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705 Hazard Communication Program
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Pictogram Requirements

The hazard communication system uses pictograms in a diamond shape to quickly alert workers to potential hazards associated with chemicals. See the pictogram for examples.

Each symbol comes with a signal word, either "Danger" for severe hazards or "Warning" for less severe hazards, helping communicate risk levels. Below is a list of each hazard pictogram with a brief description. Reference the glossary for more information on each of the examples.

Health Hazard: This pictogram shows a figure with a star on the chest and signals hazards that can cause serious, long-term health effects. Health hazards may include:

  • Carcinogenicity (cancer-causing agents)
  • Respiratory sensitization (breathing difficulties or allergic reactions in the lungs)
  • Reproductive toxicity (can harm reproductive organs or cause birth defects)
  • Organ toxicity following repeated exposure
  • Mutagenicity (genetic mutations)

Flame: This pictogram shows a flame and indicates substances that are flammable. It applies to chemicals that can easily catch fire and combust under certain conditions. The hazards include:

  • Flammable gases, liquids, and solids
  • Self-heating substances
  • Substances that emit flammable gas when in contact with water
  • Self-reactive substances and pyrophorics (ignite spontaneously in air)

Exclamation Mark: Shown as an exclamation mark, this pictogram warns of less severe but still significant health hazards. These include:

  • Skin and eye irritation
  • Skin sensitization (can cause allergic reactions)
  • Acute toxicity (harmful if swallowed, inhaled, or comes into contact with skin)
  • Specific target organ toxicity (affects specific organs with short-term exposure)
  • Narcotic effects (causes dizziness or drowsiness)

Gas Cylinder: This symbol represents gases under pressure. Hazards related to pressurized gases include potential for explosion, especially when exposed to heat or damaged. Types of gases under this category include:

  • Compressed gases
  • Liquefied gases
  • Refrigerated liquefied gases (can cause cold burns or frostbite)
  • Dissolved gases

Corrosion: This pictogram shows a substance causing damage to skin or metals and indicates risks of serious skin burns, eye damage, and corrosive effects on metals. The hazards include:

  • Skin corrosion and burns
  • Eye damage
  • Corrosive effects on metals

Exploding Bomb: This symbol warns of substances that can explode under certain conditions. These include chemicals that are highly reactive, self-reactive, or explosive, such as:

  • Explosives (can cause fire or explosion under certain conditions)
  • Self-reactive substances
  • Organic peroxides (unstable chemicals that may explode when heated)

Flame Over Circle: This pictogram, which shows a flame over a circle, identifies oxidizers that can cause or intensify fires by providing oxygen to fuel combustion. These hazards include:

  • Oxidizing gases
  • Oxidizing liquids
  • Oxidizing solids

Skull and Crossbones: This symbol signals acute toxicity, indicating that a substance is highly toxic and can cause death or serious health effects if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed. This is one of the most serious warnings and applies to:

  • Substances toxic in small amounts
  • Immediate health risks upon exposure

Environment (Non-Mandatory): Depicted with a dead tree and fish, this pictogram is used to label chemicals that pose environmental hazards, specifically to aquatic life. This symbol is not mandatory under OSHA but is often included to alert of environmental impact risks, including:

  • Acute aquatic toxicity (short-term harmful effects on aquatic environments)
  • Chronic aquatic toxicity (long-term damage to aquatic environments)

These hazard pictograms and signal words work together to provide critical information about the chemical hazards, helping to ensure workplace safety by raising awareness of the nature and severity of risks involved.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

3-3. What does a pictogram containing a skull and crossbones mean?