CLP labelling guidance and requirements

Are you looking for tips to help you stay compliant with the Classification, Labelling, and Packaging Regulation (CLP) when creating labels for chemical products? Then you’ve reached the right place! Read on to get the tips you need to label your way to success! 

The CLP regulation helps to protect human health and the environment. It provides clear and consistent information about the hazards of chemicals. Not only does following the CLP help keep your employees safe, but compliance is mandatory for organizations in the European Union which produce, manufacture, import, supply, or use hazardous chemicals.  

When creating labels, you must use specific hazard pictograms, signal words, hazard and precautionary statements. Reference your Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for more information on the chemical substance if needed.  

Keep reading to dive deeper into the CLP labelling guidance and requirements, including: 

• The different types of hazard classes 
• Labelling elements 
• The importance of SDS in the CLP system 
• What safety solutions can help 

Let's explore specific CLP label elements

The first thing we need to talk about is one of the key places you’ll find important chemical labelling information: the chemical product’s safety data sheet (SDS). It’s integral that the information you write on the label matches the SDS. The following elements must be present on the label before you share it with others, so they are aware of the following:  

• Contact details: Name, address and telephone number of the supplier(s). 
• Nominal quantity: The nominal quantity of the substance or mixture in the package (when made available to the general public only). 
• Product identifiers: If your product is a mixture, product identifiers include the trade name or designation of the mixture. Mention the identification name or CAS No. of the substance in the product which lead to your product being classified as well. If your product is a substance, include the name and the CAS/EC number of the product on the product label. 
• Hazard pictograms: If your product is hazardous in accordance with the CLP Regulations, one or more of the pictograms should be present on your product label. 
  

Make sure the hazard pictograms appears as a diamond on the label and has a black symbol on a white background with a red frame.  

What do you do if you have more than one pictogram you want to include on the label? Just follow precedence rules. For example, if your label carries the skull and crossbones symbol, the exclamation mark should not appear.  

If you want to learn more on this topic, check out the European Chemicals Agency website.  

Other elements to keep in mind include:  

• Signal word: This indicates the level of severity or degree of danger of the product. The product label will either display the word “Warning” or “Danger”. 
• Hazard statements: The hazard statements will describe the nature of the hazards of a chemical substance or mixture and in some cases, the degree of hazard. The text in these statements is standardized and must correspond to CLP Annex III. 
  
• Precautionary statements: The precautionary statements recommend the measures to be taken to minimize or prevent adverse effects. The CLP Regulations recommend a maximum of six precautionary statements to be included on the product label. 
• Supplemental information: This includes additional information that may be present in the product and will be useful for the customer e.g. EUH001 phrases. 

You might be thinking, what if this product is sold in different countries? The CLP Regulations require that you print the label in the official language of the country where the product is placed on the market.  

It can be a difficult task to print different labels for your products, so CLP Regulations allow for the use of multi-model labels. For example, French, German and English if the product is sold in Germany, France and England. It’s important to note that each language must be grouped together on the label. 

Size requirements

Follow the size requirements, found below, to ensure everyone can see information clearly on the label: