Hazardous Household Product safety

You can identify a hazardous product by reading the label. You can assume that a product is hazardous if its label bears one or more of the following signal words: 

• Poison means highly toxic; toxicity is the primary hazard. 
• Danger means extremely corrosive, flammable or reactive or highly toxic. 
• Warning or Caution appear on all other hazardous substances. These signal words are followed by precautionary statements such as "Keep out of reach of children." When used on non-pesticide labels, Warning and Caution are used interchangeably; there is no distinction between hazard levels.
• For pesticides:
  • Poison and Danger have the same meanings as above.
  • Warning means moderately toxic; corrosive, flammable, or reactive.
  • Caution signals slight toxicity; corrosive, flammable or reactive.

Characteristics of hazardous substances

Toxic/ Poisonous:

Capable of causing injury or death through ingestion (eating/ drinking), inhalation, or skin absorption.

Examples: Brake fluid, brass polish, fungicides, insecticides, fertilizers, rat and mouse poison, antifreeze, and medicines.
 

Corrosive:

Can eat away materials and living tissue by chemical action.

Examples: Oven, drain and toilet cleaners, chlorine bleach cleaners, scouring powders, some pool chemicals, car batteries, and silver polish. 
 

Reactive:

Can react with air, water or other substances and result in explosions or the generation of toxic fumes.

Examples: Any products containing chlorine (bleach, automatic dishwasher detergent or pool chemicals) can produce a toxic gas when mixed with products containing ammonia.
 

Flammable/ Combustible:

Can undergo spontaneous combustion at relatively low temperatures, thereby presenting a significant fire hazard.

Examples: Paint thinners, some solvents, adhesives, rubber cement, hair spray, and furniture polishes.