What does P372 mean?

What kind of precautionary statement is P372?

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, P372 is assigned to the classes of these hazard statements:

• H200Unstable explosives.

Combined statements containing this code

• P370+P372+P380+P373

How many hazard statements is P372 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P372 is provided for the classes of 1 H statements in total: 1 physical hazard statement. The lowest-numbered example is H200 and the highest-numbered is H200. 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 P372 in the response group:

• P364And wash it before reuse.
• P370In case of fire:
• P371In case of major fire and large quantities:
• P373DO NOT fight fire when fire reaches explosives.
• P374Fight fire with normal precautions from a reasonable distance.
• P375Fight fire remotely due to the risk of explosion.

How is P372 read?

The length of P372 is 2 words. The text is a single instruction without options and is written as it appears in Annex IV.

Where is P372 written in the SDS?

When you prepare an SDS, P372 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 firefighting measures in Section 5.

How does P372 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, 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 P372 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 P372 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P372 appears in 1 class/category entries (1 different H statements). Priority split: core (priority 1) in 1 entries. Of these entries, 1 carry the signal word “Danger”, 0 carry “Warning” and 0 need no signal word. The pictograms that most often accompany it: GHS01 (1).

The class families it appears in most often: Unst. Expl. (1).

Classes that P372 is assigned to

The first 1 rows of 1 entries in the CLP Annex IV assignment table (by priority and hazard order):

Statements assigned together with P372

The precautionary statements that most often appear with P372 in the same class entries (with entry count):

• P373DO NOT fight fire when fire reaches explosives. (1)
• P380Evacuate area. (1)
• P201Obtain special instructions before use. (1)
• P202Do not handle until all safety precautions have been read and understood. (1)
• P280Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection. (1)

Where does P372 stand in the response group?

P372 is number 42 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 P372 feed?

Because of its number and its response kind, P372 relates to Section 5 Firefighting 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 P372

• P372 is a part of the combined statements P370+P372+P380+P373; when a combined statement is selected, P372 is not repeated on the label.
• P372 should agree with Section 5; in Section 2.2 it is written with its code and text.
• The text is 2 words long; if the label space is narrow, choosing a combined statement can save room.

Official EU wording of P372 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 P372 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 P372 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