What does P231 mean?

What kind of precautionary statement is P231?

Prevention statements (P2xx) describe the measures that stop exposure or an accident before it happens: staying away from heat and ignition sources, wearing personal protective equipment, not breathing vapour or dust, washing hands after work. They are the rules a user applies before starting to work with the product.

Which hazards is it used for?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table used by Chemoris, P231 is not linked directly to a class; it is used as part of a combined statement or at the supplier's choice.

Combined statements containing this code

• P231+P232

Neighbouring statements of the same kind

The statements closest in number to P231 in the prevention group:

• P222Do not allow contact with air.
• P223Do not allow contact with water.
• P230Keep wetted with…
• P232Protect from moisture.
• P233Keep container tightly closed.
• P234Keep only in original packaging.

How is P231 read?

The length of P231 is 7 words. It contains options separated by a slash; the preparer keeps the option that fits the product and deletes the others.

Where is P231 written in the SDS?

When you prepare an SDS, P231 goes into Section 2.2; options in the text (slashes or square brackets) are narrowed down to the product before it is written. The statement should also agree with the safe handling precautions in Section 7.

How does P231 appear on the label?

The classes and the use of the product decide whether it reaches the label; not all candidates are written, at most 6 statements remain. In the Chemoris selection method, prevention statements are considered in position 2. If the core statements exceed 6, Article 28(3) allows up to 8; when a combined statement is chosen, its individual parts are not repeated on the label. As P231 is on the list of precautionary statements of Annex IV, it can be used in current labels and SDSs; Chemoris writes it into the document only when the relevant prevention candidate is selected.

Which classes and which priority is P231 assigned to?

Related assignment entries: 1 class/category entries, 1 different H statements. Priority split: core (priority 1) in 1 entries. Of these entries, 0 carry the signal word “Danger”, 0 carry “Warning” and 1 need no signal word.

The class families it appears in most often: Water-react. * (1).

Classes that P231 is assigned to

P231 is not assigned to a class on its own; the combined statements it belongs to (P231+P232) are assigned to these classes:

Where does P231 stand in the prevention group?

P231 is number 10 of the 38 statements in the P2xx group. The group holds 2 combined and 4 withdrawn statements and 33 single valid statements. Combined statements merge several situations on one line; withdrawn statements are replaced by their current equivalents.

Which SDS section does P231 feed?

Because of its number and its prevention kind, P231 relates to Section 7 Handling and storage of the SDS; in Section 2.2 it is written with its code and text. Statements in the same number range feed the same section.

Checklist when writing P231

• The text contains options separated by a slash; the preparer keeps only the option that fits the product.
• The text ends with “…”; the supplier supplies the completion.
• P231 is a part of the combined statements P231+P232; when a combined statement is selected, P231 is not repeated on the label.
• P231 should agree with Section 7; in Section 2.2 it is written with its code and text.
• The text is 7 words long; if the label space is narrow, choosing a combined statement can save room.

Official EU wording of P231 in other languages

When a product is exported to the EU, the SDS and label are expected in the official language of the Member State where it is placed on the market (REACH Article 31(5)). The table gives the official wording of P231 from the CLP Annex III/IV language versions published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Source: EUR-Lex CELEX 02008R1272-20260701.

Next steps

To read a statement like P231 correctly on a label and in an SDS, see the guide How to read H and P codes; to pick the class and prepare the label automatically, use the free label tool.

Where does it appear in the safety data sheet?

Precautionary statements are given with their code and full text in Section 2.2 (label elements) of the safety data sheet. Alternatives separated by a slash or in square brackets (e.g. gloves/protective clothing) are narrowed down to suit the product.

Frequently asked questions