How do you label non-original chemical bottles if used?

I'm looking for some suggestions on how others are labeling their bottles for chemical identification. We do not transfer chemicals a lot but when we do we have a hard time getting people to label the containers appropriately. Many times the push back is that the label gets chemicals on it and will be prone to fall off or the ink will come off if chemicals get on it. Does anyone have a good solution for this? 

 

Thanks in advance for all the help! 

My secondary containers are individual spray bottles and hand pump sprayers. Detergents, sanitizers, etc. do tend to take labels off them. Here's what I do for labels:

 

Wash and dry the outside of the container.

I make my labels on Avery labels (printable stickers) and fix them to the containers.

Cover the label with 1-3 layers of clear packaging tape to provide a "laminated" type surface to protect the label.

 

These labels typically last two years or longer in my plant, less if the bottle gets wet all the time or a solvent starts to remove the tape. But the clear tape does a good job of keeping moisture/chemicals away from the paper label, and since I made the labels they've got the necessary info. Secondary containers cannot be washed and reused with other chemicals in my plant, and I instruct all operators to bring me containers with bad labels for me to replace as they're found. Labor intensive for me at first, but since I've gotten them all labeled I now have to make/replace labels on about 1 container per quarter.

 

Things that don't work: unprotected paper labels and sharpie either on fancy laminated labels (ink still rubs off) or directly on the container.

if the adhesive doesnt work well and is hard to keep nice looking, I like to laminate a label and zip tie it to the container.

Thanks! 

 

 

Do you have labels with an "eye" or something to keep the label from tearing off? Just wondering. 

At my previous employer, we used EcoLab for chemicals, and they would provide us with a variety of sizes and types of secondary labels - various sizes of stickers, and even some hard plastic labels so that we could zip-tie them to containers.

 

Perhaps check with your supplier to see if something similar is available?

if the adhesive doesnt work well and is hard to keep nice looking, I like to laminate a label and zip tie it to the container.

 

 

At my previous employer, we used EcoLab for chemicals, and they would provide us with a variety of sizes and types of secondary labels - various sizes of stickers, and even some hard plastic labels so that we could zip-tie them to containers.

 

Perhaps check with your supplier to see if something similar is available?

 

Both of these. It may mean that you'll need to have dedicated containers so you're not continuously changing labels but it looks better, lasts longer and makes auditors very happy

One way of getting around the problem would be to use coloured containers or coloured tops to the containers, then have a chart showing what each colour contains at each area where they are used. This eliminates the need for labels. Have used this system in the past and auditors have been happy.

Careful with that one, in Canada, the SDS must be attached to a secondary container (albeit a condensed version) when it comes to labelling chemicals, the issue in NOT just food safety, but worker safety as well.

 

As an example, we have 2 different chemicals in our facility that CANNOT be used on the same day as the reaction is that great, they are stored in 2 separate locations and NEVER decanted as the risk is to high (they form a toxic cloud). They are both chemicals worth using for each specific thing they do, but do require special handling.