Safety labels in Australia: GHS, machinery, and equipment labelling explained
Safety signs communicate hazards within the built environment. Safety labels do something different: they travel with the product, container, or piece of equipment they describe. A label that complies with the right standard can be read by a worker in any Australian workplace, in any industry, without explanation. A label that does not comply can mask a hazard that causes serious harm.
Australian workplaces have labelling obligations across three distinct frameworks, and understanding which applies in each situation is the starting point for compliance.
GHS chemical labels
The Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) is the international framework adopted in Australia through the Work Health and Safety Regulations. Any chemical that meets the criteria for a hazardous chemical must be labelled in accordance with the GHS when it is manufactured or imported.
A compliant GHS label contains:
- Product identifier — trade name or chemical name
- Hazard pictograms — standardised symbols on a red-bordered diamond background (flammable, corrosive, toxic, oxidising, health hazard, environmental hazard, exclamation mark, gas cylinder, skull and crossbones)
- Signal word — "Danger" (for more severe hazards) or "Warning" (for less severe hazards)
- Hazard statements — standardised phrases describing the nature of the hazard (e.g. "Highly flammable liquid and vapour")
- Precautionary statements — what to do to minimise exposure or injury
- Supplier information — name, address, and emergency contact number
Labels must be durable enough to remain legible throughout the normal working life of the container. A label that peels, fades, or becomes illegible before the container is empty is non-compliant.
Machinery and equipment labels
The WHS Regulations and AS/NZS 4024 (the Safety of Machinery series) impose labelling requirements on plant and equipment. Machinery labels identify:
- Operating controls and their functions
- Residual hazards present during normal operation or maintenance
- Required PPE for operating the machine
- Maximum loads, speeds, pressures, or temperatures
- Lockout/isolation point locations
- Mandatory isolation instructions before maintenance
ISO 7010 graphical symbols are the standard for machinery safety labels, the same standardised symbol set used in many AS/NZS 1319 signs. This deliberate consistency means a worker trained in one Australian workplace can recognise the hazard symbols on machinery encountered in another.
Electrical labels
Electrical equipment and switchboards carry additional labelling requirements under AS/NZS 3000 (the wiring rules) and state electrical safety legislation. Required labels include:
- Circuit identification on switchboard enclosures
- Warning labels on equipment operating at hazardous voltages
- Residual current device (RCD) identification
- Isolation point labels for equipment requiring lockout before maintenance
Pipe and valve labels
In industrial facilities with process piping, colour-coded pipe labels and valve tags identify the contents of pipelines, the direction of flow, and the operating parameters. AS 1345 (identification of the contents of pipes, conduits, and ducts) provides the colour convention system used in Australian industry.
Durability requirements
Unlike safety signs (which are mounted in fixed locations and can be replaced if damaged), labels must withstand the environment the product or equipment is used in. This means:
- Chemical resistance for labels in wet, solvent, or acid environments
- UV stability for outdoor equipment labels
- Heat resistance for labels near motors, ovens, or hot surfaces
- Mechanical durability for labels on high-vibration equipment
Self-adhesive polyester and vinyl labels provide better durability than paper labels in most industrial applications. For extreme environments, metal data plates and engraved labels are the appropriate solution.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a safety label and a safety sign? A safety sign is fixed to the environment — a wall, a door, a floor. A safety label attaches to a product, container, or piece of equipment and travels with it. Both are subject to AS/NZS 1319 conventions where they communicate occupational hazards, but chemical labels must also comply with GHS requirements, and machinery labels must comply with AS/NZS 4024.
Who is responsible for labelling imported chemicals? The importer. Under the WHS Regulations, the importer is classified as a designer/manufacturer for the purposes of chemical labelling. If a chemical arrives from overseas without a compliant GHS label, the importer must relabel it before supplying it to Australian workplaces.
Do I need to relabel a chemical when I decant it into a smaller container? Yes. If you transfer a hazardous chemical from its original container into a different container — even temporarily — the new container must be labelled. An unlabelled decanted container creates exactly the hazard the GHS labelling system is designed to prevent.
How long must safety data sheets be retained? Under the WHS Regulations, safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals must be kept for the period during which the chemical is used and for five years after last use, as a minimum.
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