Accurate labeling is key to achieving the precision and safety that the chemical industry relies on. At Metal Marker, we provide durable, high-quality chemical labels for various applications common in your demanding environment.
Our labels are designed to withstand harsh conditions, whether labeling industrial equipment or providing safety precautions for handling hazardous chemicals. These fully customizable labels can be tailored to your specific needs and are suitable for barcodes, safety instructions, or tracking information.
Let’s help you ensure compliance and safety with reliable, long-lasting chemical label solutions.
Call us at (800) 428-0095 today for your FREE chemical label and custom equipment tag quote.
Overview
What Are Chemical Labels?
Chemical labels provide essential information about chemicals, including their contents, hazards, and safe handling instructions. These labels help ensure compliance with safety regulations, such as OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) or the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).
Typically, chemical labels display details like product identifiers, hazard pictograms, precautionary statements, first-aid measures, and manufacturer information. At a minimum, hazardous chemicals must have the following labels:
- Contact information for the manufacturer
- Product identifier
- Signal words
- Hazard statements
- Precautionary statements
- Pictograms or graphic symbols used to communicate information about the hazards associated with a chemical
The main purpose of chemical labels is to enhance workplace safety by informing workers, handlers, and users of the risks associated with chemicals and the measures needed to handle them safely.
Under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, the product identifier shown on the label must match the product identifier listed on the chemical’s safety data sheet. This standard is enforced under Title 29, Part 1910 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Why Chemical Labels Are Required
Accurate chemical labeling is not just best practice — it’s the law. Under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, employers are required to label all hazardous chemicals in the workplace. Failure to comply can result in significant OSHA fines and increased liability.
Beyond compliance, proper chemical labeling:
- Prevents costly workplace accidents
- Reduces workers’ compensation costs
- Protects warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and other valuable assets from accidents that can cause serious damage
- Gives employees the information they need to handle chemicals safely — within seconds of looking at the label
Understanding Chemical Labels: A Guide to Each Component
Once you know the six components that must appear on a chemical label, it’s important to understand what each one entails and how it can protect your company and its employees.
Signal Words
Signal words are short phrases used to let handlers know about potential hazards. Under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, only one of two phrases can be used on each label. “Danger” is used for the most severe hazards, while “Warning” is used for less severe hazards.
Hazard Statements
Hazard statements describe the type of hazard associated with the chemical, along with its potential severity.
Hazard statements can be used to describe physical, health or environmental hazards. The following are examples
of the statements used for physical hazards:
- Unstable explosive
- May mass explode in fire
- Extremely flammable gas
- Self-heating; may catch fire
- Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated
- May be corrosive to metals
These are some of the most common statements for health hazards:
- Toxic if swallowed
- May be harmful in contact with skin
- Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
- Causes serious eye damage
- Harmful if inhaled
- May cause respiratory irritation
- May cause genetic defects
- Suspected of causing cancer
If a company needs to communicate information about environmental hazards, the label needs to contain a hazard
statement disclosing the potential effects of each substance on the aquatic environment. Common statements
include “Very toxic to aquatic life” and “May cause long lasting harmful effects to aquatic life.”
Precautionary Statements
Precautionary statements tell employees, vendors and shippers what they need to do to protect themselves from chemical hazards. A precautionary statement can be used for prevention, response, storage or disposal; for example, a response statement tells handlers what they need to do to minimize the harmful effects of the substance if there’s a spill or some other type of exposure. Here are some examples of precautionary statements used on chemical labels: • IF ON SKIN: Rinse immediately contaminated clothing and skin with plenty of water before removing clothes. Wash contaminated clothes before reuse. • If swallowed, immediately call a poison control center. • In case of fire, use water spray. In case of major fire and large quantities: evacuate area. • Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product. • Dispose of contents in accordance with local regulations.
Pictograms
Understanding chemical labels is much easier when each label contains a pictogram — a set of symbols used to communicate information about hazards as quickly as possible. Instead of having to read several pages of safety data, an employee just has to glance at a pictogram to know what kind of hazard is present. Pictograms can be used to alert employees to carcinogens, flammable substances, oxidizers, explosives and other hazardous materials.
Benefits of Using Metal Chemical Labels
- Durability: Metal labels are highly resistant to harsh environments, including chemicals, moisture, and extreme temperatures, ensuring long-lasting readability
- Corrosion Resistance: These labels are specially treated to resist corrosion from exposure to various chemicals, preserving important safety information.
- Customizability: Metal labels can be customized with specific information, barcodes, and branding, allowing flexibility in meeting regulatory and company needs.
- Enhanced Safety Compliance: Metal labels are ideal for industries requiring strict safety labeling standards, reducing the risk of errors or non-compliance.
- High Visibility and Clarity: With precision engraving or printing, metal labels offer clear, easy-to-read information.
Applications
Chemical Container Labeling
Metal tags are ideal for labeling containers for hazardous chemicals. These labels can withstand exposure to corrosive substances and extreme conditions, ensuring important safety information remains visible and legible.
Asset Management for Equipment
Metal tags are essential in asset management for chemical industry equipment such as pumps, mixers, and reactors. Custom equipment tags help track and manage assets by providing information like serial numbers, maintenance schedules, and inspection dates.
Companies can streamline equipment tracking, optimize maintenance, and ensure regulatory compliance by using custom metal tags for equipment and other assets.
Pipe Marking in Chemical Facilities
Metal tags commonly mark pipes that transport chemicals within industrial facilities. These tags identify substances being transported, hazard classifications, and safety precautions. Metal pipe markers ensure workers can easily identify pipes’ contents and take the respective safety measures.
Materials
Choosing the right material is critical when selecting tags or nameplates for chemical industry applications. Chemical labels with these materials can endure exposure to corrosive substances, high temperatures, and frequent handling:
- Stainless Steel: Known for corrosion resistance and strength.
- Aluminum: Lightweight and resistant to chemicals.
- Brass: Ideal for specific industrial uses requiring durability and longevity
Processes
Embossing
Durability is key for equipment identification in the chemical industry, as labels often face exposure to corrosive chemicals and harsh conditions.
Our embossed tags have raised characters, ensuring legibility even when covered with chemical residues or wear. Without ink to fade or wash away, these tags provide a long-lasting identification solution, making them ideal for serial number tagging and equipment tracking.
Photo Anodization
This process offers fully customizable nameplates, perfect for barcode-based asset tracking.
These highly durable plates can withstand outdoor conditions and display servicing information, location details, company logos, or QR/Data Matrix codes for easier equipment management.
Engraving
We etch detailed information directly into custom metal tags for equipment and chemicals using laser or mechanical methods. This permanent process ensures that critical data such as safety instructions, serial numbers, or maintenance schedules remain intact on metal equipment labels, even in extreme environments.
Engraved tags are highly resistant to fading, chemicals, and abrasion, making them ideal for labeling equipment, storage containers, and pipelines in chemical processing facilities.
The Metal Marker Advantage
Four things set our work apart, and they have for decades.
