Hazard statement

Standard phrasing describing the nature of a hazard, such as "Causes serious eye damage".

Hazard statements are fixed phrases assigned to each hazard class and category, so the same hazard is described in the same words on every sheet and label. Each carries an H-code, such as H318 for "Causes serious eye damage".

They sit alongside precautionary statements, which describe what to do about the hazard rather than what it is, and carry P-codes.

Because the phrasing is fixed, hazard statements can be matched reliably across sheets in a way free text cannot.

Related terms

• GHSThe UN system that standardises how chemical hazards are classified, labelled and described on safety data sheets.
• Hazard classThe nature of a chemical hazard under GHS: flammable liquid, skin corrosion, carcinogenicity and so on.
• Signal wordEither Danger or Warning, the GHS indicator of relative hazard severity.
• SDS Section 2Hazard identification: the GHS classification, signal word, hazard statements and pictograms.

A plain-English explanation, not legal advice. Figures are the federal baseline; your state may differ, so see the state-by-state requirements.