GHS Chemical Label Specifics

Under the GHS, chemical labels will now require pictograms, a series of symbols and other graphic elements that are intended to convey clear information about the hazards of a chemical, regardless of language or country location. The following descriptions represent the nine pictograms used in the GHS.

Health Hazard
• Carcinogen
• Mutagenicity
• Reproductive Toxicity
• Respiratory Sensitizer
• Target Organ Toxicity
• Aspiration Toxicity

Environment
(Non-Mandatory)
• Aquatic Toxicity

Exclamation Mark
• Irritant (skin and eye)
• Skin Sensitizer
• Acute Toxicity
• Narcotic Effects
• Respiratory Tract Irritant
• Hazardous to Ozone
• Layer (Non-Mandatory)

Skull and Crossbones
• Acute Toxicity
(fatal or toxic)

Flame
• Flammables
• Pyrophorics
• Self-Heating
• Emits Flammable Gas
• Self-Reactives
• Organic Peroxides

Exploding Bomb
• Explosives
• Self-Reactives
• Organic Peroxides

Corrosion
• Skin Corrosion/Burns
• Eye Damage
• Corrosive to Metals

Gas Cylinder
• Gases under pressure

Flame Over Circle
• Oxidizers

Stephanie S. Beecher is the associate editor of Contracting Profits magazine, a sister publication to Facility Cleaning Decisions.