Frequently Asked Questions on NFPA 704
StandardSystemfortheIdentificationoftheHazardsofMaterialsforEmergencyResponse
1. WhatisNFPA704?
NFPA704providesasimple,readilyrecognized,easilyunderstoodsystemforidentifyingthespecifichazards
[Link]
addresses the health, flammability, instability, and special hazards presented from shortterm, acute
exposuresthatcouldoccurasaresultofafire,spill,orsimilaremergency.
2. Howdoesthe704labeldifferfromotherhazardousmateriallabels?
[Link]
importanttorecognizethedifferencesbetweeneach.Table1providesabriefsummaryofthepurposeand
[Link]
label on a container depending on the situation. (See Question 11 for additional information on the
differencesbetweenOSHAHazCom2012classificationsandNFPA704ratings)
LabelType
Purpose
NFPA704Diamond
[Link]/704
Providesinformation
abouthazardsthat
occurduring
emergencyresponse
TypicalLabelLocation
Outsidebuildings,on
doors,ontanks,visible
toemergency
respondersduringspill
orfire
DOTPlacard
Providesinformation
Tankcars,cargotanks,
[Link]/
abouthazardsto
portabletanks,bulk
transportationworkers packages,vehiclesor
andemergency
containerscontaining
responders
nonbulkpackages
OSHAHazCom2012 Providesinformation
Pipes,drums,and
[Link]/
abouthazardsto
containersofmaterials
workersusing
thatareusedinthe
chemicalsunder
workplace
normalconditionsof
use
LabelExample
[Link],DOTandOSHAPlacardandPictograms
3. WhenamIrequiredtousetheNFPA704ratingsystem?
NFPA704labelsarerequiredwhenanotherFederal,stateorlocalregulationorcoderequirestheiruse.
NFPA704doesnotspecifywhenacontainer,[Link]
HOWtolabelwhenanothercode,standardoranAHJ(AuthorityHavingJurisdiction,suchasthelocalfire
department)requiressuchlabeling.
SomeofthemorewidelyadoptedandusedNFPAcodesthatrequire704labelsforspecificoccupancies,
storage,andhazardousmaterials,include:
NFPA1,FireCode
NFPA30,FlammableandCombustibleLiquidsCode
NFPA45,StandardonFireProtectionforLaboratoriesUsingChemicals
NFPA55,CompressedGasesandCryogenicFluidsCodes
NFPA400,HazardousMaterialsCode
Inaddition,somefacilitieschoosetoutilizetheNFPA704placardsregardlessofactualrequirementsinorder
toprovideadditionalinformationonthehazardsofthematerialsonsite.
4. WhyshouldIusetheNFPA704ratingsystem?
NFPA704labelsprovideanappropriatesignaloralertfortheprotectionofemergencyresponsepersonnel,
assistinplanningforeffectivefireandemergencycontroloperations,[Link]
designatedpersonnel,engineers,plant,andsafetypersonnelintakinginventoryandevaluatingtherelative
hazardsofmaterialsintheirfacility.
[Link]?
Thesystemischaracterizedbythe"diamond"thatisactuallya"square
onpoint"[Link]
severity of the health, flammability, and instability hazards. Hazard
severity is indicated by a numerical rating that ranges from zero (0)
indicatingaminimalhazard,tofour(4)[Link]
hazardsarearrangedspatiallyasfollows:healthatnineo'clockposition,
flammability at twelve o'clock position, and instability at three o'clock
position. In addition to the spatial orientation that can be used to
distinguish the hazards, they are also colorcoded as follows: blue for
health,redforflammability,[Link],
blueandyellowarenotregulated,[Link]
hazardratingsmayhavecoloredbackgroundswithcontrastingcolored
numeralsorcolorednumeralswithawhitebackground.
(SeeSection4.1.5andFigure9.1(a)ofNFPA704)
Thesixo'[Link]
hazardsinuseincludeW,OXandSA.W,indicatesunusualreactivitywithwaterandisacautionaboutthe
[Link],[Link],
indicatesthatthematerialisasimpleasphyxiantgas(nitrogen,helium,neon,argon,kryptonorxenon.)
(See8.2.1through8.2.4ofNFPA704)
5. Whatothersymbolscangointhespecialhazardsquadrantofthe"diamond"?
TheonlyauthorizedsymbolsaretheW,OX,[Link]
to a minimum for emergency visibility and simplicity reasons. Many people ask about placing additional
symbolssuchas"corr"forcorrosiveor"acid"foracids,butthesehazardsarealreadytakenintoaccountin
thehealthratingthatislocatedinthebluesectionofthesymbol.
6. WhoprovidesNFPA704ratingsandcanIfindthoseratingsintheStandard?
Whilethesystemissimpleinapplication,thehazardevaluationshouldbeperformedbypersonswhoare
technicallycompetentandexperiencedintheinterpretationofthehazardcriteriaassetforthinChapters
[Link]
datafromthemanufacturersuppliedsafetydatasheets(SDSs)[Link]
itisnotrequired,someSDSsincludetheNFPA704diamondsymbolwithratings,andsomeSDSprovidethe
NFPA704ratingnumberswithintextoftheSDS.(SeeQuestion7)
WhilethecriteriaarelocatedinNFPA704,theactualratingsforspecificchemicalsarenotincludedinthe
document. The NFPA Fire Protection Guide to Hazardous Materials includes two withdrawn NFPA
documentsthatcontainhazardpropertyinformationbasedonpreviouseditionsofNFPA704andinclude
[Link],howeverultimatelythe
userisresponsibleforratingmaterialsusingtheSDSandthecriterialocatedinthelatesteditionofNFPA
704.
[Link]?
TheratingscanbedeterminedbyusingtheinformationfoundonaHazCom2012compliantSafetyData
Sheet(SDS)[Link]
bereviewedwhendeterminingtheratings:
HealthSections2,4,8,9,11
FlammabilitySections2,3,9
InstabilitySections5,7,10
SpecialHazardsSections5,9,10,11
Caution!!DoNOTusethehazardcategorynumbersgiveninsection2ofHazCom2012compliantSDSsas
hazardratingstobeplacedon704labels!(SeeQuestion11foradditionalinformation).
8.WhereshouldIposttheNFPA704placardsatmyfacilityandhowmanyplacardsshouldIuse?
It is important to note that the placard is meant to provide quick hazard information for emergency
[Link]
arenumerousareaswheretheresponderscouldenterthefacility,[Link]
placementandquantityshouldbedecidedusingafacilitysbestjudgmentcoupledwiththeadvicefrom
[Link]
afacilityorbuilding,eachaccesstoaroomorarea,oreachprincipalmeansofaccesstoanexteriorstorage
area.Section4.3ofNFPA704providesguidanceonlocationsforposting.
9.WhatsizeplacardisrequiredforNFPA70?
[Link]
9ofNFPA704providesguidanceonboththesizeofthehazardratingsrelativetothesizeoftheplacardto
bepostedandtheminimumsizeofratingsbasedonthedistanceatwhichtheratingsarelegible.
[Link],whatratings
shouldIuseontheNFPA704placard?
[Link],
professionaljudgmentmuststillbeusedtoincreaseordecreasetheratingtomoreaccuratelyassessthe
degreeofhazard,perhapsduetoquantities,orsynergisticeffectsofthechemicals,[Link]
chemicalthatcontainsmultipleingredientsshouldbeobtainedfromdataforthemixtureaspresentedon
theSDS.
11.HowdoOSHAsHazardCommunicationClassificationNumbersdifferfromNFPA704Ratings?
TheNFPA704standardandOSHAsHazardCommunicationstandardweredevelopedfordifferent
[Link]
abouthowthetwonumberssystemsrelate.
TheNFPA704standardiswidelyusedandrecognizedbyfireandemergencyrespondersandsafety
personnelforidentifyingthehazardsofshortterm/acuteexposuretomaterialsunderconditionsoffire,
spill,[Link](HCS)providesinformationfor
workersexposedtomaterialsprimarilyundernormalconditionsofuse.
WithOSHAsrecentincorporationoftheGloballyHarmonizedSystem(GHs)intoitsHCS,itisimportantto
realizethattheGHSnumbersarenotrelativeratingsofhazardsbutratherusedforthepurposeof
[Link]
NOTrelativehazardratingsandinfacthaveaninversenumbersystemswith1beingthemosthazardous
[Link].
Formoreinformation,NFPAandOSHAhavedevelopedaQuickCardtoexplainthetwosystemsand
[Link].
12.WherecanIgetNFPA704relatedmaterials?
[Link]/[Link]
704andtheFireProtectionGuidetoHazardousMaterials,2010editioncanbepurchasedbyclickingon
[Link]/704pageorbycalling(800)3443555.
[Link]?
NFPAmembersandcodeenforcersmaysubmitquestionstotechnicalstaffbyphoneat18003445555or
[Link]/704andclickingontheTechnicalQuestionstab.
[Link]
responses,however,[Link]
opinionsoftheauthor(s),[Link],
theresponsesareneitherintended,norshouldbereliedupon,toprovideprofessionalconsultationorservices.
