When you work with hazardous chemicals on a job site in Louisiana, those chemicals must have a specific label on them as ordered by the federal government. This label is kept universal so you can easily understand the label on any chemical you work with. However, even though the label is always the same, you also need to understand what information is on the label and how to interpret that information.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, each chemical label has some very basic information to begin with. You will have the product identifier, which is often the name but can also be the chemical code number or batch number. It also shows the name and contact information for the manufacturer.
Then, comes the information that talks about the dangers of the chemical and gives some details as to what risks come from using it. First, there are the signal words. These tell you the severity of the risk of working with the chemical. You will see either danger or warning. Danger is more severe than warning. Next is the hazard statement, which explains what type of hazard the chemical poses or what hazard classification it falls under.
After this information, you have the precautionary statement. This will help you find out how to avoid injury and how to best use, store and dispose of the chemical. Finally, you have the pictogram, which is s visual representation of the hazard. This information is for education and is not legal advice.
