GHS hazard class · Health hazards
Acute toxicity, oral
Acute toxicity covers harmful effects that occur after a single exposure, or several exposures within 24 hours, by swallowing (oral), skin contact (dermal) or breathing in (inhalation). The GHS has five categories, from Category 1 (most toxic) to Category 5, based on lethal-dose or lethal-concentration data.
What it means
The product can cause serious harm, and in the worst categories death, after one short exposure. Categories 1 to 3 carry the skull-and-crossbones pictogram, and Category 4 carries the exclamation mark.
What to do
Avoid all contact, breathing and swallowing. Use only with good ventilation or local exhaust, wear the gloves, protective clothing and respiratory protection the SDS calls for, do not eat, drink or smoke while working, wash thoroughly afterwards, and call a poison center or doctor if exposed.
This is general guidance for the class. Your product's safety data sheet takes precedence.
Categories and hazard statements
Chemicals with acute toxicity, oral hazard codes
Chemicals in our database whose primary classification includes any current Acute toxicity, oral code (H300, H301, H302, H303).
40 chemicals in our database. Classification comes from each chemical's primary GHS source, so a supplier's SDS may differ.
Acute toxicity, oral: frequently asked questions
What is the GHS hazard class "Acute toxicity, oral"?
Acute toxicity covers harmful effects that occur after a single exposure, or several exposures within 24 hours, by swallowing (oral), skin contact (dermal) or breathing in (inhalation). The GHS has five categories, from Category 1 (most toxic) to Category 5, based on lethal-dose or lethal-concentration data.
Which hazard statements belong to Acute toxicity, oral?
The current hazard statements for this class are H300, H301, H302, H303.
Which pictograms and signal words are used for Acute toxicity, oral?
Pictograms: GHS06 (Skull and Crossbones), GHS07 (Exclamation Mark). Signal words: Danger or Warning, depending on the category.
What should I do when working with a acute toxicity, oral hazard?
Avoid all contact, breathing and swallowing. Use only with good ventilation or local exhaust, wear the gloves, protective clothing and respiratory protection the SDS calls for, do not eat, drink or smoke while working, wash thoroughly afterwards, and call a poison center or doctor if exposed.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ghs/ghscode_10.txt (UN GHS Revision 10, retrieved 2026-10-12)