In this write-up I’ll discuss the laborious labeling on chemical containers and examine their information architecture and sorting of micro text. Obviously it’s boring but it may interest some of you who’re dying in their quarantine. So emancipate your hippo-campus and nab your neurons to service because there’s a lot to grasp below.
My interest in chemical containers comes from my dad, he’s a chemist and I saw him with these containers all my childhood. As per my interests and educational preference I stick to their covers rather than digging.
We see clustered information on labeling of chemical containers in our schools, colleges and laboratories which most of us never read. Have you ever wondered why it is there and why they appear like that? I’ll be reviewing them in detail below.
I went to my father’s chemistry lab and analyzed different bottles of solutions and solvents. I observed they’ve following attributes in common;
Graphic giving information about the potential hazards of the product,
Descriptive word/statement that explains the potential hazard of the product.Examples “Danger” or “Warning”,
Explanation of the product’s potential hazard,
Statements that convey information on how to prevent or minimize the negative effects of coming in contact with the product.
The information on them was very congregate and difficult to understand and interpret. Well from my designers instinct I’ll say it’s because of type size, selection and hierarchy in a blunt. But instead of directing there I’ll actually look where it is coming from and who are the brains behind it.
Before digging in let’s look what is a label? (A label is the written, printed or graphical information about a hazardous chemical that is affixed to the container. Labels must be legible and prominently displayed. Information may be given in words or presented in symbols or pictographs. Product labels are an essential component of hazard communication. The primary information to be obtained from a label is the identity or chemical nature of the material, instructions for storage and use, appropriate hazard warnings and advice in case of exposure. Reported poisonings are monitored for new or unusually dangerous hazards) and why is it necessary? It's extremely important to ensure chemicals are labelled correctly to alert users to the health and environmental hazards of chemicals. These labels also inform users of the precautions to safely handle, store and dispose of the chemicals).
There are several methods of labeling chemicals around the globe. I’ll discuss methods opted by Pakistani Government.
National Regulations Governing Labels
In Pakistan there are numerous Acts rules and regulations for chemical management, safety, specific chemical categories (pesticides, explosives), and chemical environmental impact assessments. Pakistan does not have a universal system for labeling or marking requirements on products, however there are a few industry specific regulations. Based on provisions in the Environmental Act, the Pakistan chemical regulations for packaging and labeling fall under the draft legislation Hazardous Substances Rules, 2003 (rule 9, sub-rule 1&2).
As mentioned above there are numerous Acts and regulations relating to chemical management, for a complete list (chapter 4, pg. 151-200) and more in-depth information refer to the National Profile for Chemical Management in Pakistan 2009.Other Acts pertaining to general product labeling. Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Act, 1996.
For the chemical containers imported from China, India and other countries (except Europe) they use globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS) for their successful transportation across the border.
*the text in bold italic is a hyperlink
Above information justified the quiddity of components of the product, its prevention, response, storage and disposal .But the graphic signs and colors are yet to be explored.
The graphic images on these containers are called chemical pictographs. On June 1, 2015 Occupational Safety and Health Administration implemented hazard communication standard which required pictographs on labels to alert users of the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed. Each pictograph consists of a symbol on a white background framed within a red border and represents a distinct hazard. The pictograph on the label is determined by the chemical hazard classification.
*text in bold and italic is a hyperlink
After inquiring the history I explored ground reality and surveyed people in access (it’s quarantine so I can’t mobilize). I asked users of these chemicals whether they read the labeling or not? Most of them replied they don’t, there concern is with the product name and signal word (hazardous or non-hazardous) they leave rest of the information. Among the consumers two were lab attendants, one was lecturer assistant, two were sellers, two were students and one was a professor.
These chemicals passes from seller to lab attendant and from there to professor, LA and then to students. The sellers read the instructions to the extent that they know the name and nature of the chemical if they’re hazardous they put them separately. Then they send them to lab attendants. Their job is to provide them to professors for experimentation. One of the professor said he doesn’t read the information if he needs to know anything about the chemical he Google’s it and inform the students.
So the whole purpose of labeling collapses because it is not benefiting the user to the extent it should. I’m not saying it’s useless. It’s conveying to informed person but for a lay man information is still inaccessible because of its display. This remote way of labeling might’ve been successful then but now that people are used to new design solutions and their attention span is shortened this form of labeling is not convenient anymore.
