GHS pictograms: what the 9 hazard symbols actually mean
Household and workshop chemicals carry one or more of nine standardized diamond-shaped pictograms. They were designed so the same red-bordered symbol warns of the same hazard in any country, on any label, in any language.
What does each GHS pictogram mean?
The flame means the product is flammable (aerosols, solvents, some cleaners). The flame-over-circle means it releases oxygen and can intensify a fire even without its own flame. The exploding bomb marks explosives or self-reactive substances. The gas cylinder means contents are under pressure, like many aerosol cans.
The corrosion symbol (a hand and a surface being eaten away) means the product can burn skin or eyes on contact, or corrode metal — common on drain cleaners and some descalers. The skull and crossbones means acute toxicity at low doses. The health hazard symbol (a starburst on a chest) marks longer-term risks: carcinogens, respiratory sensitizers, reproductive toxicity. The exclamation mark is the catch-all for milder effects — skin or eye irritation, drowsiness. The environment symbol (a dead fish and tree) flags aquatic toxicity, relevant for anything poured down a drain.
Where do I find the full hazard information for a product?
The pictogram alone only tells you the category of hazard, not the specific risk or what to do about it. For that, the product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — sometimes still called MSDS — lists the hazard in full, first-aid measures, safe storage and what not to mix it with, across 16 standardized sections.
Manufacturers of chemical products sold to consumers or businesses are required to make an SDS available; most publish it directly on their own website, searchable by product name.
Before you rely on this guide
Como ler este número
The pictogram shows the category, not the exact risk
De onde vem o dado
OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200
Cuidado
This is general information, not safety advice for a specific product
O que fazer com isso
Search the manufacturer's own SDS
Glossário: os termos desta página
GHS pictogram
A GHS (Globally Harmonized System) pictogram is one of nine standardized diamond symbols — flame, skull, corrosion and others — that label a chemical's hazards the same way worldwide, so a warning reads the same regardless of language.
Fonte: Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200 — OSHA.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A Safety Data Sheet is the standardized 16-section document a chemical manufacturer must provide, listing hazards, first aid, storage and handling. It is the document to check before mixing or storing any household chemical.
GTIN
A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is the number encoded in a product's barcode. A 12-digit UPC and a 13-digit EAN are both GTIN formats; the number identifies the product and its manufacturer, not an individual unit.
Fonte: GTIN standard — GS1.
Energy and consumer glossary — todos os 9 termos.
Sources: Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200 (OSHA).