GHS hazard class · Health hazards
Serious eye damage/eye irritation
Serious eye damage is tissue damage in the eye, or serious decay of vision, that is not fully reversible within 21 days of exposure (Category 1). Eye irritation is a change in the eye that is fully reversible within 21 days (Category 2).
What it means
Splashes, mists or dust can injure the eyes, in the worst cases permanently.
What to do
Wear eye or face protection suited to the product. If it gets in the eyes, rinse cautiously with water for several minutes, remove contact lenses if easy to do, keep rinsing, and get medical attention.
This is general guidance for the class. Your product's safety data sheet takes precedence.
Categories and hazard statements
Chemicals with serious eye damage/eye irritation hazard codes
Chemicals in our database whose primary classification includes any current Serious eye damage/eye irritation code (H318, H319, H320).
56 chemicals in our database. Classification comes from each chemical's primary GHS source, so a supplier's SDS may differ.
Serious eye damage/eye irritation: frequently asked questions
What is the GHS hazard class "Serious eye damage/eye irritation"?
Serious eye damage is tissue damage in the eye, or serious decay of vision, that is not fully reversible within 21 days of exposure (Category 1). Eye irritation is a change in the eye that is fully reversible within 21 days (Category 2).
Which hazard statements belong to Serious eye damage/eye irritation?
The current hazard statements for this class are H318, H319, H320.
Which pictograms and signal words are used for Serious eye damage/eye irritation?
Pictograms: GHS05 (Corrosion), GHS07 (Exclamation Mark). Signal words: Danger or Warning, depending on the category.
What should I do when working with a serious eye damage/eye irritation hazard?
Wear eye or face protection suited to the product. If it gets in the eyes, rinse cautiously with water for several minutes, remove contact lenses if easy to do, keep rinsing, and get medical attention.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ghs/ghscode_10.txt (UN GHS Revision 10, retrieved 2026-10-12)