China Releases GBT 30000.31 for Labelling Workplace Chemicals

By Lily Hou, PhD., CHMM, Regulatory Affairs Lead, Supply Chain team, UL Solutions

Recently, the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) published a recommended National Standard GBT 30000.31 (Specification for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals - Part 31: Precautionary Label for Workplace of Chemicals). The new Standard will become effective on June 1, 2024.

The new standard applies to work sites that may expose workers to chemicals, involving work activities such as manufacture, shipping, storage of chemicals, and the waste disposal, maintenance and cleaning of chemical equipment and containers. A workplace precautionary label should be fixed at the entry/exit of the workplace, outside walls of the workplace, reaction vessel, pipelines of hazardous chemicals or other easily noticeable areas.

Label elements should be written in Chinese and be consistent with the content in the SDS of the product; they should contain:

• Chemical identification, including CAS number and chemical name
• GHS Pictogram
• Signal word: “Danger” or “Warning”
• Hazard statement (H-phrases)
• Physicochemical properties: Flashing point, explosion limit, density and volatility, etc.
• Precautionary statement (P-phrases)
• Personal protective equipment pictogram (refer to GB 2894-2008: Safety Signs and Guidance For The Use)
• Reference statement - “Please refer to the Safety Data Sheet”
• Emergency phone number

Compared to the precautionary labels for chemicals under GB 15258-2009 (General Rules for Preparation of Precautionary Label for Chemicals), a workplace label doesn’t require supplier information, but it does require personal protective equipment pictograms to be included. There should be a yellow and black diagonal striped border added along the edge of the label, and the width of the border should be greater than 3mm. The size of the precautionary label used in workplace should be greater than 80cm x 60cm or 60cm x 90cm. 

For label elements and layout, please refer to the following label example provided by GBT 30000.31:

 Reference

GBT 30000.31 (Specification for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals - Part 31: Precautionary Label for Workplace of Chemicals)