Corrosive Chemical Symbol: Meaning, Standards, Where to Buy

The corrosive chemical symbol is the black graphic of two test tubes pouring onto a hand and a metal surface, framed by a red diamond. It signals a substance that can burn skin and eyes or corrode metals—think strong acids and bases like sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide. When you see this pictogram on a label or sign, it’s a clear warning to use protective equipment, follow handling instructions, and store the material correctly.

If you’re responsible for safety labeling, you need more than a picture—you need to know when and how to use it. This guide explains exactly what the corrosive pictogram looks like, what hazards it covers, and which standards control its use (GHS, OSHA HCS, EU CLP, WHMIS). You’ll learn the required label elements (signal words and hazard statements), size and color rules, how GHS labels differ from DOT Class 8 placards and ISO signs, common mistakes to avoid, and where the symbol belongs in your facility. We’ll also show you where to buy compliant, durable labels and signs—or download free artwork—and how to customize them for your operation.

What the corrosive hazard pictogram looks like

The GHS corrosive chemical symbol is a square set on a point (a red diamond) with a white background containing a black graphic: two tilted test tubes dripping liquid onto an outstretched hand and a metal surface. Etching lines show the material eating into the hand and the metal, making the dual hazard clear—serious skin/eye burns and corrosion of metals. This is the standardized pictogram used under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), the UN GHS, EU CLP, and WHMIS.

A quick way to verify you’ve got the right mark:

Red diamond border, white field.
Black artwork of two test tubes with drops falling onto a hand and a bar/plate.
Visible “corrosion” effect on both the hand and the metal.

Don’t confuse this with transportation placards or older consumer icons sometimes shown as a “bony hand.” For workplace chemical labels, the test-tubes-on-hand-and-metal pictogram in a red diamond is the correct, compliant corrosive symbol.

What the symbol means and when it applies

The corrosive chemical symbol warns that a substance can cause severe burns to skin and eyes and may also corrode metals. If splashed or swallowed, certain corrosives can injure the throat and stomach. On a GHS/OSHA workplace label, this pictogram communicates two critical hazards at a glance: serious tissue destruction and material degradation. When you see it, think immediate PPE, cautious handling, and secure storage.

Use this pictogram on labels and SDSs when a product is known to produce severe skin burns or serious eye damage and/or attack common metals. Typical examples include strong acids and bases such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide, as well as certain oxidizers like concentrated hydrogen peroxide and reactive halogens like bromine. Other hazards (flammable, oxidizer, acute toxicity) use different symbols, so don’t substitute the corrosion pictogram for unrelated risks.

Use the symbol if the chemical can cause severe skin burns on contact.
Use the symbol if it can cause serious eye damage.
Use the symbol if it corrodes metals under normal conditions of use or storage.

Standards and regulations you should know (GHS, OSHA HCS, EU CLP, WHMIS)

Compliance starts with knowing which rule set you’re following—and the good news is they all point to the same corrosive chemical symbol. The UN’s Globally Harmonized System (GHS) standardized the corrosion pictogram (test tubes dripping onto a hand and a metal bar inside a red diamond), and major regulators adopted it for chemical labels and Safety Data Sheets.

Here’s how the main frameworks line up:

UN GHS: Defines the pictogram and when to use it for Skin Corrosion/Serious Eye Damage and Corrosive to Metals. Also sets label elements: pictogram, signal word, hazard/precautionary statements, and supplier details.
OSHA HCS (29 CFR 1910.1200): Requires GHS pictograms with a red border on shipped container labels in U.S. workplaces, plus training and SDS alignment. OSHA’s guidance makes clear pictograms are mandatory where hazards apply.
EU CLP (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008): Implements GHS across the EU, using the same corrosion pictogram and harmonized label elements for substances and mixtures placed on the market.
WHMIS (Canada): GHS‑aligned system using the same pictogram on supplier and workplace labels alongside SDS requirements.

Across all four, the intent is identical: use the corrosion pictogram when a product can cause severe skin/eye burns or attack metals, and present it in a red diamond with black artwork on a white background. Do not substitute other graphics (e.g., legacy “bony hand” icons) for regulated workplace labeling.

Label elements that accompany the symbol (signal words and statements)

The corrosive chemical symbol is one piece of a regulated label. Under GHS/OSHA HCS, it must appear with a signal word, hazard statement(s), and precautionary statement(s), plus the product identifier and supplier details. The signal word depends on classification: materials that cause severe skin burns/serious eye damage generally use “Danger,” while products classified only as corrosive to metals often use “Warning.” Hazard statements spell out the risk (severe burns/eye damage or metal corrosion), and precautionary statements tell workers how to prevent exposure, respond, store, and dispose safely.

Signal word: Conveys severity; use the term required by the product’s classification (“Danger” vs “Warning”).
Hazard statement(s): Plain-language description of the risk, such as severe skin/eye burns or corrosion of metals.
Precautionary statements: Key prevention and first aid, e.g., wear gloves/eye protection, remove contaminated clothing, flush with water for at least 15 minutes, seek medical attention, and store securely.
Product identifier: Exact name/number that matches the SDS.
Supplier identification: Company name, address, and phone number for the manufacturer or importer.

Getting these elements right is only half the job—next comes making sure they’re sized, colored, and formatted for compliance and readability.

Size, color, and formatting rules for compliant labels

Getting the corrosive chemical symbol right is as much about presentation as it is about content. Under GHS-aligned systems (OSHA HCS, EU CLP, WHMIS), the corrosion pictogram must appear exactly as specified: a red diamond (square set on a point) with a white background and black artwork of the test tubes, hand, and metal. It must be clearly visible, durable, and printed on the shipped container label without substitutions or stylistic tweaks.

Follow these essentials to stay compliant and readable:

Color and contrast: Use a red border, white interior, and black symbol. Do not invert colors, use grayscale, or add color inside the diamond.
Geometry and orientation: Keep the diamond square-on-point; don’t stretch, skew, rotate off-axis, crop, or place text inside the pictogram.
Size and legibility: Make the pictogram large enough to be seen at normal handling distance. OSHA/GHS stress visibility; EU CLP and WHMIS tie minimum pictogram size to overall label size—scale accordingly.
Placement and grouping: Group multiple GHS pictograms together, keep clear white space around each, and ensure no graphics or backgrounds interfere with the red frame.
No “placeholder” diamonds: Blank red diamonds are not permitted.
Print and materials: Use label stocks, inks, and adhesives that resist chemicals, abrasion, and moisture so the pictogram and text remain legible through normal use and storage.
Consistency with other elements: Align the pictogram with the required signal word and statements on the same label and match the product identifier to the SDS.

These fundamentals keep the corrosive symbol compliant, visible, and unambiguous in real-world conditions.

GHS labels vs DOT Class 8 placards vs ISO safety signs

If you handle corrosives across storage, production, and shipping, you’ll touch three different systems that use similar symbols but serve different jobs. Mixing them up creates gaps in compliance and, worse, confusion for workers and drivers. Use each where it belongs: container labeling in the workplace, hazard communication in transport, and area/site warnings in the facility.

GHS/OSHA HCS labels (workplace containers): Red diamond pictogram with the corrosion graphic, paired with the required signal word, hazard and precautionary statements, product identifier, and supplier details. These appear on shipped containers and secondary workplace containers and align with the Safety Data Sheet.
DOT Class 8 placards (transportation): For highway/rail/marine shipment of corrosive hazardous materials. Classification includes substances with pH ≤ 2.0 or ≥ 12.5 (e.g., sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, nitric acid). DOT placards communicate hazards to emergency responders and the public during transport and do not replace GHS labels on containers.
ISO-style safety signs (facility/area warning): Visual warnings posted at points of use, storage rooms, and process areas to alert anyone in the vicinity to corrosive hazards. These signs complement, but don’t substitute for, container labels or transport placards; use them to guide behavior in spaces where chemicals are present.

Practical rule of thumb: GHS lives on the container, DOT travels with the load, and ISO signs live on the wall or equipment. Many operations need all three, working together to keep labeling consistent from the drum to the dock to the workcell.

Common mistakes to avoid with corrosive symbols

Even experienced teams slip on details that undermine both compliance and clarity. The fastest way to stay audit-ready is to avoid these frequent pitfalls and keep the corrosive chemical symbol consistent with GHS/OSHA, CLP, and WHMIS rules.

Using the wrong graphic: Don’t use legacy “bony hand” icons or custom art. Use the GHS corrosion pictogram: test tubes dripping onto a hand and a metal bar.
Mixing systems: Don’t put a DOT Class 8 placard on workplace containers (or a GHS diamond on transport vehicles). Each system has its place.
Wrong colors or styling: No grayscale, black borders, or inverted colors. Keep a red diamond, white background, and black artwork—uncropped, unskewed, not rotated.
Too small or low contrast: If it can’t be seen at normal handling distance, it’s not compliant. Avoid busy backgrounds that intrude on the diamond.
Missing label elements: The pictogram must be paired with the correct signal word, hazard and precautionary statements, product identifier, and supplier info.
Misclassification: Don’t add the corrosion pictogram to simple irritants; likewise, don’t omit it from true skin/eye corrosives or metals-corrosive products.
Unlabeled secondary containers: Workplace (in-use) containers need compliant labeling too.
Blank red diamonds: Never use “placeholder” diamonds.
Poor durability: Smearing ink, peeling vinyl, or chemical damage that makes labels illegible defeats the purpose—use chemical- and abrasion-resistant materials.

Where the symbol belongs in your facility

Place the corrosive chemical symbol where workers make decisions—on the container they handle and at the doorway or station where exposure could occur. Use GHS corrosion pictograms on shipped and workplace containers; use ISO‑style warning signs on rooms, storage areas, and equipment. DOT Class 8 placards are for transportation and don’t replace in‑plant labels.

Primary containers: Drums, totes, manufacturer bottles—ensure the GHS label is intact, visible, and matches the SDS.
Secondary/portable containers: Squeeze/spray bottles, bench bottles, process cans—apply a compliant GHS label mirroring the original container.
Storage cabinets and shelves: Post a corrosion warning on cabinet doors and at corrosives-dedicated shelving.
Process and dispense points: Mix stations, pumps, wash lines, and decant/fill points—label the point of use where splashes can occur.
Room/area entries: Lab doors, battery rooms, maintenance shops—post ISO‑style “Corrosive” warnings before entry.
Emergency stations: Eyewash/shower zones—add supplemental hazard signage to cue immediate response.
Waste containers/accumulation areas: Label corrosive waste drums and satellite areas with the GHS pictogram and contents.

Buying guide: corrosive labels, decals, and signs

Start with the application, then pick the product. You’ll typically need three formats: GHS container labels for shipped and workplace containers, ISO‑style wall/door signs for rooms and equipment, and DOT Class 8 placards for transport. Don’t substitute one system for another—use each where it’s required, and keep artwork consistent with the red‑diamond GHS corrosion pictogram.

What to look for when you buy:

Regulatory alignment: GHS/OSHA HCS, EU CLP, and WHMIS‑compatible artwork and layouts; space for the signal word, hazard/precautionary statements, product identifier, and supplier info that match the SDS.
Durable materials: Industrial vinyls and films (e.g., ORAFOL) with chemical, abrasion, moisture, and UV resistance; overlaminate for washdown or outdoor exposure; matte finishes to reduce glare under bright lighting.
Right adhesive: High‑tack options for steel drums and low‑energy plastics (HDPE/PP); clean‑removable for glassware or short‑term use; strong edge seal to resist peeling on curved surfaces.
Environmental rating: Service temperature range suited to cold rooms, battery rooms, or hot process areas; inks that won’t smear with common solvents.
Readable design: Adequate pictogram size, high contrast text, and grouped diamonds; no grayscale or inverted colors.
Customization: Your exact chemical name/ID, language needs, barcodes/QRs, and layout templates for families of products.
Process fit: Pre‑printed rolls for stocked hazards; print‑on‑demand blanks for variable information and rapid relabeling.

From one‑off decals to site‑wide kits, Safety Decals can build compliant, high‑durability corrosive labels and signs to your specs—size, color, materials, and copy—backed by regulatory guidance, a sticker builder for quick proofs, and Michigan‑made quality.

Where to download the symbol artwork (free files and formats)

If you need clean, compliant artwork of the corrosive chemical symbol, start with neutral authorities that publish standard GHS pictograms and fact sheets. Download masters in vector formats so the red diamond and black artwork stay crisp at any size, and avoid “stylized” or legacy icons that won’t pass an audit.

Preferred file types: SVG, EPS, or PDF (vector); high‑resolution PNG with a transparent background for digital use.
What to look for: Red diamond border, white interior, black “test tubes on hand and metal” graphic; no color fills inside the diamond; no cropping or rotation.
Trusted sources: OSHA Hazard Communication pictogram resources, EU/UK regulator pages (e.g., HSE) with GHS/CLP pictograms, and reference libraries like the “GHS hazard pictograms” set on Wikipedia.
Pro tip: Keep an unedited master file and verify your print against your SDS and regulator references before bulk labeling.

Need ready-to-print files sized for your containers and signs? Safety Decals can supply compliance‑ready artwork with your order.

Customization options for corrosive labels and signs

No two applications are the same. Your corrosive chemical symbol must remain GHS‑compliant, but everything around it—size, materials, wording, and data—should match your containers, environment, and workflows. Smart customization boosts readability, durability, and traceability while keeping audits simple and training consistent across shifts and sites.

Format and size: From micro bottles to drums and door signs.
Layout and content: Correct signal word, statements, and grouped pictograms.
Languages: Bilingual/multilingual options for diverse crews without clutter.
Materials/laminates: Chemical-, abrasion-, and moisture-resistant films (e.g., ORAFOL).
Adhesives: High‑tack for drums/LSE plastics; removable for glassware.
Environment rating: Cold rooms, washdown, UV/outdoor, and battery rooms.
Variable data: Product ID matching SDS, batch, barcodes/QR for traceability.

Examples of corrosive chemicals and typical use cases

Corrosives span strong acids and bases, certain oxidizers, and some reactive halogens. You’ll encounter them in labs, battery rooms, maintenance shops, mix/dispense stations, and dedicated storage. If the substance can severely burn skin/eyes or attack metals, the corrosive chemical symbol belongs on the container and near the point of use. Below are common examples you may see in everyday operations.

Sulfuric acid: Found with lead‑acid batteries in battery charging areas and in lab reagents.
Hydrochloric acid: Present in acid cleaning solutions and laboratory acid stocks.
Nitric acid: Common oxidizing acid in laboratories and metal treatment processes.
Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda): Used for caustic cleaning, sanitation steps, and pH adjustment.
Hydrogen peroxide (concentrated): Powerful oxidizer in bleaching/disinfection and lab prep.
Bromine: Reactive halogen encountered in certain water treatment chemicals and lab reagents.
Amines (e.g., specialty amines): Strong bases used in synthesis and neutralization steps.
Glycolic acid: Organic acid appearing in specialty cleaning formulations.
Imidazole; 4‑Methoxybenzylamine: Corrosive lab chemicals handled in small bottles or bench containers.

Tip: Match your labeling to how chemicals are actually handled. Drums and totes need full GHS labels; secondary squeeze/spray bottles used at benches or machines also require the corrosion pictogram and the same core information aligned to the SDS.

Handling and first-aid essentials at a glance

When the corrosive chemical symbol appears on a label, assume the material can burn skin and eyes and may attack metals. Plan work so exposure is unlikely, and be ready to act fast if it happens. The basics below align with GHS/OSHA labeling and common SDS guidance for corrosives.

Wear proper PPE: Chemical-resistant gloves and eye/face protection (goggles or a face shield) when handling or diluting, as recommended on the SDS.
Stage emergency gear: Keep an eyewash and safety shower within immediate reach of use areas and train staff on their location and operation.
Label everything: Ensure primary and secondary containers carry the GHS corrosion pictogram with matching product identifiers and statements.
Handle with control: Open and dispense slowly to avoid splashes; follow SDS instructions for any dilution or mixing steps.
Store securely: Keep containers closed, upright, and in posted areas; use materials that maintain label legibility and durability.

If exposure occurs:

Stop the exposure: Remove contaminated clothing and accessories.
Flush with water immediately: Rinse skin or affected area with copious water for at least 15 minutes.
For eye contact: Use an eyewash and flush for a minimum of 15 minutes, keeping eyelids open.
Get medical attention: Seek prompt care and bring the SDS. Use neutralizing agents or special measures only if the SDS directs it.

These actions—prompt rinsing, proper PPE, and SDS-driven response—significantly reduce harm from corrosive chemicals.

FAQ: quick answers about the corrosive chemical symbol

You’ve got labels to produce and audits to pass—here are fast, trusted answers. These points align with GHS and the systems that adopted it (OSHA HCS in the U.S., EU CLP, and WHMIS). Use them to sanity‑check artwork, wording, and where the corrosive chemical symbol belongs.

What’s the official symbol? Red diamond with black test tubes dripping onto a hand and a metal bar.
When is it required? When classified for severe skin burns/serious eye damage and/or corrosive to metals.
Is the “bony hand” acceptable? No for workplace labels; that’s a legacy/consumer icon, not GHS.
Acids only? No—includes strong bases and others (e.g., sulfuric, nitric, HCl, NaOH, concentrated H2O2, bromine).
What signal word applies? Typically “Danger” for severe burns/eye damage; “Warning” for metals‑only corrosion.
Can I print it in black and white? No—shipped container labels require a red diamond border.
How big must it be? Large enough to be clearly visible; CLP/WHMIS link minimums to overall label size.
Same as DOT Class 8? No—DOT placards are for transport (many Class 8 are pH ≤2 or ≥12.5); GHS is for containers.
Do secondary containers need it? Yes—apply a compliant GHS label mirroring the primary container.
One pictogram for all hazards? No—use all applicable GHS pictograms; the corrosion icon covers burns/metal attack only.

Keep your labels clear, compliant, and durable

Getting corrosive labeling right is simple when you focus on the essentials: use the correct GHS pictogram, match the SDS, include the required signal word and statements, print in the proper red/white/black format, and place labels where decisions are made. Finish the job with materials that actually survive your process so the message stays readable after handling, washdown, and storage.

If you want help, Safety Decals makes it easy. We build corrosion labels and signs that align with GHS/OSHA, CLP, and WHMIS guidance—custom sizes, bilingual text, grouped pictograms, and variable data (SKUs, barcodes, QR). Choose industrial films and laminates from ORAFOL with the right adhesive for drums, glassware, or low‑energy plastics. Use our sticker builder for fast proofs, or have our team tailor a sitewide system—from container labels to door and area signs. Start your project with Safety Decals.