Precautionary statement · Prevention
What does P262 mean?
Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing.
- Group
- Prevention (P2xx)
- Status
- In SEA Annex 4 list
What kind of precautionary statement is P262?
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, P262 is assigned to the classes of these hazard statements:
- H310Fatal in contact with skin.
How many hazard statements is P262 assigned to?
In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P262 is provided for the classes of 1 H statements in total: 1 health hazard statement. The lowest-numbered example is H310 and the highest-numbered is H310. 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 P262 in the prevention group:
How is P262 read?
The text of P262 is 10 words long. The text is a single instruction without options and is written as it appears in Annex IV.
Where is P262 written in the SDS?
In the SDS, P262 is written in Section 2.2 (label elements) with its code and the text "Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing.". Being a prevention statement, it sits among the prevention lines. The statement should also agree with the safe handling precautions in Section 7.
How does P262 appear on the label?
On the label P262 appears together with its text; under CLP Article 28(3) a label usually carries at most 6 precautionary statements. 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 P262 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 P262 assigned to?
In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P262 appears in 2 class/category entries (1 different H statements). Priority split: secondary (priority 2) in 2 entries. Of these entries, 2 carry the signal word “Danger”, 0 carry “Warning” and 0 need no signal word. The pictograms that most often accompany it: GHS06 (2).
The class families it appears in most often: Acute Tox. (2).
Classes that P262 is assigned to
The first 2 rows of 2 entries in the CLP Annex IV assignment table (by priority and hazard order):
Statements assigned together with P262
The precautionary statements that most often appear with P262 in the same class entries (with entry count):
Where does P262 stand in the prevention group?
P262 is number 24 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 P262 feed?
Because of its number and its prevention kind, P262 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 P262
- P262 should agree with Section 7; in Section 2.2 it is written with its code and text.
- The text is 10 words long; if the label space is narrow, choosing a combined statement can save room.
Official EU wording of P262 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 P262 from the CLP Annex III/IV language versions published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Source: EUR-Lex CELEX 02008R1272-20260701.
| Language | Official wording |
|---|---|
| German | Nicht in die Augen, auf die Haut oder auf die Kleidung gelangen lassen. |
| French | Éviter tout contact avec les yeux, la peau ou les vêtements. |
| Spanish | Evitar el contacto con los ojos, la piel o la ropa. |
| Italian | Evitare il contatto con gli occhi, la pelle o gli indumenti. |
| Polish | Nie wprowadzać do oczu, na skórę lub na odzież. |
| Dutch | Contact met de ogen, de huid of de kleding vermijden. |
| Portuguese | Não pode entrar em contacto com os olhos, a pele ou a roupa. |
| Romanian | Evitați orice contact cu ochii, pielea sau îmbrăcămintea. |
Next steps
To read a statement like P262 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
What kind of precautionary statement is P262?
P262 belongs to the prevention group (P2xx). Statements of the prevention kind sit in the precautionary part of the label.
Is P262 mandatory on a label?
Not by itself: P262 is provided for the classes of 1 H statements and is a candidate only if the product falls into one of those classes. Under Article 28(3) the candidates are usually reduced to at most 6.
Which statements appear with P262 on a label?
The statements that most often accompany it in the same class entries are P302+P352, P310, P321, P361+P364 and P264.
Which hazard classes use P262?
According to CLP Annex IV it appears in 2 class entries; the most frequent class families are Acute Tox. (2).
Source: Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex IV; Turkish SEA Regulation (Official Gazette 28848) Annex 4. The statement is the official English text of CLP Annex IV. Updated: 6 November 2026.
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