How is a 'Hazardous Substance' defined?

A 'Hazardous Substance' is defined as a substance that is harmful due to its physical or chemical properties. This broad definition encompasses a range of substances that can pose risks to health and safety, highlighting that hazards can stem from a variety of characteristics, including toxicity, reactivity, corrosiveness, and flammability.

Understanding this definition is crucial for ensuring workplace safety, as it allows workers and safety professionals to identify and manage substances that could pose health risks, thereby implementing appropriate safety measures and prevention strategies. This enables safer work environments through the analysis of both visible and non-visible dangers associated with different chemicals and materials.

The other choices do not encapsulate the comprehensive nature of what constitutes a hazardous substance. Emphasizing only toxic fume emission overlooks many other hazards. Similarly, a substance cannot be deemed hazardous solely because it is not significantly safe compared to others, nor does a natural occurrence guarantee safety. Thus, the accurate definition encompasses a broader set of risks associated with various physical and chemical properties of substances.