A pictogram, also known as a picto or a pictograph, is a graphical representation of information. While traditional graphs like bar charts and line plots only use one kind of symbol to represent data, pictograms employ a variety of symbols, each of which stands in for a specific item. Since graphs often contain their own keys and axes that need to be read independently, they might be difficult to follow at a glance. Adults have the same problem, therefore pictograms may be helpful for them, too.
As we’ll see, all that’s needed to decipher the information presented in a pictogram is a key indicating the number of units that each picture represents. Pictograms are an excellent tool for introducing young children to data processing because of their visual nature and their typically straightforward interpretation. Young children may easily determine the numerical value of each choice by simply counting the shown items.
In the field of computer science, a pictorial symbol would be known as an icon, while the term “pictogram” may also be used to refer to a pictorial sign in the language (Egyptian hieroglyphics being the most well-known pictorial language).
What are pictograms used for?
Even outside of the classroom, pictograms serve a similar purpose: they bridge the gap between a bar chart and the item it depicts. When dealing with a very big quantity, they become invaluable. Putting the numbers into pictograms may help people understand what they signify. In addition to this, pictograms may be used to rate something, show how far along you are in reaching a goal or summarize a survey’s findings. In ads, pictograms are often employed for data management and to display the general public’s opinion on a certain subject.
Easy comprehension implies that viewers can quickly grasp the point being made by a chart. These pictograms may also be visually attractive due to their potential for remarkable visual design and high levels of cleanliness. A few examples of how you could see pictograms employed in advertising are to demonstrate a product’s widespread appeal or to highlight a common issue that the advertised solution addresses.
What do we exactly mean when we say “pictograms”
Symbols, real-world objects, and human figures may all be represented as pictograms, also known as pictographs. Assigning this name allows us to distinguish ideogram-based logo-graphic writing systems from other types of symbols used in the world of writing. Designed to grab people’s attention without the use of words, these signs rely on visual cues that must be processed instantly in order to be effective.
While pictograms are a more recent development, it is generally agreed that the first symbols were also visual representations of items. Today, pictograms may be seen just about anywhere: on traffic signs, in laundry instructions, in the classroom, and online. It’s fascinating to see how many universal pictographs have spread from one culture to another to become recognized throughout the world. ISO 7001 (International Organization for Standardization) established the DOT pictogram set in the 1970s.
International Language: The Emergence of Icons and Pictograms
The WHMIS in Canada is now in line with the GHS, which stands for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). The Hazardous Products Act and the Hazardous Products Regulations, two pieces of federal law, are discussed here in relation to the WHMIS 2015 supplier requirements (HPR). Health Canada is the federal agency in charge of enforcing WHMIS regulations as they pertain to suppliers.
It is important to remember that WHMIS is also controlled in the workplace by provincial, territorial, and federal (for federally regulated workplaces) governments under their respective occupational health and safety regulations.
While these nations’ WHMIS legislation is all based on the same concept, there may be subtle differences in the ways in which they implemented WHMIS 2015. When distributing or importing hazardous materials into Canada, suppliers and employers must utilize and abide by the WHMIS 2015 criteria for labeling and safety data sheets (SDSs). Since the beginning of time, humans have relied on symbols and pictograms as a means of communicating the meaning of concepts, words, and sounds across a wide range of media, from the use of visual signs and figures to convey meaning to the development of spoken language to the advent of written language. The need for fast communication has increased the utility of pictograms, which have retained their many historical uses.
Preference Rules for Protective Statement
In the UN GHS, there is no fixed order of priority for safety announcements. All warning information is permitted on a GHS label (code is unnecessary). To make labels more readable, numerous competent authorities (including the European Union, Korea, and Australia) have restricted the number of warnings that may appear on a label. Learn to identify the most important warnings on a product’s label.
For chemicals that are designated as having more than one danger, or if you just want to minimize label clutter, this is crucial information to have. All cautious remarks have been placed into one of four categories according to the labeling guidance: highly recommended, recommended, optional, and not to be used. In most cases, you may use the terms “highly recommended” and “recommended.”
Not All GHS Pictograms are Hazard Labels
Most GHS pictograms will end up on danger labels. Because a labeling system can produce labels that endure for years at a low cost, it is a practical choice. However, a GHS label isn’t always the greatest option. It makes it more logical to use a metal GHS pictogram diamond that can be modified as required when, for example, huge semi-trucks transporting hazardous chemicals must alter which pictograms are displayed on each trip dependent on what they are presently carrying. Therefore, despite the fact that GHS pictograms are often used in warning labels, they are not the same thing.
Productive v/s Expressive
Pictograms may be both productive and expressive, yet each serves best in a different setting. Most situations call for the use of productive pictograms, which are adaptable to a wide range of settings and sizes, both online and off. They are easy to understand and apply and may be used alone or in groups to illustrate even the most intricate concepts. In contrast to static pictograms, expressive pictograms may provide a feeling of depth and motion via the use of gradients, layering, and transparency. Because of their intricate design, expressive pictograms should be reserved for situations that need a bold image.
Hazard Pictograms and the DOT
Drums, totes, tanks, and other chemical storage containers must have exterior marks that meet the standards established by 49 CFR 172, Subpart E, of the regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). These diamond-shaped labels are still in use alongside the GHS danger pictograms that the DOT mandates.
OSHA 1910.1200 Appendix C.2.3.3 reads, “Where a pictogram required by the Department of Transportation under Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations appears on a transported container, the pictogram indicated in C.4 for the same hazard should not appear,” which might lead to misunderstandings. The issue is that if the country of destination needs a GHS label, then the shipping container must have both the GHS danger pictograms and the DOT hazard pictograms.
Due to this incompatibility, OSHA is currently not enforcing C.2.3.3 and is instead working to update it. Smaller containers inside bigger shipping containers are also required by OSHA to include the relevant GHS danger pictograms in addition to the DOT diamond label.
Hazard Pictograms – Workplace Labels
When labels are being made internally for use just at one location, the standards for danger pictograms vary somewhat. It is acceptable to put GHS labels, comparable to those provided by the importer or manufacturer, on containers that never leave the workplace. However, simpler labels with simply the product identification and words, images, and symbols may be used in conjunction with additional information (such as the Safety Data Sheets) that is easily accessible to workers to offer the required information regarding the dangers of the chemical.
The GHS danger pictograms may be used on signs or labels on containers in the workplace, but the employer is not required to do so. If an organization already has an internal labeling system in place that satisfies HazCom 1994, it might count as a third labeling alternative. If the current labeling system informs workers adequately about the risks posed by the chemical, the company may keep using it.
Signs, placards, process sheets, batch tickets, operating instructions, and other documents may all play a role in the “labeling” system used in the workplace to identify and relay information about hazardous substances. The most important thing is that workers know how to protect themselves from the potential dangers posed by chemicals at work.
CLP Pictograms
The pictograms help us understand if chemicals we use might be harmful to the environment or people. The CLPhazard pictograms are very similar to the ones used in the old system. They look like a diamond and have a distinct red border and a white background.
A picture on a label that incorporates a warning sign and certain colors to convey information about the dangers of a drug or combination to people’s health or the environment is called a hazard pictogram. In the European Union, dangerous chemicals are now classified and labeled in accordance with the CLP Regulation. Pictograms have also been updated to conform to the UN’s Globally Harmonized System.
How Does GHS Labeling Work?
Pictograms, signal words, and danger symbols, as well as warning statements, are required on the labels of any hazardous compounds delivered after June 1, 2015. Physical and chemical dangers must be identified and categorized before a product, such as a flammable liquid, may be sold.
Signal words, hazard statements, precautionary statements, and pictograms must be used on the label and SDS after a hazard has been categorized (SDS). When communicating with others, pictograms may be used since they are universally recognized and easy to interpret. These symbols may be used on labels and safety data sheets (SDSs) to improve communication and remove linguistic barriers.
