Pictogram 5: Corrosion - Skin Corrosion & Burns

Pictogram 5, the Corrosion pictogram, identifies chemicals that cause skin corrosion and burns. The HCS defines a corrosive as "a chemical that causes visible destruction of, or irreversible alterations in, living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact." The HCS states that a corrosive "destroys or changes irreversibly the structure of the tissue at the site of contact following an exposure period of four hours" and that corrosives refer to skin and not "inanimate surfaces."

Corrosive materials typically have a very low pH (acids) or a very high pH (bases). Examples of corrosive materials are sodium hydroxide (lye) and sulfuric acid.

The symptoms of exposure to a corrosive material include ulcers, cell death, and scar formation. Damage caused by a corrosive material often occurs on the skin and in the eyes but can also occur in the mouth or the esophagus (if a victim swallows the corrosive material) or in the nose or trachea (if the victim inhaled the corrosive material).

To learn more about HAZWOPER visit our HAZWOPER 40 Hour Online Training web page.