What type of materials requires special handling due to their potential to ignite quickly?

Pyrophoric materials are substances that can ignite spontaneously in air at or above room temperature. This characteristic makes them particularly hazardous when handled or stored. Their ability to catch fire without the need for an external ignition source requires special handling procedures to mitigate risks associated with fires and explosions.

In contrast, oxidizing materials are substances that can readily provide oxygen to support combustion, making them potentially dangerous, but they do not ignite on their own. Corrosive materials can damage living tissue or destroy materials upon contact but are not defined by their ignition properties. Reactive materials may engage in a chemical reaction that leads to fire or explosions under certain conditions but do not inherently ignite spontaneously. Understanding these distinctions is essential for ensuring safety when managing hazardous materials.