Controls and PPE

Decanting and Labelling Chemicals Correctly

Why Unlabelled Spray Bottles Are the Most Common COSHH Failure and How to Fix It

Walk into most kitchens and you will find an unlabelled spray bottle full of something blue under the sink, and nobody can say for certain what it is. Decanting concentrate into smaller containers is normal and necessary, but doing it without labelling is the single most common COSHH failure in hospitality, and it causes real harm: staff using the wrong product, mixing incompatible chemicals, and the worst case of someone drinking a decanted chemical from a bottle they took for a soft drink. This article explains how to decant safely, what a secondary label must show, and how to stop unlabelled bottles building up again.

Key takeaways

Decanting is fine; decanting without a label is the most common COSHH failure in hospitality.

A secondary label must show the product identity, the hazard pictograms, and the main hazards and precautions.

Never decant a chemical into a food or drink container, because people read the container before the label.

Use colour-coded bottles and pre-printed labels, which many suppliers provide, to keep labelling consistent.

Build a label check into routine checks so unlabelled bottles are caught before they become normal.

Why Decanting Goes Wrong

Decanting itself is not the problem; the lack of a label is. When concentrate is poured into a spray bottle and put into use with no label, several things go wrong at once. Nobody can be sure what is in the bottle, so the wrong product gets used on the wrong job, or two unlabelled bottles get mixed in the belief they are the same. The hazard information that was on the original container, the pictograms, the dilution, and the emergency advice, has been left behind, so a person who has a splash does not know what they are dealing with. And a chemical in an old drinks bottle is a genuine poisoning risk, especially where staff and customers share a space. The act of decanting strips the safety information away, and the label is what puts it back.

What a Secondary Label Must Show

A decanted, or secondary, container needs a label that carries the key safety information across from the original. At a minimum it should show the product name or identity, so anyone can tell what it is, the relevant hazard pictograms, and a short statement of the main hazards and precautions, drawn from the original label and the safety data sheet. For a diluted product, the dilution and the use it is meant for are worth adding so staff use it correctly. The point is that someone picking up the bottle, including a new starter or a member of staff covering a shift, can tell what it is and how to handle it without tracking down the original container. Many chemical suppliers provide pre-printed secondary labels and colour-coded bottles for exactly this reason, which makes consistent labelling much easier across a busy site.

Never Use Food or Drink Containers

One rule has no exceptions: never decant a cleaning chemical into a container that has held, or looks like it holds, food or drink. A chemical in a water bottle, a soft drink bottle, or a milk carton is an accident waiting to happen, because the brain reads the container before the label. There have been serious poisoning cases in hospitality and beyond where someone drank a decanted chemical from a familiar bottle. Use proper, clearly different containers for chemicals, ideally the colour-coded spray bottles many suppliers offer, and keep them visibly distinct from anything used for food or drink. This is both a COSHH control and a food safety control, and it is one of the things an environmental health officer will check directly when they look under the sink and behind the bar.

Keeping Unlabelled Bottles From Coming Back

Labelling is not a one-off task because spray bottles are refilled constantly, so you need a system that survives a busy service. Make labelled, colour-coded bottles standard issue for each diluted product and bin any bottle that loses its label rather than topping it up unlabelled. Keep a small stock of replacement labels with the chemicals so relabelling is quick. Build a label check into your routine cleaning or opening checks, so an unlabelled bottle is spotted and dealt with before it becomes the norm. Brief new staff that no bottle goes into use without a label, and that an unidentified bottle is emptied and relabelled or thrown away, never used on a guess. The aim is a kitchen where every container tells you what it holds, which protects staff day to day and stands up the moment an inspector starts opening cupboards.

What to do next

Label every decanted bottle now

Go round the site and label every spray bottle with its product, hazards, and dilution. Empty and relabel or bin any bottle you cannot identify.

Switch to colour-coded labelled bottles

Ask your supplier for colour-coded bottles and pre-printed secondary labels so each diluted product is consistent and easy to identify.

Add a label check to opening checks

Include a quick check for unlabelled bottles in your routine so they are spotted and dealt with before they spread.

Common mistakes to avoid

Mistake

Refilling an unlabelled spray bottle

Instead

Topping up an unlabelled bottle keeps the hazard hidden. Use labelled bottles only and bin any that lose their label rather than refilling them blind.

Mistake

Decanting chemical into a water or drinks bottle

Instead

A chemical in a familiar drinks container is a serious poisoning risk. Use proper, clearly different chemical containers and never reuse food or drink packaging.

Frequently asked questions

Do decanted cleaning chemicals need a label?

Yes. A decanted, or secondary, container must carry a label showing what the product is, its hazard pictograms, and the main hazards and precautions, so anyone using it knows what it is and how to handle it safely.

What must a secondary chemical label show?

As a minimum the product identity, the relevant hazard pictograms, and a short statement of the main hazards and precautions taken from the original label and safety data sheet. For diluted products, adding the dilution and intended use helps staff use it correctly.

Can I put cleaning chemicals in an old drinks bottle?

No. Never decant a chemical into a container that has held or resembles food or drink. People read the container before the label, and decanted chemicals in familiar bottles have caused serious poisoning incidents.

Why do inspectors check spray bottles?

Unlabelled decanted bottles are the most common COSHH fault in hospitality and a clear sign that hazard information is not reaching staff. Inspectors open cupboards and check bottles because labelling shows quickly whether your controls are real.

Controls and PPE