Biohazard Symbol ☣ Copy and Paste
Copy the Biohazard Symbol
Highlight and copy the biohazard symbol below:
☣
Paste it into documents, social media, designs, or messages.
Unicode and Technical Details
- Unicode: U+2623
- HTML Entity: ☣
- UTF-8: E2 98 A3
- Name: BIOHAZARD SIGN
What Does the Biohazard Symbol Mean?
The biohazard symbol ☣ is an internationally recognized warning sign that indicates the presence of biological substances that pose a threat to human health. These include infectious microorganisms, medical waste, contaminated materials, and any substance carrying pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.
The symbol is designed to be striking, memorable, and easy to draw — three interlocking circles creating a trefoil pattern that looks the same when rotated. Unlike many warning symbols that rely on color, the biohazard symbol is recognizable even in black and white.
The Four Biosafety Levels
The biohazard symbol is used alongside biosafety level (BSL) ratings:
- BSL-1 — minimal hazard; well-characterized agents not known to cause disease in healthy humans
- BSL-2 — moderate hazard; agents associated with human disease (indigenous, moderate-risk)
- BSL-3 — high hazard; indigenous or exotic agents with potential for aerosol transmission, causing serious or lethal disease
- BSL-4 — extreme hazard; dangerous and exotic agents with high risk of aerosol-transmitted, life-threatening disease with no available vaccine or treatment
History of the Biohazard Symbol
The biohazard symbol was developed in 1966 by Charles L. Baldwin of Dow Chemical Company and Robert S. Runkle of the National Institutes of Health. They needed a symbol that would:
- Be striking enough to draw immediate attention
- Be unique and unambiguous — not confused with other symbols
- Be quickly recognizable and easily recalled
- Be easy to stencil and reproduce with standard tools
- Be symmetrical so it looks correct from any angle
- Be acceptable to groups of varying ethnic backgrounds
They tested 24 different symbols with 300 people across 25 countries. The current biohazard trefoil scored the highest on memorability and uniqueness. It was adopted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 1967 and became an international standard shortly after.
Where You See the Biohazard Symbol
Laboratories and Hospitals
- Posted on doors of labs handling infectious materials
- Printed on containers for medical waste (sharps, used bandages, biological samples)
- Marked on equipment used to handle pathogens
- Displayed in areas where blood and bodily fluids are processed
Popular Culture
- Resident Evil — the Umbrella Corporation logo is a modified biohazard symbol
- The Walking Dead — appears in laboratory and military quarantine scenes
- Manga and anime — commonly used in sci-fi and horror genres to indicate contamination
- Fashion and tattoos — adopted by alternative and industrial subcultures as an edgy design element
- Gaming — appears in games involving zombies, viruses, and chemical warfare
How to Type the Biohazard Symbol
Windows
- Hold Alt and type 9763 on the numeric keypad
- Or use Character Map: search for "biohazard"
Mac
- Open Character Viewer (Control+Command+Space)
- Search for "biohazard" and double-click to insert
iPhone and Android
The biohazard symbol is available in the emoji keyboard:
- iPhone: switch to the emoji keyboard and search "biohazard"
- Android: long-press the symbols key and browse to the warning symbols section
- Or simply copy ☣ from above
Biohazard Symbol vs. Radiation Symbol
The biohazard trefoil ☣ is sometimes confused with the radiation trefoil ☢. Here is the difference:
- Biohazard ☣ — warns about biological threats (viruses, bacteria, medical waste)
- Radiation ☢ — warns about ionizing radiation (nuclear materials, X-rays)
Both use a trefoil design, but the biohazard symbol has three interlocking circles while the radiation symbol has three blades radiating from a central circle. They mean very different things and should never be confused in safety contexts.
Related Symbols
Need other warning or safety symbols? See our guides for Cross Symbols ✝, Peace Symbol ☮, and Section Symbol §.