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Free OSHA Tool

PPE Selector by GHS Pictogram

Pick the GHS pictograms on your chemical's label or SDS and get PPE recommendations — respiratory, eye/face, body, hands, and feet — mapped to each hazard class, with the rule citation for every recommendation. Always verify against SDS Section 8 and a task-specific hazard assessment.

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

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8 OSHA pictograms · 29 CFR 1910.1200 App C Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

Step 1: Select GHS Pictograms

Click all pictograms that appear on the chemical label or SDS Section 2.

Select one or more GHS pictograms above to see PPE recommendations.

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Next step (recommended)

Train the crew on what you selected, and record it

Use case: PPE program

Record the written PPE hazard assessment each jobsite has to produce (HazComFast)HazCom Training Record

Inspection & compliance

This tool helps you stay audit-ready. For inspections, citations, and proof of compliance, use these resources:

Related tools

Use these free tools together for a complete HazCom setup:

GHS Label GeneratorCompatibility MatrixHazCom Audit Checklist

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The pictogram does not set the PPE; your hazard assessment does (29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1); 1926.95 in construction). GHS06 (Skull & Crossbones) indicates acute toxicity, so the usual starting points to check against that assessment and SDS Section 8 are chemical splash goggles, chemical-resistant gloves rated for the specific product, protective clothing and boots, and, only where the assessment shows exposure above the limit after engineering controls, respiratory protection such as a full-face respirator with the right cartridge or SCBA (29 CFR 1910.134(a)).

OSHA requires employers to assess workplace hazards and provide appropriate PPE — for construction under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart E (1926.95), and for general industry under 29 CFR 1910.132. GHS pictograms appear on the label and in SDS Section 2 (Hazard Identification); the specific PPE for a chemical is listed in SDS Section 8 (Exposure Controls/Personal Protection). Pictograms inform the hazard assessment but do not replace it.

This tool provides general PPE guidance based on GHS hazard classifications. Always consult the chemical's SDS (Section 8: Exposure Controls/Personal Protection) for specific PPE requirements. A competent person should verify PPE selection.

Select all applicable pictograms. The tool combines PPE recommendations and prioritizes the most protective equipment. The tool lists the PPE families for every pictogram you select; confirm each one against your hazard assessment and SDS Section 8. Note that the tool tracks priority per item: an item the data lists as 'recommended' is never silently upgraded to 'required' just because another hazard makes that PPE family required.

Yes. With limited exceptions, the employer must provide required PPE at no cost to the employee — for construction under 29 CFR 1926.95(d), mirrored in general industry by 29 CFR 1910.132(h). The main exceptions are ordinary, non-specialty safety-toe footwear and prescription safety eyewear the worker is allowed to keep off-site, and everyday clothing/weather gear. Respirators, chemical-resistant gloves, face shields, suits, and similar hazard-specific PPE must be employer-provided.

OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires eight pictograms (29 CFR 1910.1200 Appendix C). The ninth GHS symbol — Environment (GHS09, the dead fish and tree) — covers aquatic/environmental toxicity, which is outside OSHA's worker-safety jurisdiction. It is voluntary on OSHA labels. The PPE it suggests here is good practice for spill handling but is not OSHA-mandated by the pictogram itself.

A pictogram (e.g. GHS06 acute toxicity, GHS08 health hazard) flags that respiratory protection may be needed, but the trigger is exposure above the chemical's permissible exposure limit or other OSHA action level after engineering and work-practice controls. Confirm the specific cartridge or assigned protection factor in SDS Section 8 and your air-monitoring data. If a respirator is required, medical evaluation and fit testing under 29 CFR 1926.103 / 1910.134 must happen before use — run the respirator fit-test selector next.

How GHS pictograms drive your PPE choice

A GHS pictogram is a quick read of what kind of harm a chemical can do — and that, in turn, points to the protection you need. The pictograms appear on the shipped label and in Section 2 of the Safety Data Sheet (Hazard Identification). OSHA requires 8 pictograms; the environment pictogram (GHS09) is outside OSHA jurisdiction and is voluntary, not required.

The selector maps each hazard to five PPE families — respiratory, eye/face, body, hand, and foot protection. When a chemical carries several hazards, it lists the PPE families for each of them. It is a planning aid, not a requirement list: the manufacturer’s PPE information for a specific product is in SDS Section 8 (Exposure Controls/Personal Protection), and the employer must perform a site-specific hazard assessment and select the PPE that protects against the hazards found, under OSHA 29 CFR 1926.95 / 1926 Subpart E (construction); 29 CFR 1910.132 (general industry).

GHS pictogram → typical PPE starting points (quick reference)

The PPE families that usually apply to each pictogram. This mapping is this site’s own: Appendix C defines the pictograms, not PPE. Confirm every item against your hazard assessment and, for specifics (glove material, cartridge type), SDS Section 8.

PictogramHazardTypical PPE families (to verify)
GHS01Exploding BombEye/Face, Body, Hands, Feet
GHS02FlameEye/Face, Body, Hands
GHS03Flame Over CircleEye/Face, Body, Hands
GHS04Gas CylinderEye/Face, Hands, Feet
GHS05CorrosionEye/Face, Hands, Body, Feet
GHS06Skull & CrossbonesRespiratory, Eye/Face, Hands, Body, Feet
GHS07Exclamation MarkEye/Face, Hands
GHS08Health HazardRespiratory, Eye/Face, Hands, Body, Feet
GHS09EnvironmentRecommended only (voluntary)

Source: OSHA HCS pictogram set, 29 CFR 1910.1200 App C (construction adopts via 29 CFR 1926.59 (adopts 29 CFR 1910.1200)).

Worked examples

Example 1 — Muriatic acid (concrete etch), corrosive only. The label shows GHS05 (Corrosion). The selector returns chemical splash goggles + full face shield, chemical-resistant gloves (butyl/neoprene/nitrile), a chemical-resistant apron, and chemical-resistant boots, with an acid-gas respirator recommended if mists/vapors form. Verify the glove material and any respirator cartridge in SDS Section 8.

Example 2 — A solvent that is flammable and acutely toxic. The label shows GHS02 (Flame) and GHS06 (Skull & Crossbones). For the toxic hazard the selector lists respiratory protection as a starting point (full-face respirator with the correct cartridge, or SCBA at high concentrations) next to fire-resistant clothing and chemical-resistant gloves. Whether a respirator is actually needed depends on the exposure assessment: 29 CFR 1910.134(a) requires one only when it is necessary to protect health.

The two-step OSHA rule behind this tool

  1. Hazard assessment first. The employer must assess the workplace for hazards that require PPE and document it — construction 29 CFR 1926.95 (Subpart E), general industry 29 CFR 1910.132. A pictogram lookup informs that assessment; it does not replace it.
  2. The employer pays. Required PPE is provided at no cost to the employee — 29 CFR 1926.95(d) (construction), mirroring 1910.132(h). Limited exceptions exist (e.g. ordinary safety-toe footwear/prescription eyewear the worker keeps).

What to do next

  • Open SDS Section 8 for the exact glove breakthrough times, respirator cartridge, and exposure limits — the pictogram lookup is the starting point, not the final word.
  • Document the hazard assessment (who, when, hazards, PPE selected) and post the bilingual PPE report at the point of use.
  • Train workers on when PPE is needed, how to don/doff it, and its limits, then keep the records.
  • If a respirator is in play, run the fit-test selector — medical evaluation and fit testing come before use.

Sources & verification

Pictogram set and PPE citations verified 2026-10-05. This tool is general guidance for planning, not legal advice and not a substitute for SDS Section 8 or a competent person's site-specific hazard assessment. State-Plan states may impose additional requirements.

PPE in construction: rules, fit and who pays →GHS label generator →Respirator fit-test selector →Chemical compatibility matrix →Start free, no credit card →