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English labels and optional additional languages under hazard communication

Summary A safety consultant asked whether employers must provide Hazard Communication Standard materials in a language other than English. OSHA quoted the label provision requiring legible English warnings and said employers may add other languages while retaining English, but are not required to do so under that provision.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1988-02-24
Date issued
February 24, 1988
Status
Active
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Hazard Communication Language Access
Source
View the official document

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About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

February 24, 1988

Mr. Richard F. Andree
Executive Vice President
Safety & Health Management
Consultants, Inc.
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Andree:

This is in response to your letter of February 1, regarding the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).

Specifically your question is, must an employer provide materials, pursuant to the Hazard Communication Standard, in a language other than English? Paragraph 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(9) states:

(9) The employer shall ensure that labels or other forms of warning are legible, in English, prominently displayed on the container, or readily available in the work area throughout each work shift. Employers having employees who speak other languages may add the information in their language to the material presented, as long as the information is presented in English as well.

Thus, the employer may add information on the labels in a language other than English, but there is no requirement that they do so.

If I may be of further assistance regarding this matter, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
John A. Pendergrass
Assistant Secretary

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