GHS Signal Words: Danger and Warning
The signal word is the single word on a GHS label that tells you how severe the product's worst hazard is. Danger is for the more severe hazards, andWarning is for the less severe ones. A label never shows both.
Danger
Used for the more severe hazard categories, such as Category 1 and 2 flammable liquids, fatal or toxic acute toxicity, skin corrosion and serious eye damage, and carcinogens in Category 1. Expect a skull and crossbones, corrosion, flame or health hazard pictogram.
47 current hazard statements use Danger in at least one category. 85 of 130 chemicals in our database carry it.
Warning
Used for the less severe categories, such as Category 3 and 4 flammable liquids, harmful (Category 4) acute toxicity, skin and eye irritation and skin sensitization. Expect an exclamation mark pictogram or a flame on a lower category.
36 current hazard statements use Warning only. 40 of 130 chemicals in our database carry it.
How the signal word is chosen
The signal word follows the most severe hazard of the product. Each hazard category in the GHS is tied to either Danger, Warning or no signal word. The supplier classifies the product against every hazard class, finds the categories that apply, and uses "Danger" if any of them calls for it. Otherwise it uses "Warning" if any of them calls for that.
Some codes use different signal words in different categories. The hazard statements H207, H221, H228, H229, H242, H261 and others appear with both Danger and Warning, depending on the category.The lowest categories of some hazard classes carry no signal word at all (6 current hazard statements in our data have none).
Signal words are a quick cue only. They do not replace the hazard statements, pictograms and the full safety data sheet. A product labelled "Warning" can still cause harm if handled incorrectly.
Hazard statements by signal word
Explore the full tables on the hazard statements page, or look up the symbols on the pictograms page.
Chemicals by signal word
Of 130 chemicals in our database, 85 carry Danger, 40 carry Warningand 5 have no signal word in their primary classification.
Examples with Danger
85 chemicals in our database (showing the first 12 alphabetically). Classification comes from each chemical's primary GHS source, so a supplier's SDS may differ.
Examples with Warning
40 chemicals in our database (showing the first 12 alphabetically). Classification comes from each chemical's primary GHS source, so a supplier's SDS may differ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Danger and Warning on a label?
"Danger" is used for the more severe hazard categories and "Warning" for the less severe ones. The signal word alerts the reader to a potential hazard before they read the details.
Can a label show both Danger and Warning?
No. A label shows only one signal word. If a product has hazards that call for both, only "Danger" is used.
Are there GHS labels without a signal word?
Yes. Some of the lowest-severity categories need neither a signal word nor a pictogram, and a product with no classified hazard has no hazard label elements.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ghs/ghscode_10.txt (UN GHS Revision 10, retrieved 2026-10-12)