of the container cannot be identified, then the container should be handled as if it was an unlabelled container.

Containers must only contain the hazardous chemicals that are indicated on their label, and not used for any other chemical or substance.

If the chemicals that were in a container have been used, and the container has been cleaned so that is no longer contains any residual hazardous chemicals, the label on the container must be removed or obscured.

No one is allowed to remove, deface, modify or alter the label of a hazardous chemical container, unless:

The container has been cleaned of the hazardous chemicals; or
The label contains incorrect information, and it is being modified to indicate the correct information; or

The label has been damaged and is being replaced.

Unlabelled Containers

When a chemical is purchased for use that the ANU, it should have an appropriate label attached to it. If when a hazardous chemical container arrives at the ANU it is unlabelled or not correctly labelled, it should be returned to the supplier.

If a chemical container that has been used at the ANU is discovered to have an illegible or missing label, particular care should be exercised if the contents of the container are not known conclusively. Detailed instructions on how to deal with an unlabelled chemical container are contained in the Standard Laboratory Practices document.

Research Chemicals with Unknown Properties

A substance or mixture that is generated in a laboratory may have unknown or undetermined:

Composition;
Structure; or

Health and safety hazards.

For such substances it is impossible to comply completely with the labelling requirements in Occupational Health and Safety Regulations or National Codes of Practice, however, such substances should be labeled with as much appropriate information as possible, including where available:

Expected or proposed name or structure
- Note: Lab book references or codes are not adequate

Any common health or safety hazards associated with the family of the expected or proposed chemical, for example:
- Diazo compounds and potentially explosive
- Isocyanates are potential sensitising agents
The name of the person who produced the substance or mixture
The date that the material was prepared and
Any expiry date (if relevant).

In the absence of any conclusive information a highly precautionary approach should be adopted to the labelling (and handling) of an unidentified material or a chemical with undetermined hazards.