What does P381 mean?

What kind of precautionary statement is P381?

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, P381 is assigned to the classes of these hazard statements:

• H220Extremely flammable gas.
• H221Flammable gas.

How many hazard statements is P381 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P381 is provided for the classes of 2 H statements in total: 2 physical hazard statements. The lowest-numbered example is H220 and the highest-numbered is H221. 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 P381 in the response group:

• P377Leaking gas fire: Do not extinguish, unless leak can be stopped safely.
• P378Use… to extinguish.
• P380Evacuate area.
• P390Absorb spillage to prevent material damage.
• P391Collect spillage.

How is P381 read?

The length of P381 is 8 words. The text is a single instruction without options and is written as it appears in Annex IV.

Where is P381 written in the SDS?

When you prepare an SDS, P381 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 P381 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 P381 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 P381 assigned to?

In the CLP Annex IV assignment table, P381 appears in 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: Flam. Gas * (1).

Classes that P381 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 P381

The precautionary statements that most often appear with P381 in the same class entries (with entry count):

• P377Leaking gas fire: Do not extinguish, unless leak can be stopped safely. (1)
• P210Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking. (1)
• P403Store in a well-ventilated place. (1)

Where does P381 stand in the response group?

P381 is number 50 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 P381 feed?

Because of its number and its response kind, P381 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 P381

• P381 should agree with Section 5; in Section 2.2 it is written with its code and text.
• The text is 8 words long; if the label space is narrow, choosing a combined statement can save room.

Official EU wording of P381 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 P381 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 P381 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