Adhering to labelling requirements within chemical industries

20 December 2018

With strict regulations and guidelines to adhere to, knowing how to approach label printing within industries involving chemicals can often cause a great deal of confusion. That’s why we are here, with a depth of knowledge of the labelling industry, to simplify the process.  

The two standards affecting labelling within chemical industries are BS5609 and GHS requirements.  

GHS, which has been defined by the United Nations for use around the world, provides a system for classifying and identifying chemical substances. GHS labels must contain information on the chemical, including hazard symbols hazard statements and precautionary measures people handling the chemical must take. The regulation also dictates the size, print media and mandatory use of red and black colours.  

The first important choice that GHS regulations dictate is the environmental factors that the label must be able to withstand – a key one of these factors being temperature durability. This results in specific print media being required as well as high-quality resin ribbons for thermal transfer printing.  

Meanwhile, the BS5609 regulations apply directly to the labelling of chemical drums. It states that all labels must remain attached and legible in all conditions, including immersion in seawater. These standards help to ensure that the label stuck to any drum washes overboard will still be stuck to the container and legible after three months in water, this being for safety purposes.  

These durability requirements once again mean that premium materials, including resin thermal transfer ribbons, must be used in order to comply with regulations in the manufacturing and distribution of chemicals.  

Image of chemical drum and chemical drum label washed overboard - BS5609

We are proud to stock several types of resin thermal transfer ribbons that comply with both standards and will solve your labelling needs. These ribbons will allow you to adhere to required standards when printing your labels for chemical packaging use and will ensure a high quality of printing.  

Our recommended ribbons and labels conform to BS5609 marine approved classification.  

Zebra  

Zebra’s premium resin ribbons provide excellent scuff, smudge and abrasion resistance. They are suitable for outdoor environments, chemicals and extreme temperatures and can also print on gloss synthetics. 

To view our range of Zebra resin thermal transfer ribbons, click on the following link:  

click here to buy Zebra ribbons

ARMOR Inkanto

ARMOR provide a cheaper alternative to Zebra ribbons without losing any ribbon quality.  

ARMOR Inkanto resin is a premium resin is dedicated to applications requiring a perfect printing quality and offers an excellent smudge, scratch, solvent and temperature resistance. 

To view our range of ARMOR resin thermal transfer ribbons, click on the following link:  

click here to buy ARMOR Inkanto ribbons

To learn more about labelling within chemical industries click on the following link: https://www.smartlabelling.co.uk/chemical_labelling.html

 

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