GHS / HazCom term · Glossary
Supplemental Label Element
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
Any non-standardized information a manufacturer adds to a GHS label beyond the six required elements — such as handling directions, fill dates, batch numbers, hazards not otherwise classified, or other regulatory notices (e.g., a California Prop 65 warning). It's allowed, but under OSHA's rules it must not contradict or cast doubt on the required GHS information.
Also known as: supplementary information, supplemental information
Supplemental Label Element at a glance
- Anything beyond the 6 required elements (identifier, pictogram, signal word, H-statements, P-statements, supplier info).
- Examples: handling directions, fill/expiration dates, batch numbers, PPE pictures, Prop 65 warnings.
- Must NOT contradict or cast doubt on the required GHS hazard information.
- Includes “Hazards Not Otherwise Classified” (HNOC) when a real hazard has no GHS class.
In plain English
The extra stuff a maker can add to a chemical label on top of the required GHS parts — things like “use within 12 months,” a batch code, or a state warning. It's fine to add, as long as it doesn't contradict or bury the official hazard info.
What the rule says
“To ensure that non-standardized information does not lead to unnecessarily wide variation or undermine the required information, supplementary information on the label is limited to when it provides further detail and does not contradict or cast doubt on the validity of the standardized hazard information.”
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 App C.3Read on eCFR / OSHA.gov
Example
A manufacturer adds a California Prop 65 cancer warning and a “Best used by 06/2027” date beneath the GHS elements on a solvent label. That's permitted supplemental information — as long as it sits apart from and doesn't contradict the required pictograms, signal word, and hazard statements.
Why it matters
Supplemental information is useful, but it's also where labels go wrong: crowding or contradicting the GHS elements (for example, a softer non-GHS statement next to a “Danger” signal word) undermines the standardized warning and can be cited under 1910.1200(f). Non-standardized text must support, not dilute, the required hazard message.
Supplemental vs. required label elements
The six required GHS elements — product identifier, pictogram, signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements, and supplier information — are mandatory and standardized. Supplemental elements are optional extras. They can add helpful detail but must never contradict or overshadow the required elements.
Required vs. supplemental label elements
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Required (standardized) | Product identifier, pictogram, signal word, H- and P-statements, supplier info |
| Supplemental (optional) | Fill/expiration dates, batch numbers, handling tips, Prop 65 notice, HNOC |
Supplemental Label Element: frequently asked questions
- Can I add extra information to a GHS label?
- Yes. Supplemental (non-GHS) information — handling directions, dates, batch numbers, other regulatory notices — is permitted, provided it doesn't contradict or cast doubt on the required GHS elements (Appendix C.3).
- What is 'Hazards Not Otherwise Classified' (HNOC)?
- HNOC is a hazard that's real but doesn't meet the criteria of any GHS hazard class. It isn't required on the label but may be included as supplemental information; it must be disclosed on the SDS.
- Can supplemental information contradict the GHS warnings?
- No. OSHA specifically prohibits supplementary information that contradicts or casts doubt on the standardized hazard information — for example, downplaying a hazard the pictogram and signal word convey.
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 App C.3 (eCFR / OSHA.gov)
- OSHA — Appendix C to §1910.1200 (label elements)
- OSHA — Hazard Communication (labels)
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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