Table 3.

Schematic Presentation of the Integrated Classification System

for Human Health and Environmental Hazards of Chemical Substances**

For the convenience and comparison of the various endpoints, the scheme and criteria for classifying
each hazard are presented in the following diagram. The criteria have been drastically abridged and the
end-point chapters must be consulted for the specific details to avoid misunderstanding.

ENDPOINT HAZARD CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA

ACUTE TOXICITY Category Category Category Category Category

1 2 3 4 5
Oral (mg/kg) 5 50 300 2 000 5 000 (or
Dermal (mg/kg) 50 200 1 000 2 000 equivalent
Inhalation gas (ppm) 100 500 2 500 5 000 doses for
note 1 other
Vapour (mg/L) note 2,3 0.5 2.0 10 20 routes)f
Dust/mists (mg/L/4 hrs) 0.05 0.5 1.0 5
note 4

** OECD. 2001. Harmonised Integrated Classification System for Human Health and
Environmental Hazards of Chemical Substances and Mixtures. Environment Directorate Joint
Meeting of the Chemicals Committee and the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and
Biotechnology. 14-Aug-2001. ENV/JM/MONO(2001)6. OECD Series on Testing and
Assessment Number 33, page 21.

f
Criteria:
• Indication of significant effect in human
• Any mortality at Category 4
• Significant clinical signs at Category 4
• Indications from other studies

Note 1: Inhalation cut-off values are based on 4 hour testing exposures. Conversion of existing
inhalation toxicity data which has been generated according to 1 hour exposures should be by dividing
by a factor of 2 for gases and vapours and 4 for dusts and mists.

Note 2: Saturated vapour concentration may be used as an additional element to provide for specific
health and safety.

Note 3: For some chemicals the test atmosphere will not just be a vapour but will consist of a mixture of
liquid and vapour phases. For other chemicals the test atmosphere may consist of a vapour which is
near the gaseous phase. In these latter cases, classification should be based on ppm as follows:
Category 1 (100 ppm), Category 2 (500 ppm), Category 3 (2500 ppm), Category 4 (5000 ppm).

Note 4: The values for dusts and mists should be reviewed to adapt to any future changes to OECD
Test Guidelines with respect to technical limitation in generating, maintaining and measuring dust and
mist concentrations in respirable form.