GHS pictograms and safety data sheets: how to read them

GHS pictograms are nine symbols in a red diamond that show what hazard a substance carries: explosion, fire, burns, poisoning or harm to the environment. What to do after contact with it is given in the safety data sheet, above all in its section 4.

Where GHS pictograms on a label come from

GHS is a worldwide system for labelling chemicals. In the European Union it is introduced by the CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008. The supplier must label a hazardous substance or mixture before it goes on sale, so the label is already on the container when it arrives at the site.

Every pictogram looks the same: a diamond with a red border and a black symbol on a white background. The old orange squares with a black symbol are no longer valid. If you see them on an old drum in the warehouse, treat them as a warning, but current information is in the safety data sheet.

What each of the nine pictograms means

The codes GHS01 to GHS09 are used for description in documents. The label itself shows only the drawing, without a number.

Code	Symbol	What it means
GHS01	exploding bomb	explosive substance
GHS02	flame	flammable
GHS03	flame over a circle	oxidising, feeds a fire
GHS04	gas cylinder	gas under pressure
GHS05	liquid corroding a hand and a metal	corrosive to skin, eyes and metals
GHS06	skull and crossbones	highly toxic, even in a small dose
GHS07	exclamation mark	harmful, irritating, may cause skin allergy
GHS08	human silhouette with a star on the chest	serious health hazard
GHS09	dead tree and fish	harmful to the aquatic environment

How an exclamation mark differs from a skull

The skull (GHS06) means acute toxicity in the highest categories, 1 to 3. The exclamation mark (GHS07) is a weaker effect: acute toxicity category 4, skin and eye irritation, skin sensitisation, respiratory irritation, or drowsiness and dizziness. If the label has a skull, the exclamation mark is not added, because the stronger warning covers the weaker one.

What the silhouette with a star means

GHS08 warns about effects that are not visible right away. The substance may cause cancer, damage genetic material, harm fertility, sensitise the airways or damage organs after longer exposure. The absence of pain or irritation does not mean the contact was safe.

How to read a label in 30 seconds

Check the product name. It must match the name in the safety data sheet.
Look at the pictograms and compare them with the table above.
Read the signal word: "Danger" means a more serious hazard than "Warning".
Find the H statements (hazard description, e.g. causes skin irritation) and the P statements (what to do, e.g. wear protective gloves).

H and P statements replaced the old R and S phrases. You use the protective equipment from the label at your workstation according to the instructions. How to choose gloves and footwear is described in the text on work clothing and protective equipment.

What a safety data sheet is and what it contains

A safety data sheet is a document from the supplier of the substance, always in 16 sections: from section 1 (product identification) to section 16 (other information). The format is set by the REACH regulation, and no subsection may be left empty. The sheet must be in the official language of the country where the product was sold, so in Poland it is in Polish.

Which sheet sections to read first

A whole sheet often runs to a dozen or so pages. Before working with a new substance, four sections are enough to start with:

Section 2. Hazards identification: the same pictograms, signal word and H and P statements as on the label.
Section 4. First aid measures: what to do after contact with skin or eyes, after inhalation and after swallowing.
Section 7. Handling and storage: how to decant and store the substance and what must not be mixed.
Section 8. Exposure controls and personal protection: which gloves, goggles or mask are needed.

The other sections are useful in case of fire, a spill or disposal.

What to do after contact with a substance

First stop work and move away from the source. Then check section 4 of the sheet or the P statements on the label and do what they say, e.g. rinse the eyes with water. Report every contact, even without symptoms, to your shift supervisor and the coordinator right away. With substances marked with a skull or a silhouette with a star, time matters, so do not wait until the end of the shift.

You will meet chemicals not only in a laboratory. Cleaning agents, lubricants, paints and hazardous waste are everyday matters in production and in work in recycling and waste management.

Frequently asked questions

How many GHS pictograms are there?

Nine. Each is a red diamond with a black symbol on a white background. One label can carry several pictograms if the substance has several hazards.

Where can I find the safety data sheet at the site?

Where the sheets are kept depends on the site: it may be a binder at the workstation, the warehouse or an electronic version. You can ask the team leader for the sheet. It is worth asking where the sheets are kept already on your first day at a new job.

Can a safety data sheet be in English?

The sheet of a substance sold in Poland must be in Polish. The product name in the sheet must match the name on the label, otherwise you may be reading the sheet of a different product.

What does an orange square with a black symbol mean?

It is an old marking that was replaced by the red diamonds. It still occurs on older containers, but current hazards are given in the safety data sheet.

This text describes the general rules. What you are entitled to depends on your type of contract: an employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie). Your own contract and payslip are what count.