# BioHazard Signs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 18, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112 "2001-10-18T01:04:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chubbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Chubbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chubbs)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112/1 "2001-10-18T01:04:12Z")
Is it a made up design or does the circles have a meaning? [http://www.graphicproducts.com/products/signs/hazard.htm](http://www.graphicproducts.com/products/signs/hazard.htm) ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112/2 "2001-10-18T02:14:27Z")
Shoot. I wanted to ask this. I hope someone in the know spots this and can answer your question. Something about that symbol, while scary, is damn cool looking. Personally, I’d like to find a graphic of it that I could put on my desktop. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112/3 "2001-10-18T02:18:46Z")
It’s designed to be an international symbol, so I doubt whether it has any deeper symbolism, all the cultures of the Earth being so different, and likely to put different interpretations on what they see anyway. I’m just guessing here, but I’d say that it was designed to be deliberately reminiscent of the trefoil radiation hazard warning sign, with the three parts. [http://www.orau.com/ptp/articlesstories/radwarnsymbstory.htm](http://www.orau.com/ptp/articlesstories/radwarnsymbstory.htm) And it looks kind of like a big molecule of something, or maybe a zygote, so that would remind you of “bio”. Chris: Google, “clipart biohazard”, Hit #1. [http://www.nbif.org/products/clipart/clipart.php](http://www.nbif.org/products/clipart/clipart.php) You’re welcome. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112/4 "2001-10-18T02:24:48Z")
I’ve wondered about biohazard tattoos. Do they mean anything? Someone told me that a biohazard tat means “HIV positive”, but I find it hard to believe so many people would want to advertise that. Maybe they just like the band? Maybe they just like the way it looks? ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112/5 "2001-10-18T02:29:13Z")
This was discussed [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=89223). ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112/6 "2001-10-18T19:15:36Z")
I know at least one person who has a biohazard tattoo… they look cool. No reference to any infection. TMI alert! I have an excellent set of steel nipple guards (they fit behind a nipple ring) that are shaped like biohazard symbols. mischievous ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biohazard-signs/88112/7 "2001-10-18T19:32:57Z")
Since this has been discussed so recently, I’ll close this thread and direct any further comment to the earlier thread, linked to by **DarrenS** bibliophage moderator GQ