The corrosion safety symbol, a diamond-framed pictogram showing a chemical eating through a surface and a hand, is one of the most recognizable hazard indicators in any workplace. But recognizing it and understanding the specific labeling rules behind it are two different things. If you're a safety manager, compliance officer, or business owner working with corrosive substances, you need to know exactly what this symbol communicates, where it's required, and how GHS and OSHA standards govern its use.
This article breaks down the corrosion hazard pictogram in detail: its official meaning under the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), its role in OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, and the practical requirements for displaying it correctly on labels and in the workplace.
At Safety Decals, we produce durable, regulation-compliant safety decals and labels for businesses across the United States. Corrosive hazard labeling is something we work with regularly, so consider this a straightforward guide built on real-world application, not just theory.
Spot the corrosion safety symbol
The corrosion safety symbol is a GHS pictogram displayed as a red-bordered white diamond containing a black image. That image shows two distinct scenes side by side: a liquid dripping onto a flat surface with damage spreading beneath it, and the same liquid dripping onto a human hand. Both depictions show visible deterioration, making the danger unmistakable at a glance.
What the pictogram looks like
Under the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System, the corrosion pictogram follows a standardized design with a specific official code: GHS05. You'll see the red diamond border, a white background inside the diamond, and black line art showing material and skin damage simultaneously. In certain print formats, the border may appear black rather than red, but the inner image stays consistent.
GHS05 is the official code assigned to the corrosion pictogram under the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.
By showing both surface damage and hand damage in a single image, the symbol communicates two separate but related risks without any text: damage to materials and damage to living tissue. You can identify this pictogram quickly because it is the only GHS hazard symbol that depicts a hand being affected by a dripping chemical.
Where you'll see it displayed
You'll find the corrosion symbol on chemical container labels, safety data sheets (SDS), and workplace warning signs anywhere corrosive materials are stored, used, or transported. Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom 2012), any chemical classified as a skin corrosive or serious eye damage substance must carry this pictogram on its label.
Shipping containers moving corrosive goods across state lines also carry versions of this symbol under DOT placard requirements, though the DOT format uses a different layout than the standard GHS label version.
Know what hazards it warns about
The corrosion safety symbol covers two distinct hazard categories that OSHA and GHS treat as closely related: damage to human tissue and damage to physical materials. Understanding both categories helps you determine which substances require this pictogram and what protective measures your team needs.
Skin and eye damage
Corrosive substances can destroy living tissue on contact. Skin corrosives are classified into three categories under GHS, with Category 1 being the most severe, causing irreversible damage within four hours of exposure. Serious eye damage (GHS Category 1) means a substance causes permanent eye injury or significant vision loss after contact. Both classifications require the corrosion pictogram on your labels.
If a chemical meets either the skin corrosive or serious eye damage classification, you must display the corrosion pictogram on its label regardless of container size.
Damage to metals and surfaces
Beyond the human body, corrosive chemicals also attack metals, concrete, and other structural materials. GHS specifically identifies substances that corrode steel or aluminum at a rate exceeding 6.25 mm per year at 55°C as corrosive to metals. If you store or transport such materials, your containers and workplace signage both require this hazard label to alert workers and emergency responders to the risk.
Follow GHS and OSHA label rules
Both GHS and OSHA set specific, non-negotiable requirements for how you display the corrosion safety symbol on chemical labels. Understanding both frameworks keeps your workplace compliant and protects your workers from preventable injuries.
GHS label requirements
Under GHS, every label must include six core elements: the pictogram (GHS05), a signal word, a hazard statement, precautionary statements, a product identifier, and supplier information. For corrosive substances, the signal word is "Danger" for Category 1 skin corrosives and serious eye damage chemicals. Lower-severity classifications use "Warning" instead.
Omitting any of the six required GHS label elements puts your facility out of compliance, even if the pictogram itself is present.
The six required label elements are:
- Pictogram (GHS05 for corrosion hazards)
- Signal word ("Danger" or "Warning")
- Hazard statement
- Precautionary statements
- Product identifier
- Supplier contact information
OSHA HazCom 2012 obligations
OSHA adopted GHS through its Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), which means U.S. employers must follow GHS label rules for all hazardous chemicals in their facilities. Your responsibility covers every corrosive chemical container at all times, including during transfers between containers. Secondary containers used by a single employee within one shift are the only recognized exception to this labeling requirement.
Label containers and areas the right way
Correct labeling goes beyond printing the corrosion safety symbol on a container. You need to place it in the right location, at the right size, and in the right format for both primary chemical containers and fixed storage areas to meet OSHA requirements.
Container labeling
Your chemical containers need labels applied to a visible, flat surface where workers can read them without repositioning the container. The label material itself must hold up to the same corrosive conditions the chemical creates, so self-adhesive decals printed on chemical-resistant stock are the standard choice for metal drums, plastic tanks, and transfer containers. Apply labels to these surfaces at minimum:
- Primary containers shipped from suppliers
- Portable containers used regularly on the floor
- Any refillable container employees handle directly
If a label fades, peels, or becomes unreadable, OSHA treats that container as unlabeled regardless of whether a pictogram was ever present.
Area and secondary container labeling
Fixed areas where you store or handle corrosives need warning signs posted at entry points and near storage racks so workers know the hazard before they enter. For secondary containers such as spray bottles or transfer tanks, you must include the chemical identity and hazard information unless a single worker uses and empties that container within one shift.
Avoid common compliance mistakes
Even with clear GHS and OSHA rules in place, certain labeling errors appear repeatedly across facilities. Knowing where teams typically go wrong with the corrosion safety symbol helps you fix gaps before an inspection or an injury.
Using the wrong pictogram format
Some facilities print the corrosion symbol without the required red border, using a black outline instead for internal labels. GHS allows black borders only in specific limited print contexts, so defaulting to black on all labels puts you out of compliance. Your primary container labels must use the full red diamond format in all standard applications.
Using an outdated or non-compliant pictogram format on a primary container label violates OSHA's HazCom 2012 requirements regardless of whether workers understand the hazard.
Skipping labels on transferred chemicals
A common mistake is leaving secondary containers unlabeled when chemicals move from a bulk storage drum to a smaller working container. Unless one employee uses and empties that container within a single shift, you must apply a full label with hazard information.
Check the containers your team refills most often and confirm each one carries the correct chemical identity and hazard pictogram. Regularly reused transfer containers without labels are among the most cited OSHA HazCom violations.
Quick recap and next steps
The corrosion safety symbol (GHS05) identifies substances that damage both living tissue and physical materials. Every label carrying it must include the full set of six required GHS elements, use the correct red diamond format, and appear on any container your team handles, stores, or transfers, with only narrow exceptions for single-shift personal-use containers.
Your next step is auditing whether your current labels actually meet those requirements. Check your chemical inventory, confirm each corrosive substance carries a readable pictogram in the correct format, and verify your secondary containers include full hazard information. Durable, chemical-resistant decals make the difference between labels that hold up through daily use and labels that peel or fade when they matter most.
Starting that audit now puts you ahead of inspection issues and reduces injury risk in your facility. If you need regulation-compliant labels built for real working conditions, browse our custom safety decals and labels to find the right fit.
