Skip to main content
Chemistry LibreTexts

1.1: Pictograms and SDS

  • Page ID
    538345
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    ( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)

    Communication of Chemical Hazards

    The Hazard Communication Regulation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that anyone who might come in contact with chemicals be informed of potential hazards. Communication of chemical hazards is through labels and safety data sheets as described below.

    The Fire Diamond

    A quick visual representation of hazards is provided by the Health, Flammability, Instability (HFI) or “Fire” diamond developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The diamond consists of four quadrants with numbers or special symbols representing the degree of certain hazards. The top three quadrants contain NFPA codes (numbers from 0 to 4) indicating the degree of a particular risk.

    download.png 4 – Extreme Risk

    3 – Serious Risk

    2 – Moderate Risk

    1 – Slight Risk

    0 – Minimal Risk

    Quadrant

    Type of Hazard

    Color

    Example

    left

    health

    blue

    3 = severe health hazard

    top

    flammability

    red

    2 = moderately flammable

    right

    instability1

    yellow

    1 = Slight reactivity

    bottom

    special

    white

    W = use no water

    Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

    Chemical manufacturers are required by law to provide a Safety Data Sheet (or SDS) for each chemical. Prior to 2015, this document was called a Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS. Although your instructor or laboratory manual will always inform you of any hazards associated with the chemicals you will be using, you may view the SDS for any chemical you will use in the laboratory. The format of a Safety Data Sheet is standardized to contain 16 sections, each providing a specific type of information.

    Label Element

    Content

    Product Identifier

    Chemical name of the hazardous chemical

    Supplier Identification

    Contact information of manufacturer or distributor

    Signal Word

    Severity level of hazard is indicated using two words

    DANGER: more severe hazard

    WARNING: less severe

    Hazard statements

    Nature and degree of hazard

    Precautionary statements

    Recommended measures to minimize adverse effects

    Supplemental Information

    Pictograms

    Nine different pictograms are used to designate distinct physical, health and environmental hazards.

    Hazard Pictograms

    OSHA required hazard pictograms on labels consist of a black hazard symbol on a white background framed within a red border in the shape of a square set on a point. You should be familiar with these symbols.

    Health Hazard Flame Exclamation Mark

    health.png

    Carcinogen

    Mutagenicity

    Reproductive Toxicity

    Respiratory Sensitizer

    Target Organ Toxicity

    Aspiration Toxicity

    flame.png

    Flammables

    Pyrophorics

    Self-Heating

    Emits Flammable Gas

    Self-Reactives

    Organic Peroxides

    EM.png

    Irritant (skin and eye)

    Skin Sensitizer

    Acute Toxicity

    Narcotic Effects

    Respiratory Tract Irritant

    Hazardous to Ozone Layer (Non-Mandatory)

    Corrosion Exploding Bomb Gas Cylinder

    corrosion.png

    Skin Corrosion/Burns

    Eye Damage

    Corrosive to Metals

    bomb.png

    Explosives

    Self-Reactives

    Organic Peroxides

    gas.png

    Gases Under Pressure

    Flame Over Circle Skull and Crossbones Environment

    flame over circle.png
    Oxidizers

    skull.png
    Acute Toxicity (fatal or toxic)

    enironmnet.png

    (Non-Mandatory)

    Aquatic Toxicity

    For a more complete discussion of hazard pictograms, visit the OSHA Web site. www.osha.gov


    1.1: Pictograms and SDS is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

    • Was this article helpful?