Ever wonder what these symbols mean? What should you do if you see one?
These are some of the symbols used to indicate hazardous materials, so one should exercise caution when dealing with them. As the degree of hazard varies from material to material, it is best to refer to reliable references on the method of handling for your own safety.
Do not fret, NUS Libraries subscribes to reliable chemical safety databases such as Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), Hazmat Navigator, and Chemistry Hazard in Industry. All you need is to do a quick search in these databases using the chemical name (e.g. ‘Sodium Hypochloride’) or the common chemical trade name (e.g. ‘clorox’) of the material to get the required information.
Need to find out the common chemical trade name or its synonyms? Try these resources: Gardner’s Chemical Synonyms and Trade Names (call no. TP9 Han), The Dictionary of Substances (TP9 Dic), and Common Chemistry.
Let’s all handle hazardous materials appropriately for our own and environment safety!
Editor’s note: The images were taken from Health and Safety Executive.