Glossary / Regulations
NFPA 704
NFPA 704 is a standard from the National Fire Protection Association that uses a four-part diamond to show the health, flammability and instability hazards of a material. Each of the three colored sections carries a number from 0 to 4, and the white section holds special notices.
Explanation
The diamond is designed for emergency responders. A firefighter approaching a storage area can read the sign at a glance and decide how close to go, what protective equipment to use and whether to fight a fire or retreat. It is meant to be read quickly from a distance.
The blue section on the left rates health hazard, the red section at the top rates flammability, and the yellow section on the right rates instability or reactivity. A rating of 0 means a minimal hazard and 4 means a severe one. The white section at the bottom is for special hazards, such as a symbol indicating water reactivity or an oxidizer.
NFPA 704 is not a GHS system and does not replace labels or SDSs. GHS and HazCom labels are for people who use the chemical every day, while the diamond is for emergencies. The two systems use different scales: GHS categories run the opposite way, with lower numbers meaning more severe hazards.
The diamond is also different from the HMIS label. HMIS is a commercial system for the workplace and gives a personal protective equipment rating, while NFPA 704 is a standard for facilities such as buildings, rooms, tanks and storage areas and is not intended for transport.
Ratings are assigned by the facility or by a competent person who reviews the chemical data. Supplier SDSs sometimes print NFPA ratings, but they are not required and may differ between suppliers.
What to do and watch for
- Post diamonds where responders will see them, such as building entrances or storage rooms.
- Do not use the NFPA number as a substitute for reading the SDS.
- Review ratings when the stored chemicals change.
Where it appears on an SDS
- Section 16: Other information. Supplier-provided NFPA ratings, when given, often appear in this section among the other information.
- Section 2: Hazard identification. Gives the official GHS classification, which is separate from the NFPA diamond.
SDS content and wording vary by supplier. This page is general reference and does not replace the current SDS for your product.
Related terms
- HMIS
- Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
- Hazard class
- Emergency response
- First responder
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS)