GHS hazard statement
H312: Harmful in contact with skin
- H312
- Health hazards
- Warning
H312 means “Harmful in contact with skin”. It is a GHS hazard statement for Acute toxicity, dermal (Category 4), shown with GHS07 under the signal word “Warning”.
Hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | Pictogram | Signal word | UN transport class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acute toxicity, dermal | Category 4 |  | Warning | — |
What H312 means
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.
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 hazard class. The safety data sheet for your product always takes precedence.
Precautionary statements for H312
The GHS lists these precautionary statements for this hazard. Which ones appear on a label depends on the supplier's classification.
| Code | Statement |
|---|---|
| P280 | Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/... |
| P302+P352 | IF ON SKIN: wash with plenty of water/... |
| P317 | Get emergency medical help. |
| P321 | Specific treatment (see ... on this label). |
| P362+P364 | Take off contaminated clothing and wash it before reuse. |
| P501 | Dispose of contents/container to ... |
Chemicals carrying H312
8 chemicals in our database. Classification comes from each chemical's primary GHS source, so a supplier's SDS may differ.
H312 frequently asked questions
What does H312 mean?
H312 means "Harmful in contact with skin". It is a GHS hazard statement in the health hazards group, covering Acute toxicity, dermal (Category 4).
Which pictogram goes with H312?
H312 is shown with GHS07 (Exclamation Mark).
What signal word goes with H312?
The signal word for H312 is "Warning".
Which precautionary statements go with H312?
The GHS data lists 6 precautionary statements for H312, including P280, P302+P352, P317, P321, P362+P364. They cover prevention, response, storage and disposal. The full list is on this page.
Hazard statements describe the hazard of a classified substance or mixture. The classification of a specific product can differ, so use the supplier's SDS.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ghs/ghscode_10.txt (UN GHS Revision 10, retrieved 2026-10-12)