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A chemical hazard is anything that can harm someone.

Think about Windex, a window cleaner. Windex is a chemical hazard, but people use it all the time with no adverse side effects, except for maybe their window being so clean they run into it. Why does Windex not harm people? Because it's one of those chemical hazards that is OK if you use it how it's supposed to be used. Clean with Windex all day, you'll be fine. However, if you start drinking Windex, you're going to get a combination of symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, that sort of thing. Essentially that's your body trying to expel all of the Windex you just drank. That doesn't sound very pleasant, but it wouldn't be lethal. However, if the window cleaner contains something like ammonia and you drank it, it could have potentially lethal consequences.

Then there are chemical hazards that are never OK to come in direct contact with, like corrosive acids. Acids come in various strengths, but the strongest acids are known as Superacids. One type of Superacid is called Magic Acid. Now, despite the name being awesome, if you handled Magic Acid without the appropriate protective gear, you would get severe burns.

So basically, any cleaning substance can be considered a chemical hazard. That's why so many things have warning labels. Then there are things like the above mentioned corrosive acids, and then there are mutagenic agents, carcinogenic agents, and other things that are horrible chemical hazards, but fortunately you won't have to come in contact with those unless you go into a career involving such things. And in that case, you'd be equipped with safety materials.

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12y ago

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