GHS / HazCom term · Glossary
Product Identifier
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
The name or number used to identify a hazardous chemical on its label and in its SDS — a chemical name, trade name, code, or CAS number. Under 29 CFR 1910.1200 it must be identical on the container label and in Section 1 of the SDS, so a worker can cross-reference the two and the chemical inventory.
Also known as: product name, chemical identifier
Product Identifier at a glance
- Can be a chemical name, trade name, product code, or CAS number.
- Must be identical on the label and in Section 1 of the SDS.
- Lets workers cross-reference the label, the SDS, and the chemical inventory.
- A mismatch between label and SDS identifier is a common HazCom deficiency.
In plain English
The exact name or number that ties a chemical's label to its SDS. If the label says one thing and the SDS says another, no one can match them in an emergency — so OSHA requires them to be identical.
What the rule says
“Product identifier means the name or number used for a hazardous chemical on a label or in the SDS. It provides a unique means by which the user can identify the chemical. The product identifier used shall permit cross-references to be made among the list of hazardous chemicals … the label and the SDS.”
In context
A classification or labeling concept from the UN Globally Harmonized System, adopted into US law through OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) and its appendices.
Where this is written in OSHA's rules
- 29 CFR 1910.1200(c)Read on eCFR / OSHA.gov
- 29 CFR 1910.1200Read on eCFR / OSHA.gov
Example
A drum of acetone is labeled with the product identifier “Acetone (CAS 67-64-1).” The SDS Section 1 must show the exact same identifier, so a responder reading either one can immediately find the matching document.
Why it matters
The product identifier is the thread that connects every piece of a chemical's hazard information. If the label and SDS don't match, workers can't find the right SDS in an emergency — which is why an inconsistent identifier is a straightforward, and citable, HazCom labeling failure under 1910.1200(f).
Product identifier vs. CAS number
A CAS number is one possible product identifier — a unique numeric ID for a specific substance. But a product identifier can also be a trade name or code, especially for mixtures that have no single CAS number. What matters is that the same identifier appears on both the label and the SDS.
Where the product identifier must appear
| Location | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Container label | The product identifier, as classified/shipped |
| SDS — Section 1 | Must match the label identifier exactly |
| Chemical inventory / list | Cross-references to the label and SDS |
Product Identifier: frequently asked questions
- Does the label have to match the SDS?
- Yes. The product identifier on the container label must be identical to the one in Section 1 of the SDS, so the two can be cross-referenced (29 CFR 1910.1200(c)).
- What can be used as a product identifier?
- A chemical name, a trade name, a product code, or a CAS number — anything that uniquely identifies the chemical, as long as it's used consistently on the label and SDS.
- What if a mixture has no CAS number?
- Mixtures often don't have a single CAS number, so a trade name or product code serves as the identifier. It still must match between the label and the SDS.
Related terms
Free tools for this
Governing OSHA standards
More GHS terms
A GHS health-hazard class for the harmful effects that follow a single dose, several doses within 24 hours, or a 4-hour inhalation exposure. Chemicals are sorted into categories by route (oral, dermal, inhalation) using LD50/LC50 cut-offs — Category 1 is the most toxic. OSHA's HazCom standard uses Categories 1–4.
Aspiration HazardA GHS health-hazard class for chemicals that can be fatal if swallowed and then enter the airways — directly or by vomiting — causing chemical pneumonia or lung injury. Thin, low-viscosity hydrocarbons (gasoline, kerosene, lamp oil) are the classic example. It is Category 1, with the health-hazard pictogram (GHS08) and signal word “Danger.”
CarcinogenicityA GHS health-hazard class for chemicals that cause cancer or increase its incidence. GHS (and OSHA's HazCom standard) sorts carcinogens into Category 1A (known human carcinogen), 1B (presumed, from animal evidence), and Category 2 (suspected). Carcinogens carry the health-hazard pictogram (GHS08) and a hazard statement such as H350 (“May cause cancer”).
Chemicals Under PressureA physical-hazard class added by OSHA's 2024 HCS update (aligning with GHS Revision 7) for liquids or solids pressurized with a gas, held in pressure receptacles other than aerosol dispensers and not classified as gases under pressure. It is categorized by the flammability of its contents and always carries the gas-cylinder pictogram (GHS04) for the pressure hazard.
ClassificationThe process of evaluating the available scientific evidence for a chemical against the GHS criteria to decide whether it is hazardous and, if so, the hazard class and category of each effect. Classification is the first step in HazCom — its result determines every label element (pictogram, signal word, hazard and precautionary statements) and SDS content.
Corrosive to MetalsA GHS physical-hazard class for chemicals that, by chemical action, will materially damage or even destroy metals. It is a single category (Category 1), determined by corrosion-rate testing on steel and aluminum, and uses the corrosion pictogram (GHS05) with the hazard statement H290. It is a separate hazard from skin corrosion, even though both use GHS05.
Desensitized ExplosivesA physical-hazard class added by OSHA's 2024 HCS update (GHS Revision 7) for solid or liquid explosives that have been phlegmatized — wetted or diluted — to suppress their explosive properties for safe transport and storage. It has four categories based on the corrected burning rate, and uses the flame pictogram (GHS02), not the exploding-bomb.
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)An internationally agreed framework created by the United Nations (first adopted in 2003) that standardizes how chemical hazards are classified and communicated — using common hazard classes, pictograms, signal words (Danger / Warning), and coded hazard (H) and precautionary (P) statements on labels and safety data sheets. The US adopted GHS into law through OSHA's 2012 Hazard Communication Standard update.
Sources & verification
- 29 CFR 1910.1200(c) (eCFR / OSHA.gov)
- 29 CFR 1910.1200 (eCFR / OSHA.gov)
- OSHA — Hazard Communication (labels)
- 29 CFR 1910.1200 (eCFR)
Reviewed by HazComFast against eCFR, OSHA.gov, NIOSH, and the Federal Register. Last reviewed 2026-10-05. This glossary is general information, not legal advice; OSHA State-Plan states (e.g. California, Michigan) may adopt stricter requirements.
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