Current standards and guidelines on warning design recommend pairing t
he colors red, orange, and yellow with the signal words DANGER, WARNIN
G, and CAUTION, respectively. Much of the previous literature, however
, has used achromatic stimuli to assess levels of hazard. Therefore, t
he major purpose of the present research was to determine whether cons
umer products presented in color differed in perceived hazard from tho
se products presented achromatically. A sample of 33 participants rate
d 24 labels that varied across product class, signal word (DANGER, WAR
NING, and CAUTION), and chromaticity. A composite variable ''perceived
hazardousness'' was formed from the averaged ratings from questions r
egarding likelihood of injury, hazardousness of the product, and caref
ulness in usage. Likewise, a composite variable ''perceived readabilit
y'' was formed from the averaged ratings concerning readability and sa
liency. Results showed that labels presented in color were perceived t
o be more hazardous and more readable than those presented in black-an
d-white. Adhesives were perceived to be more hazardous than general cl
eaners, bathroom cleaners, and automotive products. Differences in per
ceived readability may be explained by width-to-height ratios that var
ied across product classes. Implications for warning design are discus
sed.