The European Union (EU) requires that safety phrases (S-phrases) appear on each label and safety data sheet for hazardous chemicals. S-phrases consist of the letter S followed by a number. The precise meaning of each of these appears in the table below. Labels will also have symbols or pictograms (see CHIP) as well as R-phrases to denote the risks of the material. The S-phrases denote the appropriate safety precautions or personal protective equipment to minimize these risks. Additional advice may also appear. Additional Info: Both risk and safety phrases are being phased out in favor of Hazard Statements and Precautionary Statements under the EU's implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) per EU Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 (6.6 MB PDF file). More than one S-phrase may appear on a label or MSDS and they may appear in combination, such as S1/2 which corrsponds to "Keep locked up" and "keep out of reach of children". In the first table below, single phrases are given, and in the second table, combinations are given. In general, no more than four S-phrases should be sufficient to adequately communicate the safety precautions for a particular material