What defines a toxic substance in safety contexts?

A toxic substance is defined by its ability to cause harm to living organisms when it is ingested, injected, or absorbed into the body. This encompasses a broad range of substances that can lead to various forms of health issues, ranging from mild irritation to severe acute or chronic health effects, including death. The mechanism by which toxicity occurs can vary, but the fundamental characteristic is the potential for harmful interactions at the biological level.

In the context of safety, understanding toxicity is crucial for risk assessment and management in various environments such as workplaces, laboratories, and during the handling of chemicals. Recognizing substances that can infiltrate biological systems and produce detrimental effects is essential for developing safety protocols, providing proper personal protective equipment, and ensuring safe handling practices.

The other options do address certain hazardous characteristics of materials, such as explosiveness, the production of harmful gas fumes, or flammability, but these do not inherently define toxicity. Explosive reactions and flammability are related to physical dangers, while toxic substances explicitly concern biological harm, which makes option B the most accurate description of a toxic substance in safety contexts.