What does P260 mean?

What kind of precautionary statement is P260?

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, P260 is assigned to the classes of these hazard statements:

• H314Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
• H330Fatal if inhaled.
• H362May cause harm to breast-fed children.
• H370Causes damage to organs <or state all organs affected, if known> <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard> .
• H371May cause damage to organs <or state all organs affected, if known> <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard> .
• H372Causes damage to organs <or state all organs affected, if known> through prolonged or repeated exposure <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard> .
• H373May cause damage to organs <or state all organs affected, if known> through prolonged or repeated exposure <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard> .

How many hazard statements is P260 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P260 is provided for the classes of 7 H statements in total: 7 health hazard statements. The lowest-numbered example is H314 and the highest-numbered is H373. Whether a mixture label carries this statement depends on those classes really applying to the mixture.

Neighbouring statements of the same kind

The statements closest in number to P260 in the prevention group:

• P244Keep valves and fittings free from oil and grease.
• P250Do not subject to grinding/shock/friction/… .
• P251Do not pierce or burn, even after use.
• P261Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
• P262Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing.
• P263Avoid contact during pregnancy and while nursing.

How is P260 read?

This statement is a 4-word text. It contains options separated by a slash; the preparer keeps the option that fits the product and deletes the others.

Where is P260 written in the SDS?

If P260 is on the list of precautionary statements in Section 2.2, it is printed with its code and the text "Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.". The statement should also agree with the safe handling precautions in Section 7.

How does P260 appear on the label?

P260 shows up on a label only if it is selected: the candidates from Annex IV are reduced to at most 6 under Article 28(3). 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 P260 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 P260 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P260 appears in 8 class/category entries (2 different H statements). Priority split: core (priority 1) in 6 entries, secondary (priority 2) in 1 entries and conditional (priority 3) in 1 entries. Of these entries, 4 carry the signal word “Danger”, 2 carry “Warning” and 2 need no signal word. The pictograms that most often accompany it: GHS08 (4) and GHS06 (2).

The class families it appears in most often: Acute Tox. (2), STOT SE (2), STOT RE (2), Skin Corr. * (1) and Lact. (1).

Classes that P260 is assigned to

The first 8 rows of 8 entries in the CLP Annex IV assignment table (by priority and hazard order):

Statements assigned together with P260

The precautionary statements that most often appear with P260 in the same class entries (with entry count):

• P501Dispose of contents/container to … (7)
• P405Store locked up. (5)
• P264Wash … thoroughly after handling. (5)
• P270Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product. (4)
• P304+P340IF INHALED: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing. (3)

Where does P260 stand in the prevention group?

P260 is number 22 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 P260 feed?

Because of its number and its prevention kind, P260 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 P260

• The text contains options separated by a slash; the preparer keeps only the option that fits the product.
• P260 should agree with Section 7; in Section 2.2 it is written with its code and text.
• The text is 4 words long; if the label space is narrow, choosing a combined statement can save room.

Official EU wording of P260 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 P260 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 P260 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