Hazard labels for chemical suppliers under GB CLP rules
Hazard labels in Great Britain must show the applicable GB CLP information. Check supplier details, hazard statements, pictograms and label sizes.
Chemical hazard labels show a product's classified hazards and the precautions that go with them. In Great Britain, a hazardous substance or mixture in packaging needs the supplier's name, address and telephone number, the product identifiers, and the GB CLP hazard information that actually applies. Article 17 sets those requirements.
Chemical labelling in Great Britain means England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland follows EU CLP, so a supply plan that only says "UK" still needs a separate check for that market. HSE distinguishes the two regimes.
A pictogram sticker is not a complete chemical label. Start from the classification. Some hazardous products need no signal word, and the pictograms are not a free choice. Article 17 makes the list conditional.
What GB CLP hazard labels must show
For a hazardous substance or mixture supplied in packaging, check these elements against Article 17:
- The supplier's name, address and telephone number.
- Nominal quantity of a package made available to the general public, unless stated elsewhere on the package.
- The required product identifiers.
- Applicable hazard pictograms.
- A signal word, where required.
- Applicable hazard statements.
- Appropriate precautionary statements.
- Supplemental information, where required.
The label must be in English. You can add other languages, provided each language gives the same details. Article 17 covers language as well as content.
Check the product identifier against the safety data sheet. They must match. For a mixture, the trade name or designation is required, together with relevant substance identities under Article 18. Don't assume the brand name alone is enough. Article 18 explains product identification.
A mixture that is not classified as hazardous can still need supplemental label information. Before removing hazard information, check the relevant requirements in Article 25 and Annex II.
Pictograms, signal words and statement wording
Hazard pictograms are a square set at a point. Each one has a black symbol on a white background, with a red frame wide enough to be clearly visible. Take them from the classification, including the precedence rules. Do not pick a symbol because it looks familiar. Annex I sets their form and use.
"Danger" applies to more severe hazard categories and "Warning" to less severe ones. The classification determines which word applies. If the label carries Danger, it must not also carry Warning. Some classifications require neither word. See Article 20 and HSE's signal-word guidance.
Hazard statements, often called H statements, describe the nature of the hazard and, where appropriate, its severity. Use the prescribed wording. An informal summary or an H code alone does not replace that wording. Article 21 governs hazard statements.
Precautionary statements, or P statements, describe measures to prevent or minimise adverse effects during use or disposal. Select them for the hazards and intended or identified uses. Their prescribed text is needed too, rather than just the reference codes. Article 22 sets these requirements.
The general rule is no more than six precautionary statements, unless more are necessary to reflect the nature and the severity of the hazards. Six is neither an absolute cap nor a target. Omit statements that are clearly redundant or unnecessary. Article 28 sets the selection rules.
Hazard label sizes and readability
Use package capacity to choose the size band. The label dimensions below concern the area carrying the required Article 17 information, not the entire packaging design. Annex I, section 1.2.1, Table 1.3 gives these dimensions.
| Package capacity | Label dimensions | Each pictogram |
|---|---|---|
| Not exceeding 3 litres | If possible, at least 52 × 74 mm | Not smaller than 10 × 10 mm. If possible, at least 16 × 16 mm |
| Greater than 3 litres but not exceeding 50 litres | At least 74 × 105 mm | At least 23 × 23 mm |
| Greater than 50 litres but not exceeding 500 litres | At least 105 × 148 mm | At least 32 × 32 mm |
| Greater than 500 litres | At least 148 × 210 mm | At least 46 × 46 mm |
Each pictogram must cover at least one fifteenth of the minimum surface area of the label dedicated to the Article 17 information. The minimum area of each pictogram shall not be less than 1 cm². The same Annex I provisions contain the area rules.
Affix the label firmly to the packaging immediately containing the chemical. It must read horizontally when the package is set down normally. Text and symbols must be clear, indelible and easy to read, with suitable contrast, size and spacing. Printing directly on the packaging is acceptable if it clearly carries the required information. Article 31 covers application and readability.
Locate the hazard pictograms, any required signal word, the hazard statements and the precautionary statements together on the label. Supplemental information has its own section, and that section stays with the other Article 17 elements. Article 32 governs this arrangement.
Small packs still need a legal check
Small packaging is an awkward design constraint. Volume alone does not remove the duty. Under the relevant size or shape conditions, fold-out labels, tie-on tags or outer packaging can carry the Article 17 elements. The inner packaging still needs at least the hazard pictograms, the product identifier and the supplier's name and telephone number. Read Annex I, section 1.5.1 before you switch format.
Packs of 125 ml or less are eligible only for specified omissions, and only for listed hazard classifications. Some of those omissions also depend on the product not being supplied to the general public. "Under 125 ml" does not mean "no label required". Section 1.5.2.1 contains the conditions.
Inner packaging of 10 ml or less has a narrower exception. It applies only where the substance or mixture is placed on the market for supply to a distributor or downstream user for scientific research and development or quality control analysis. The inner packaging must sit inside outer packaging that meets Article 17. The inner label keeps the product identifier and, where appropriate, hazard pictograms GHS01, GHS05, GHS06 and/or GHS08. That exception does not apply to substances or mixtures within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 or Regulation (EU) No 528/2012. Check sections 1.5.2.4 and 1.5.2.5 before omitting anything.
Who is responsible for hazard labelling?
Every supplier placing hazardous substances or mixtures on the market must ensure correct labelling and packaging before supply. That includes manufacturers, importers, downstream users and distributors, including retailers. Articles 4 and 2 establish the duties and roles.
Distributors can use an upstream classification. Downstream users can also do so if they do not change the composition. Neither arrangement removes the supplier's labelling responsibility. Article 4 sets these conditions.
A GB business sourcing chemicals from the EU or EEA for the GB market can be an importer, not simply a distributor. Hiring a contractor does not transfer the importer's classification, labelling and packaging duties. Qualifying Northern Ireland goods supplied directly to GB have specific arrangements, so check the supply route. HSE explains importer responsibilities.
For the contact field, use the responsible GB CLP supplier's name, address and telephone number. Don't assume an overseas manufacturer's contact details alone are sufficient. Check the responsible supplier's role against Article 2 and the contact requirements in Article 17.
Check the label alongside the SDS
A safety data sheet gives more detailed safe-handling information under UK REACH where required. It does not replace the label, and an SDS is not itself a COSHH assessment. Workplace risk assessment remains a separate task. HSE explains these distinctions.
Transport diamonds do not replace all CLP information either. Outer, inner and single packaging have specific rules where transport and chemical labelling requirements meet. Check Article 33 rather than removing CLP information because a transport label is present.
RegAffairs AI has a source-linked answer on GB chemical hazard labels.
Before you approve artwork, match the identifier to the SDS, print the prescribed statement wording, use the responsible supplier's contact details, and size the label to the package capacity. Under Article 4, that supplier must ensure correct labelling and packaging before the hazardous product is placed on the market.