HCL Labels, Inc.

Secondary containment is a second barrier designed to stop leakage into an unprotected area in the event of a failure of the primary container. All liquid hazardous materials and hazardous waste containers in storage should be placed in an appropriate secondary containment system. Secondary containment systems may include portable trays, buckets, liquid-tight storage cabinets, as well as fixed systems such as diked/berm areas, double-walled tanks, etc.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires eight pictograms on labels of chemical containers that may pose hazards to workers. The Environmental pictogram for aquatic toxicity is non-mandatory under OSHA.

According to the UN Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), there are nine pictograms. a. Exploring bomb (for explosion or reactivity hazards); b. Flame (for fire hazards); c. Flame over circle (for oxidizing hazards); d. Gas cylinder (for gases under pressure); e. Corrosion (for corrosive damage to metals as well as skin, eyes); f. Skull and Crossbones (can cause death and toxicity with short exposure to small amounts); g. Health hazard (may cause or suspected of causing serious health effects); h. Exclamation mark (may cause less serious health effects or damage to the ozone layer); i. Environmental (may cause damage to the aquatic environment)

Pictograms are images that show the handler of a hazardous substance what type of hazard is present. Quickly, the user can see, for example, that the product is corrosive, or if it might present acute toxicity or both.

The GHS Safety Data Sheets is a document that provides comprehensive information about a hazardous substance or mixture for use in the workplace. It's a product-specific source of information for employers and workers about the hazards and associated safety information necessary for the safe handling of those substances.

A GHS compliant label must have the following elements: - Product identification - Signal word - "Danger" or "Warning" - Hazard pictograms - Hazard statements - Precautionary statements - Supplier Identification (not required for secondary containers used in the workplace)

In the United States, non-production laboratories are exempted from the OSHA-GHS Hazard Communication labeling requirements. Good laboratory safety practices should include labeling of secondary containers holding hazardous chemicals. The write-in GHS label with self-lamination available from HCL at http://www.hclco.com/Laboratory_Blank_Write_In_GHS_Label_p/wi-ghs.htm is small enough to be applied to most laboratory secondary containers.

The signal word - "Danger" or "Warning"; Hazard pictograms; Hazard statements; Precautionary statements; Product identification and Supplier Identification (supplier identification is not required for secondary containers used in the workplace)

A GHS compliant label must have the following elements: - Signal word - "Danger" or "Warning" - Hazard pictograms - Hazard statements - Precautionary statements - Product identification - Supplier Identification (not required for secondary containers used in the workplace)

Transport labels are required to have minimum dimensions of 100 mm by 100 mm, with some exceptions for allowing smaller pictograms for very small packaging and for gas cylinders. For example, a flammable liquid transportation label must have the "flame" pictogram on the upper corner, the word "Flammable" in the center and the figure (number) "3" in the bottom corner. The label must have a red background with the pictogram, text, and number in black or white. In contrast, GHS labels must have a "signal word", corresponding hazard pictogram(s), hazard and precautionary statements, product, and supplier identification. Each GHS label pictogram consists of a hazard symbol on a white background framed within a red border. There is no size requirement for GHS pictograms as long as they are legible.

A GHS label needs to have the following elements: - Signal word - ""Danger"" or ""Warning"" - Hazard pictograms (Note: the ""environmental pictogram is not a required element under U.S. OSHA Hazard Communication Standard) - Hazard statements - Precautionary statements - Product identification - Supplier Identification (not required for secondary containers used in the workplace)

It is a label format that contains the harmonized core information under the UN GHS that allows workers to recognize the hazards associated with chemicals used in the workplace. The GHS labeling system meets the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) hazard communication requirements.