NFPA 704

An NFPA Diamond indicating that hazardous materials are stored in this building.

 

The NFPA 704 Diamond is a means of disseminating hazard information for a material. The diamond is divided into four sections. Each of the first three colored sections has a number in it associated with a particular hazard. The higher the number is, the more hazardous a material is for that characteristic. The fourth section includes special hazard information. Here are the four sections and an explanation of the numbers in them.

Red--Flammability Hazard

4-Materials with a flashpoint below 73°F and a boiling point above 100°F

3-Materials with a flashpoint below 73°F and a boiling point greater than or equal to100°F, or a flashpoint above 73°F and less than 100°F

2-Materials with a flashpoint above 100°F, but not exceeding 200°F

1-Materials with a flashpoint above 200°F

0-Materials which normally won't burn

Yellow--Reactivity Hazard

4-Material is capable of explosion or detonation at normal temperature and pressure

3-Material is capable of explosion, but requires a strong initiating source, or the material reacts explosively with water

2-Material undergoes violent chemical changes at elevated temperature and pressure

1-Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures

0-Normally stable

Blue--Health Hazard

4-Materials with an oral LD50 of less than or equal to 5 mg/kg

3-Materials with an oral LD50 above 5, but less than 50 mg/kg

2-Materials with an oral LD50 above 50, but less than 500 mg/kg

1-Materials with an oral LD50 above 500, but less than 2000 mg/kg

0-Materials with an oral LD50 above 2000 mg/kg

White--Special Hazard

Water Reactive

Oxidizer

Corrosive

Radioactive

 

The NFPA Diamond was designed by the National Fire Protection Association and describes more how a material will react in a fire than in normal operating situations. Often, the NFPA Diamond for a particular material will have numbers different than a HMIS or University label.

Also, the NFPA Diamond is required on buildings where certain quantities of hazardous materials are kept.