Intertek’s experts can assist with your consumer and industrial product label needs for multiple jurisdictions.

Labelling of consumer and industrial chemicals provides users with information to help them protect themselves from any hazards those products may present, whether in the workplace or home.

Understanding the different labeling criteria for multiple jurisdictions can be challenging. The UN GHS provides classification criteria and labelling requirements that are reasonably consistent among jurisdictions for chemicals used in workplaces.  However, consumer chemical products are much less harmonized than the GHS.

In the US, hazardous consumer chemicals must be labeled according to Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA).  Challenges include the California Proposition 65 updated warning requirements and the California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act which requires manufacturers of cleaning products, household and industrial, to disclose information related to known hazardous chemicals on the label and website.

Hazardous consumer chemicals, in Canada, must comply with the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations (CCCR). The CCCR requires the use of unique symbols, prescribed hazard phrases, and the hazard information must be in French and English. The required CCCR phrases and signal words are not always aligned with those in the UN GHS.

The EU applies “Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures” (CLP) to hazardous consumer products, with the requirement of additional precautionary phrases, and a Tactile Warning of Danger (TWD) for certain hazard categories.

Intertek’s experts can help navigate the differences between jurisdictions and challenges that companies face with labeling hazardous consumer and industrial chemical products.

Intertek offers services to help companies comply with the various labelling rules for consumer and industrial chemical labelling requirements in the EU, US and Canada including:

  • Classifying your products using existing literature data to avoid unnecessary, costly and often time-consuming animal testing
  • Auditing a subset of a suite of products, labels in order to prioritize key areas for future compliance-review efforts
  • Facilitating discussions with third-party suppliers (North American or overseas) to obtain relevant information (including confidential formulations) to confirm that classification, and labelling requirements are met
  • Documenting data and other information to prove classification and labelling were appropriately undertaken to meet the regulatory requirements in the jurisdiction of interest; and
  • Training through various mediums including webinars, in person or group settings to meet our clients’ needs.