OSHA Hazard Labels

The purpose of an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) hazard label is to provide an immediate visual reminder of the hazards of the chemical. Every OSHA label requires three items to be considered compliant. The complete chemical name is required as well as the full company contact information. Finally, OSHA labels must include a short warning to potential users pertaining to the hazards the chemical poses. In addition, any well substantiated chronic health hazards, such as carcinogenicity or developmental toxicity, as well as target organ effects must be stated on the label.

There are no specific requirements as to what text must be used, as long as the appropriate warnings are included in the label. OSHA permits the use of graphics on labels to convey the physical or health hazards that the product may pose, as long as they are appropriate and apply to the hazard being demonstrated. OSHA refers to the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Standard Z129.1 to provide guidelines on what statements and signal words to include on an OSHA label. The most common signal words are Caution, Warning, and Danger, in order of increasing severity. However, even though OSHA cites the ANSI Z129.1 standard, it is only for guidance and adherence is not required by law.