(1) The primary pack and immediate container of a poison must be labelled as follows:
(a) with the signal word or words relating to the Schedule in which the poison is included and the purpose for which it is to be used, as shown in the following table:
Schedule Purpose Signal words required
2 for any purpose PHARMACY MEDICINE
3 for any purpose PHARMACIST ONLY MEDICINE
4 for human use PRESCRIPTION ONLY MEDICINE
4 for animal use PRESCRIPTION ANIMAL REMEDY
5 for any purpose CAUTION
6 for any purpose POISON
7 for any purpose DANGEROUS POISON
8 for any purpose CONTROLLED DRUG
written:
(i) on the first line or lines of the main label; and
(ii) in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness; and
(iii) in letters at least half the height of the largest letter or numeral on the label but need not be larger than:
(A) 6 millimetres on labels for packages having a nominal capacity of
2 litres or less; or
(B) 15 millimetres on labels for packages having a nominal capacity of more than 2 litres; and
(iv) if the poison:
(A) is a Schedule 5 poison, with nothing, other than a Class label as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail or a statement of the principal hazard of the poison, written on that line; or
(B) is not a Schedule 5 poison, with nothing, other than a Class label as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, written on that line;
(b) if the poison is a Schedule 8 poison, with the cautionary statement –
POSSESSION WITHOUT AUTHORITY ILLEGAL
written:
(i) on a separate line or lines immediately below the signal words required by subparagraph 7(1)(a); and
(ii) in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness; and
(iii) in letters at least four-tenths the height of the letters used for the signal words; and
(iv) with no other statement written on the same line;
(c) with the cautionary statement –
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
written:
(i) on a separate line or lines:
(A) immediately below the signal word or words required by subparagraph 7(1)(a); or
(B) where the cautionary statement “POSSESSION WITHOUT AUTHORITY ILLEGAL” is required by subparagraph 7(1)(b), on the line immediately below that statement; and
Part Primary packs and immediate containers - Poisons Standard 2013 - Primary packs and immediate containers | Zoe
(ii) in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness; and
(iii) in letters at least four-tenths the height of the letters used for the signal word or words; and
(iv) with nothing, other than a Class label as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, written on the same line;
(d) if the poison is a dry chlorinating compound containing more than 10 per cent of available chlorine, except for preparations certified by a relevant State or Territory authority as not being a Dangerous Good of Class 5, Division 5.1: Oxidising substances, as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, with the cautionary statement –
FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD
written:
(i) on a separate line or lines immediately below the cautionary statement “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN” as required by subparagraph 7(1)(c); and
(ii) in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness; and
(iii) in letters at least four-tenths the height of the letters used for the signal word or words; and
(iv) with nothing, other than a Class label as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, written on the same line;
(e) if the poison is an alkaline salt in a dishwashing machine product, with the cautionary statement –
BURNS SKIN AND THROAT
written:
(i) on a separate line or lines immediately below the cautionary statement “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN” as required by subparagraph 7(1)(c); and
(ii) in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness; and
(iii) in letters at least four-tenths the height of the letters used for the signal word; and
(iv) with nothing, other than a Class label as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, written on the same line of the main label;
(f) if the poison is an aqueous solution of paraquat, with the cautionary statements –
CAN KILL IF SWALLOWED
DO NOT PUT IN DRINK BOTTLES
KEEP LOCKED UP
written:
(i) on separate lines immediately below the cautionary statement “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN” as required by subparagraph 7(1)(c); and
(ii) in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness; and
(iii) in letters at least four-tenths the height of the letters used for the signal words; and
(iv) with nothing, other than a Class label as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, written on the same lines of the main label;
(g) for any poison other than a poison for human therapeutic use labelled in accordance with the Required Advisory Statements for Medicine Labels, if safety directions are required on the label by subparagraph 7(1)(n), with the cautionary statement –
READ SAFETY DIRECTIONS BEFORE OPENING
OR USING
or with the cautionary statement –
READ SAFETY DIRECTIONS
written:
(i) on a separate line or lines;
(A) immediately below the cautionary statement “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN” as required by subparagraph 7(1)(c); or
(B) if one or more other cautionary statements is required to be on the line immediately below “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN”, immediately below that statement or those statements; and
(ii) in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness; and
(iii) in letters at least four-tenths the height of the letters used for the signal word or words; and
(iv) with nothing, other than a Class label as specified in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, written on the same line;
(h) if the poison meets the criteria for a ‘flammable liquid’ in the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, with the cautionary statement –
FLAMMABLE
written on the main label in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness, unless already present in accordance with the requirements of the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail;
(i) if the poison is for the treatment of animals, with the cautionary statement –
FOR ANIMAL TREATMENT ONLY
written on the main label in bold-face sans serif capital letters of uniform thickness;
(j) if the poison is a Schedule 5 poison intended for any purpose other than internal or pesticidal use, with the cautionary statement –
DO NOT SWALLOW
written in sans serif capital letters on the main label or as part of the directions for use;
(k) with the approved name of the poison and a statement of the quantity, proportion or strength of the poison in accordance with paragraph 8:
(i) if the poison is for human therapeutic use, written in accordance with orders made under subsection 10(3) of the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Act, 1989; or
(ii) if the poison is not for human therapeutic use, written in bold-face sans serif capital letters on the main label, unless:
(A) a list of approved names is required; and
(B) it is impractical to include the list on the main label; and
(C) an appropriate authority has authorised its inclusion on another part of the label; or
(iii) if the poison is a Schedule 5 poison referred to in column 1 of the following table the appropriate name opposite thereto in column 2 may be used as the approved name:
TABLE
Column 1 Column 2
Alkaline salts Alkaline salts
Amines for use as curing Aliphatic amines or
agents for epoxy resins aromatic amines
(unless separately specified
in the Schedules)
Epoxy resins, liquid Liquid epoxy resins
Hydrocarbons, liquid Liquid hydrocarbons
Quaternary ammonium Quaternary ammonium
compounds compound(s)
(iv) if a poison contains a mixture of designated solvents in excess of 25 per cent of the total volume of the poison but the proportion of one or more individual designated solvents in the mixture is equal to or less than 25 per cent, the approved names of those solvents may be expressed as follows:
(A) where the designated solvent is a liquid hydrocarbon as “liquid hydrocarbons”; or
(B) where the designated solvent is a ketone as “ketones”; or
(C) in any other case as “solvents” or “other solvents”;
(l) if the poison is an organophosphorus compound or carbamate for pesticidal use or for the treatment of animals, with the following expression written immediately below the approved name or the list of declared contents –
AN ANTICHOLINESTERASE COMPOUND
(i) the requirements of subparagraph 7(1)(l) do not apply to:
(A) dazomet, mancozeb, metiram, propineb, thiram, tri-allate, zineb or ziram; or
(B) an organophosphorus compound or carbamate contained in impregnated plastic resin strips, medallions or granules; or
(C) an organophosphorus compound or carbamate contained in a
pressurised spray pack for household use;
(m) for any poison other than a poison for human therapeutic use labelled in accordance with Therapeutic Goods Order 69 General requirements for labels for medicines or in an agricultural or veterinary chemical product labelled in compliance with the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994, if the poison is prepared, packed or sold for a specific purpose, with clear and adequate directions for use unless:
(i) the poison is included in Schedule 4 or Schedule 8; or
(ii) it is impractical to include such directions on the label and:
(A) the primary pack and the immediate container are labelled with the statement “DIRECTIONS FOR USE: See package insert”; and
(B) an appropriate authority has authorised the directions for use to be written on a package insert instead of the label; and
(C) the insert is enclosed in the primary pack;
(n) for any poison other than a poison for human therapeutic use labelled in accordance with the Required Advisory Statements for Medicine Labels, if use of the poison may be harmful to the user, with appropriate safety directions (see Appendix F), grouped together as a distinct section of the label and prefaced by the words –
SAFETY DIRECTIONS
written in bold-face capital letters;
(o) for any poison other than a poison for human therapeutic use labelled in accordance with the Required Advisory Statements for Medicine Labels, if any warning statement or statements are required for the poison (see Appendix F), with that warning statement or those statements grouped together:
(i) if safety directions are included on the label, immediately after the words “SAFETY DIRECTIONS”; or
(ii) if there are no safety directions, immediately preceding the directions for use;
(p) if the poison is not for human internal use and is not a Schedule 3, Schedule 4 or Schedule 8 poison, with appropriate first aid instructions (see Appendix E):
(i) grouped together and prefaced by the words –
FIRST AID
written in bold-face capital letters; or
(ii) if a primary pack contains two or more immediate containers of poisons each requiring different first aid instructions:
(A) written on each immediate container as specified in subparagraph 7(1)(p)(i); and
(B) replaced on the primary pack with the statement –
FIRST AID: See inner packs;
(q) with the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor.
(2) For the purposes of subparagraph 7(1)(a)(iii) the term “largest letter or numeral” does not include:
(a) a single letter or numeral which is larger than other lettering on the label; or
(b) an affix forming part of the trade name; or
(c) in the case of a poison for therapeutic use, numerals used to distinguish the strength of a preparation from the strengths of other preparations of the same poison.