HAZARD CLASSIFICATION

Defination

“The HCS defines hazard class as the nature of a physical or health hazard, e.g.,
flammable solid, carcinogen, and acute toxicity. Hazard category means the division of criteria
within each. hazard class, e.g., acute toxicity and flammable liquids each include four hazard
categories”

The Hazard Communication Standard requires all manufacturers or distributors of any products
containing chemicals to evaluate the chemical hazards of the product. The evaluation is
performed by classifying each chemical based on published toxicological or other data to
determine its physical and health hazards.

The Simple Step by Step Process to Classifying a Hazard

1. Identify the relevant data concerning the hazards of the chemical.

2. Determine if the chemical is hazardous based on its physical hazards, health hazards,
and environmental hazards.
3. Test your chemicals or consult scientific evidence to determine how the above
information classifies the material.
4. Identify each of the hazard classes that apply to each chemical.
5. Identify the appropriate hazard category within each class for the chemical to identify
its severity.

What is a hazard category?

Each hazard class contains at least one category. The hazard categories are assigned a number
(e.g., 1, 2, etc.). Categories may also be called "types". Types are assigned an alphabetical letter
(e.g., A, B, etc.). In a few cases, sub-categories are also specified. Subcategories are identified
with a number and a letter (e.g., 1A and 1B).
Some hazard classes have only one category (e.g., corrosive to metals), others may have two
categories (e.g., carcinogenicity (cancer)) or three categories (e.g., oxidizing liquids). There are a
few hazard classes with five or more categories (e.g., organic peroxides).
The category tells you about how hazardous the product is (that is, the severity of hazard).

 Category 1 is always the greatest level of hazard (that is, it is the most hazardous within
that class). If Category 1 is further divided, Category 1A within the same hazard class is a
greater hazard than category 1B.
 Category 2 within the same hazard class is more hazardous than category 3, and so on.
 There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, for the Gases under pressure hazard class,
the hazard categories are "Compressed gas", "Liquefied gas", "Refrigerated liquefied gas" and
"Dissolved gas".

CLASSIFICATION
Health Hazards

Classification Hazard Class Category Description

Skin corrosion Category 1A, 1B, Irreversible skin damage

1C
Corrosion
Serious eye damage Category 1 Irreversible eye damage

Acute toxicity, oral Category 1, 2, 3 Highly toxic in small amounts, serious

health effects or death
Acute toxicity, dermal Category 1, 2, 3

Skull and Acute toxicity, Category 1, 2, 3

Crossbones
inhalation

Aspiration Hazard Category 1, 2 May be fatal if aspirated

Sensitization, Category 1, 1A, 1B Induces hypersensitivity of the

respiratory airways
Health
Hazard
Germ cell Category 1A, 1B, 2 May cause genetic defects
mutagenicity

Carcinogenicity Category 1A, 1B, 2 May cause cancer

Reproductive Toxicity Category 1A, 1B, 2 May damage fertility; may damage
the unborn child
 Specific target organ Category 1, 2 Causes damage to organs
toxicity, single
exposure

Specific target organ Category 1, 2 Causes damage to organs through

toxicity, repeated prolonged or repeated exposure
exposure

Eye irritation Category 2A Causes serious eye irritation

Skin irritation Category 2 Causes skin irritation

Acute Toxicity, oral Category 4 Harmful if swallowed

Sensitization, skin Category 1 May cause an allergic skin reaction

Acute toxicity, dermal Category 4 Harmful in contact with skin

Exclamation
Mark Specific target organ Category 3 May cause respiratory irritation
toxicity, single
exposure, Respiratory
tract irritation

Specific target organ Category 3 May cause drowsiness or dizziness

toxicity, single
exposure, Narcotic
effects

Hazardous to the Category 1 Harms public health and the

ozone layer environment

Physical Hazards 

Classification Hazard Class Category Description

Flame Flammable liquids Category 1, 2, 3 Flammable liquids and vapors

 Flammable solids Category 1, 2 Readily combustible solids

Pressurized container; may burst if

Aerosols Category 1, 2
heated

Desensitized Fire, blast, or projection hazard if the

Category 1, 2, 3, 4
explosives desensitizing agent is reduced

Category 1,
Flammable gases Flammable compressed gas
Pyrophoric gas

Flammable
Category 1, 2 Flammable pressurized container
aerosols

Pyrophoric liquids; Substance that can spontaneously

Category 1
Pyrophoric solids ignite in air

Materials other than pyrophoric

Self-heating materials that can react with air and
substances and Category 1, 2 without energy added. These will only
mixtures ignite in large quantities or after long
periods of time.

Substances and
Mixtures which, in
Substances that emit flammable gases
contact with Category 1, 2, 3
when in contact with water
water, emit
flammable gases

Corrosion
Corrosive to
Category 1 May be corrosive to metals
Metals

Flame Over Circle Oxidizing liquids;

Category 1, 2, 3 Oxidizers. Are not combustible
Oxidizing solids
themselves, but may cause or intensify
fires in other materials
Oxidizing gases Category 1

Gas Cylinder Gases under Compressed gas, Gases under pressure, may explode if
pressure Liquefied gas, heated
Dissolved gas
 Refrigerated
May cause cryogenic burns or injury
liquefied gas

Environmental Hazards 

Classification Hazard Class Category Description

Hazardous to the aquatic

environment, acute Category 1
Environment hazard
Environmental hazard
Hazardous to the aquatic
environment, long-term Category 1, 2
hazard

CHEMICAL HAZARDS AND THEIR

PICTOGRAMS

HEALTH PICTOGRA PHYSICAL PICTOGRAM Environment Pictogra

HAZARD M HAZARD al Hazard m
Flame
Corrosive

Explosive Environment

Skull and
Crossbones

Corrosion

Health
Hazard
 Flame Over
Circle
Exclamatio
n Mark

Gas Cylinder

What if a Hazard is Not Classified under GHS?

Some hazards are not classified under GHS, but that doesn’t mean they can be ignored. These
types of hazards are divided into 2 groups: “Pyrophoric Gases, Simple Asphyxiants, and
Combustible Dusts” These hazards have their own unique requirements and generally do not
have any specific GHS pictograms associated with them. The one exception being pyrophoric
gas which can use the flame GHS pictogram.

THE END