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Swiss Poison Class

Definition

A Swiss Poison Class rating appears on some European MSDS's. The classes number from 1 to 5 with 1 being the most toxic.

Additional Info

The Swiss Poison Regulation 813.01 was put into force in 1983 and has been amended/updated several times. The purposes of the law are to prevent the poisoning of humans and animals, better educate manufacturers and users about the dangers, and encourage the use of less dangerous substances.

The rating scale reflects acute oral lethal doses (usually in rats). The rating scale is:

Class	Lethal Dose (mg/kg)
1	0 to 5
1S	0 to 5; also teratogenic or carcinogenic
2	5 to 50
3	50 to 500
4	500 to 2000
5	2000 to 5000
5S	2000 to 5000; an unrestricted self-service product

The classification process also takes into account sensitization, irritation and chronic toxicity of the poison.

Switzerland maintains three separate poison lists which cover approximately 176,00 chemicals and products. Do not confuse the list number with the Class number!

1. List 1 contains approximately 10,000 poisonous chemical materials
2. List 2 contains poisonous public products.
3. List 3 contains poisonous commercial products.

Special remarks may be included for each list item, providing information about labeling and marking, precautionary measures, transportation, prohibited usage, and physical warning signals (odor, color etc.). Items in classes 1 and 2 must be labeled with a skull and crossbones symbol and the word Poison ("Gifte" in German). The labels must have a black "poison volume" (?). Class 3 should be yellow; classes 4 and 5 should be red.

MSDS Relevance

This number appears on some MSDS's meant for the European market. The lower the number (1-5), the more dangerous the material. One can search the Information System for Dangerous and Ecologically Relevant Substances (IGS) to determine the poison class. See the last link below under Further Reading.

Further Reading

• Search the IGS toxic substances list (English; also available in other languages).

See also: CHIP, European requirements for MSDS format.

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is believed to be true and accurate, however ILPI makes no guarantees concerning the veracity of any statement. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. ILPI strongly encourages the reader to consult the appropriate local, state and federal agencies concerning the matters discussed herein.