Biological hazard
Biological material that poses serious risks to the health of living organisms
Why this is trending
Interest in “Biological hazard” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-25.
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Key Takeaways
- A biological hazard , or biohazard , is a biological substance that poses a threat (or is a hazard) to the health of living organisms, primarily humans.
- A biohazard could also be a substance harmful to other living beings.
- The biohazard symbol was developed in 1966 by Charles Baldwin, an environmental-health engineer working for the Dow Chemical Company on their containment products.
- In Unicode, the biohazard symbol is U+2623 ( ☣ ).
- Today, ANSI Z535 standards for biohazards are used worldwide and should always be used appropriately within ANSI Z535 Hazardous Communications (HazCom) signage, labeling and paragraphs.
A biological hazard, or biohazard, is a biological substance that poses a threat (or is a hazard) to the health of living organisms, primarily humans. This could include a sample of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can adversely affect human health. A biohazard could also be a substance harmful to other living beings.
The term and its associated symbol are generally used as a warning, so that those potentially exposed to the substances will know to take precautions. The biohazard symbol was developed in 1966 by Charles Baldwin, an environmental-health engineer working for the Dow Chemical Company on their containment products. It is used in the labeling of biological materials that carry a significant health risk, including viral samples and used hypodermic needles. In Unicode, the biohazard symbol is U+2623 (☣).
ANSI Z535/OSHA/ISO regulation
Biohazardous safety issues are identified with specified labels, signs and paragraphs established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Today, ANSI Z535 standards for biohazards are used worldwide and should always be used appropriately within ANSI Z535 Hazardous Communications (HazCom) signage, labeling and paragraphs. The goal is to help workers rapidly identify the severity of a biohazard from a distance and through colour and design standardization.
Biological hazard symbol design:
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