Free Secondary Container Label Generator

Enter the product identifier, choose a signal word, add GHS pictograms and hazard statements if you want them, pick an Avery size, and download the print-ready PDF. The PDF is laid out for Avery label sheets (5160, 5163, or 5164), so you can print a full sheet on a standard office laser or inkjet printer — a color laser reproduces the GHS pictogram borders best. For spray bottles and containers exposed to water or solvents, print on weatherproof or synthetic label stock so the label does not smear or peel. See our full guide on how to print secondary container labels.

A secondary container is any non-original workplace container that holds a hazardous chemical — for example a spray bottle, parts washer reservoir, drum, or unmarked jug filled from a larger drum. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6) requires every secondary container to be labeled with the product identifier and at least general information about the chemical hazards.

OSHA HCS 2024 has a narrow exemption: a secondary container does NOT need a label if (1) only one employee uses the chemical, (2) it stays under the immediate control of that employee for the entire shift, and (3) it is emptied or returned to its original container at the end of the shift. In every other case — including any time it is left unattended or used by a second worker — a label is required.

OSHA requires (i) the product identifier and (ii) words, pictures, symbols, or any combination thereof providing at least general information about the hazards. Most facilities include the product name, signal word (Danger or Warning), GHS pictograms, and key hazard statements (H-codes from SDS Section 2). The free generator includes all of these.

Yes. The full primary GHS label (29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1)) is what manufacturers put on the original chemical container — it includes supplier identification, full precautionary statements, and other elements. Secondary container labels (1910.1200(f)(6)) are simpler — only product identifier + general hazard info is required. Use the GHS Label Generator for full primary labels.

No — GHS pictograms (red diamonds) are not strictly required on secondary container labels per 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6). The actual requirement is "words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards." Acceptable alternatives include NFPA 704 diamonds, HMIS color bars, hazard words like "FLAMMABLE" or "CAUSES BURNS," custom symbols/color codes, or any combination — as long as workers are trained on what they mean and the SDS is readily accessible. The full pictogram-with-red-border requirement applies only to primary container labels (1910.1200(f)(1)) put on by the manufacturer. That said, most facilities use GHS pictograms anyway because workers already recognize them from the primary container labels.

Per 1910.1200(f)(6), any of these are compliant when paired with worker HazCom training and accessible SDSs: (1) GHS pictograms with signal word and hazard statements (most common); (2) NFPA 704 hazard diamond with health/flammability/reactivity/special ratings; (3) HMIS color bar; (4) Plain hazard words (e.g. "FLAMMABLE — KEEP FROM HEAT"); (5) Custom in-house symbols or color codes; (6) Just product identifier and a single descriptor like "TOXIC". The label does not have to be a standalone source of truth — it works "in conjunction with" the broader HazCom program.

A single-quadrant secondary label is a workplace secondary container label that uses one NFPA 704 hazard diamond (or an HMIS color bar) to convey the hazards, alongside the product identifier. The "quadrant" is the four-section NFPA 704 diamond — blue (health), red (flammability), yellow (instability/reactivity), and white (special hazards) — each rated 0 (minimal) to 4 (severe). Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6), a single NFPA diamond is an acceptable way to label a secondary container such as a spray bottle, jug, or drum filled in-house, as long as workers are trained on the rating system and the SDS is readily accessible. It is a simpler, at-a-glance alternative to a full GHS label. This generator can produce the product identifier and hazard information; pair it with the free NFPA 704 Diamond Generator for the diamond itself.

A "single-quadrant" secondary label uses one NFPA 704 diamond (its four rating sections) for hazard information. "Two-quadrant" is less standardized in chemical safety: it usually means a label split into two zones — for example the product identifier in one zone and the NFPA/HMIS hazard rating in the other. Be aware that "two-quadrant label" more commonly refers to blood-bank labels under the ISBT 128 standard, which is unrelated to chemical hazard communication. For workplace chemical containers, the OSHA 1910.1200(f)(6) requirement is the same regardless of layout: the product identifier plus at least general information about the hazards.

Yes. This generator prints the signal word in English, Spanish (Español), or bilingual EN/ES — DANGER becomes PELIGRO and WARNING becomes ATENCIÓN, and bilingual shows both (e.g. "DANGER / PELIGRO"). Type the product identifier and hazard statement in Spanish too if your workers read Spanish. OSHA expects workers to understand the hazard information, so a Spanish or bilingual label is a good fit for a Spanish-speaking workforce.

Yes — it works as a free, fill-in OSHA secondary container label template. Enter the product identifier and hazard information and it lays out a GHS-compliant label formatted to 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6) that you download as a print-ready PDF and reuse for the next container. There is no static Word or PDF file to format — the live template produces the finished, GHS-compliant secondary label for you. Free, no account required.

Yes. Generate and download as many secondary container labels as you need with no account, no payment, no usage limits.