A Hazard Statement is the standardised text describing the nature of a chemical hazard under the UN Globally Harmonized System. Each statement is identified by an H-code: the letter H followed by three digits. The first digit indicates the hazard family (H2xx for physical hazards, H3xx for health hazards, H4xx for environmental hazards). The next two digits identify the specific hazard within that family. The H-code is language-independent. H225 means the same thing globally, but the text accompanying the H-code must appear in the destination language on labels and SDSs.
The H-code structure
| Range | Hazard family | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| H2xx | Physical hazards | H200 (unstable explosive), H225 (highly flammable liquid and vapour), H242 (heating may cause a fire) |
| H3xx | Health hazards | H300 (fatal if swallowed), H315 (causes skin irritation), H351 (suspected of causing cancer), H373 (may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure) |
| H4xx | Environmental hazards | H400 (very toxic to aquatic life), H410 (very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects) |
Within each family the codes are organised by hazard type, then by severity. For acute toxicity (H300-H311 range), H300 is “Fatal if swallowed” (most severe), H301 is “Toxic if swallowed”, H302 is “Harmful if swallowed”.
Common H-statements on routine chemical exports
| H-code | Statement | Common applicable substances |
|---|---|---|
| H225 | Highly flammable liquid and vapour | Methanol, acetone, ethanol, IPA, MEK, hexane, toluene |
| H226 | Flammable liquid and vapour | Xylene, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate |
| H272 | May intensify fire; oxidiser | Hydrogen peroxide, sodium chlorate, calcium hypochlorite |
| H290 | May be corrosive to metals | Hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide solution |
| H301 | Toxic if swallowed | Methanol (also H311 H331), aniline, phenol |
| H311 | Toxic in contact with skin | Methanol, aniline, hydrofluoric acid |
| H314 | Causes severe skin burns and eye damage | Sulphuric acid, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid (concentrated) |
| H315 | Causes skin irritation | Many irritants, at concentrations below the H314 threshold |
| H319 | Causes serious eye irritation | Many, diluted acids and bases |
| H335 | May cause respiratory irritation | Many volatile irritants |
| H350 | May cause cancer | Benzene, vinyl chloride monomer, certain hydrazine compounds |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life | Many copper salts, certain pesticide actives, organic solvents |
| H410 | Very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects | Same set with persistent / bioaccumulative qualifiers |
Combined H-statements
Some H-codes are combined when the same hazard route applies to multiple exposure routes. For example, H300+H310+H330 is “Fatal if swallowed, in contact with skin, or if inhaled”, combined when the substance is acutely toxic Category 1 by all three routes.
The IMDG GHS framework lists permitted combinations in Annex 3. Custom combinations beyond the listed ones are not permitted, the label must use the standard combined statement or list the individual H-codes separately.
H-statements vs P-statements
| Statement type | Function | Code prefix |
|---|---|---|
| Hazard statement (H) | Describes the hazard | H + 3 digits |
| Precautionary statement (P) | Describes recommended action | P + 3 digits |
H-statements answer “what is dangerous about this chemical?” P-statements answer “what should you do about it?” Both must appear on the label, alongside the pictograms and signal word.
Language translation requirement
H-codes are language-independent. The text accompanying them is not. A Chinese factory label with “H225 - 高度易燃液体和蒸气” passes for the China market. For the US: “H225 - Highly flammable liquid and vapour”. For Germany: “H225 - Flüssigkeit und Dampf leicht entzündbar”. For France: “H225 - Liquide et vapeurs très inflammables”.
Each EU jurisdiction requires the H-statement text in the official language(s) of that jurisdiction. A multi-EU-country distribution often needs labels with 4 to 8 languages, all carrying the same H-codes but in different translations.
The standardised translations are published in each jurisdiction’s GHS implementation. EU translations are in CLP Annex III. They are not paraphrased, the text must match the official translation exactly.
Verifying H-statements on Chinese factory labels
Three checks:
- The H-codes match the substance classification. A substance classified as “flammable liquid Category 2” requires H225. A label that omits H225 fails CLP/OSHA. A label that adds H225 to a non-flammable substance over-classifies.
- The H-codes match the GHS pictograms shown. A label with the GHS02 (flame) pictogram should carry an H-code in the H22x or H24x range. The pictogram and H-code set must be coherent.
- The H-statement language matches the destination market. A label with only Chinese-language H-statements does not pass at US OSHA, EU CLP, or Australian inspection.
Operator note: the H-code drift across GHS revisions
GHS is revised every two years and occasionally adds new H-codes or revises existing ones. Adoption is staggered across jurisdictions. As of 2026 the EU is mostly on GHS Revision 9, the US on Revision 7. A substance whose classification shifted in Revision 8 may carry one set of H-codes on an EU-compliant label and a different set on a US-compliant label.
For multi-market shipping, the label often carries the union of all required H-codes across destinations. A Chinese factory shipping to both EU and US markets may print labels with H-codes that are mandatory in EU but not yet US. This over-classifies for the US market but does not under-classify, which is the safe error direction.
Related terms
GHS is the umbrella framework. GHS pictograms accompany H-statements on the label. Signal word, “Danger” or “Warning”, appears alongside. Precautionary statement (P-codes) gives recommended actions. SDS section 2 carries the H-statement set for the substance.