Making Effective Right-To-Know Labels

Other Resources

• What are RTK labels?
• Making effective RTK labels
• MSDS and RTK labels
• Classifying Health Hazards
• NFPA Right To Know Labels
• Do RTK labels need to list target organs?

There are many types of Right To Know label designs used to inform employees of chemical hazards. The most popular RTK labels use some type of number rating and color coding system in conjunction with written text to identify the chemical and its physical and health hazards.

The National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Standard System for the Identification of the Fire Hazards of Materials is an example of a number and color coding system. The NFPA Diamond uses color codes to identify Health risks (in blue), Flammability (in red), Instability (in yellow), and Special Hazards (in white). Numbers are used to rate the severity of the hazard on a scale of 0 to 4. 4 represents the most severe. 0 represents minimal or no danger.

The NFPA Diamond by itself does not meet the OSHA HazCom Standard. Whether or not a number and color coding system is used, all Right-To-Know labels must contain at least the following information*:

• Identity of the hazardous chemical(s).
• Appropriate hazard warnings.
• Target organ warning.
• Name and address of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other responsible party.

The most effective RTK labels employ a number and color coding system and have the following information written out on the label:

• An index of the number and color coding system.
• Chemical name.
• CAS number.
• Signal word (Danger, Caution, Poison, etc.)
• Health hazard.
• Fire hazard.
• Organs effected by the chemical.
• First aid.
• Emergency numbers.
• Pictograms illustrating protective equipment and dangers.
• Reference to Material Safety Data Sheet for further information.

Thus, an effective RTK label might look something like this:

*{OHS 1910.1200(f)(1); OSHA Standards Interpretation 1910.1200 02/09/94}