The skull and crossbones symbol indicates what hazard?

• A. Acute toxicity/poison
• B. Biohazard
• C. Flammable
• D. Radiation

Answer: (A)

The skull and crossbones signal warns of acute toxicity, meaning the substance can cause severe poisoning or death from a short-term exposure. This danger applies whether it’s ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin, and even small amounts can be hazardous. It’s specifically about immediate poison risk, not long-term effects. This differs from biohazard, which relates to infectious biological agents; a flame indicates flammable materials; and the radiation symbol marks radioactive hazards. In practice you’d see this on containers of highly poisonous substances like certain pesticides or strong solvents, signaling you must handle them with extreme care and proper protective equipment.