Chemical Labeling and Secondary Containers
Construction and general industry · Ver en español
Talking points
- Every container of hazardous chemicals must be labeled with at minimum the product identifier and the hazard information. This includes secondary containers — spray bottles, buckets, and pour-offs.
- The only exception to secondary container labeling is immediate use — if one person transfers a chemical and uses it entirely during their shift without leaving the area. If the container sits overnight, it must be labeled.
- Labels must be legible and in a language the workers understand. A faded, illegible label is the same as no label at all.
- Never put chemicals in food or beverage containers. Workers have been seriously injured drinking chemicals from unmarked water bottles and soda cans.
- If you find an unlabeled container, do not use it, smell it, or pour it out. Isolate it and report it to your supervisor for proper identification and disposal.
Ask the crew
Walk through our work area — are there any unlabeled secondary containers sitting around right now?
Standards this talk is built on
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.
Run this talk with your crew and keep the record
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Sign-in sheet
Print this page to collect signatures, or run the talk in Jobsite and workers sign in on their phones.
| Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|
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