Biohazard

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Warning sign W009 according to DIN EN ISO 7010 : Warning of biohazard
Example of a biohazard label : a plastic container for used cannulas

The biohazard symbol (☣) ( English biohazard - short form of " biological hazard ") identifies specific biological hazard points. The symbol was developed and established as part of a study conducted by Charles Baldwin at Dow Chemical in 1966.

Objects marked with the symbol represent dangers to people and the environment that arise from biological substances or organisms. Examples of this are medical waste, biological samples contaminated with microorganisms , viruses , toxins from biological sources, etc. which have a pathogenic effect on humans, animals or plants and thus represent a possible danger. Such substances are marked with the appropriate warning sign to draw attention to correct handling, for example the wearing of appropriate protective clothing and proper disposal.

The term biological hazards is used in the context of civil protection and hazard prevention, see there for details.

The biohazard is classified into four risk groups, details can be found under biological protection level and biological safety level .

Biohazardous substances are classified according to the dangerous goods law for transport according to UN numbers :

  • UN 2814 (for human infectious substances)
  • UN 2900 (infectious substances for animals)
  • UN 3291 (medical waste)
  • UN 3373 (biological substance, category B / for samples)

In Unicode , the corresponding symbol can be found at the position U + 2623 (☣).

Symbolization

The symbol was developed by Dow Chemical in 1966 with the aim of creating a uniform warning symbol that should replace the previously inconsistent symbols. The developers deliberately chose a symbol that could not be interpreted intuitively for the viewer at the time, but which at the same time had a high recognition value. As a result, everyone was forced to consciously learn the meaning of the symbol, with a high probability of remembering it much later. Ease of reproducibility with a felt pen and recognizability in every position also played a role.

In popular culture

The symbol is used in connection with electronic music styles such as trance or hardstyle . It is also the band logo of the New York hardcore band Biohazard .

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Charles L. Baldwin and Robert S. Runkle. Biohazards Symbol: Development of a Biological Hazards Warning Signal. Science October 13, 1967: Vol. 158. no. 3798, pp. 264-265 doi : 10.1126 / science.158.3798.264 .
  2. ^ Symbol Making Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. In: New York Times Magazine . November 18, 2001.