Signal Words

Every pesticide product carries one word on the front of the label — Caution, Warning, or Danger. It is assigned by the EPA and it describes the acute toxicity of the product as it comes in the container.

If it appears on your application notice, this is what it means.

  • CAUTION

    CAUTION means the pesticide product is slightly toxic if eaten, absorbed through the skin, inhaled, or it causes slight eye or skin irritation.

  • DANGER

    DANGER means that the pesticide product is highly toxic by at least one route of exposure. It may be corrosive, causing irreversible damage to the skin or eyes. Alternatively, it may be highly toxic if eaten, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled. If this is the case, then the word "POISON" must also be included in red letters on the front panel of the product label.

  • DANGER - POISON

    Alternatively, it may be highly toxic if eaten, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled. If this is the case, then the word "POISON" must also be included in red letters on the front panel of the product label.

  • WARNING

    WARNING indicates the pesticide product is moderately toxic if eaten, absorbed through the skin, inhaled, or it causes moderate eye or skin irritation.

The part people misread

The signal word describes the concentrate, not what ends up on your lawn. Almost nothing is applied at full strength — it is diluted into a carrier, often substantially, before it goes anywhere near your property.

So a product carrying a Warning label is not putting something with a Warning label on your grass. It means the applicator handling the container is working with something that demands respect, which is a large part of what the licence is for.

What actually protects you

Not the word on the label — the re-entry interval. That is the time that has to pass before people or animals go back onto a treated area, it is on the label, and it is enforceable. It is the number worth asking about, and we tell you before we leave.

A Caution product with a longer re-entry interval deserves more of your attention than a Warning product with a short one. The signal word tells you about the jug. The re-entry interval tells you about your afternoon.

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