General
A label is any written, printed, or graphic material displayed on, or affixed to, containers of chemicals.

Labels or other forms of hazard warnings, such as tags or placards, provide immediate warning of potential danger. They are used to warn of a variety of potential physical hazards, or health hazards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard established minimum labeling requirements for most chemical container in the workplace. All chemical containers at the university shall be labeled according to these OSHA requirements. The container shall be labeled with:

• the contents of the container (i.e. common name of the chemical). Chemical formulas and structural formulas are not acceptable except for small quantities of compounds synthesized in the laboratory.
• name and address of the manufacturer
• physical and health hazards
• recommended protective equipment

Employees and students should not work with any chemical from an unlabeled container. However portable containers intended for the immediate use, by the employee or student performing the transfer, do not need to be labeled. This labeling requirement also does not apply to students assigned unknown chemicals for analysis. However, hazard information should be provided with all unlabeled chemicals in student laboratories.

Carefully read all the information on the label. If you do not understand something, contact your supervisor or instructor for an explanation or request the MSDS.

All containers that hold carcinogens, reproductive hazards or acutely toxic reagents must be properly labeled concerning the health hazard posed by the chemical. Most new reagent containers will have the chemicals hazard clearly displayed on the label. However older reagents and containers of solutions that are mixed in the lab must be properly labeled by the laboratory worker. The laboratory worker may write the hazard class (e.g. carcinogen, etc.) on the container or use labels available from EHRS, the Cell Center, or the Chemistry stockroom (See Appendix G).