What does P305+P351+P338 mean?

What kind of precautionary statement is P305+P351+P338?

Response statements (P3xx) say what to do after an accident, spill, fire or exposure: first-aid steps, rinsing and washing, calling a doctor or a poison centre, choosing the extinguishing medium. They usually open with a situation such as IF IN EYES or IF INHALED.

Which hazards is it used for?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P305+P351+P338 is assigned to the classes of these hazard statements:

• H314Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
• H318Causes serious eye damage.
• H319Causes serious eye irritation.

Parts of the combined statement

• P305
• P351
• P338

How many hazard statements is P305+P351+P338 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P305+P351+P338 is provided for the classes of 3 H statements in total: 3 health hazard statements. The lowest-numbered example is H314 and the highest-numbered is H319. 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 P305+P351+P338 in the response group:

• P301+P330+P331IF SWALLOWED: Rinse mouth. Do NOT induce vomiting.
• P302+P335+P334IF ON SKIN: Brush off loose particles from skin. Immerse in cool water [or wrap in wet bandages].
• P303+P361+P353IF ON SKIN (or hair): Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water [or shower].
• P370+P380+P375In case of fire: Evacuate area. Fight fire remotely due to the risk of explosion.
• P371+P380+P375In case of major fire and large quantities: Evacuate area. Fight fire remotely due to the risk of explosion.

How is P305+P351+P338 read?

The text of P305+P351+P338 is 21 words long. The text opens with the situation "IF IN EYES"; the instruction applies only when that situation occurs. Because it is a combined statement, it replaces 3 separate statements in a single line; the parts are listed below.

Where is P305+P351+P338 written in the SDS?

In the SDS, P305+P351+P338 is written in Section 2.2 (label elements) with its code and the text "IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.". Being a response statement, it sits among the response lines. The statement should also agree with the first-aid measures in Section 4.

How does P305+P351+P338 appear on the label?

On the label P305+P351+P338 appears together with its text; under CLP Article 28(3) a label usually carries at most 6 precautionary statements. In the Chemoris selection method, response statements are considered in position 1. 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 P305+P351+P338 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 response candidate is selected.

Which classes and which priority is P305+P351+P338 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P305+P351+P338 appears in 3 class/category entries (1 different H statements). Priority split: core (priority 1) in 3 entries. Of these entries, 1 carry the signal word “Danger”, 1 carry “Warning” and 1 need no signal word. The pictograms that most often accompany it: GHS05 (1) and GHS07 (1).

The class families it appears in most often: Skin Corr. * (1), Eye Dam. (1) and Eye Irrit. (1).

Classes that P305+P351+P338 is assigned to

The first 3 rows of 3 entries in the CLP Annex IV assignment table (by priority and hazard order):

Statements assigned together with P305+P351+P338

The precautionary statements that most often appear with P305+P351+P338 in the same class entries (with entry count):

• P305+P351+P338IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing. (3)
• P280Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection. (3)
• P310Immediately call a POISON CENTER/doctor/… (2)
• P264Wash … thoroughly after handling. (2)
• P301+P330+P331IF SWALLOWED: Rinse mouth. Do NOT induce vomiting. (1)

Where does P305+P351+P338 stand in the response group?

P305+P351+P338 is number 79 of the 82 statements in the P3xx group. The group holds 30 combined and 11 withdrawn statements and 46 single valid statements. Combined statements merge several situations on one line; withdrawn statements are replaced by their current equivalents.

Which SDS section does P305+P351+P338 feed?

Because of its number and its response kind, P305+P351+P338 relates to Section 4 First aid 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 P305+P351+P338

• P305+P351+P338 should agree with Section 4; in Section 2.2 it is written with its code and text.
• The text is 21 words long; if the label space is narrow, choosing a combined statement can save room.

Official EU wording of P305+P351+P338 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 P305+P351+P338 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 P305+P351+P338 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