How to Read the NFPA Diamond
- Red Section: Flammability The red-colored section of the NFPA Diamond is located at the top or twelve o’clock position of the symbol and denotes a material’s flammability and susceptibility to catching fire when exposed to heat. Flammability is graded on a 0 to 4 scale, and a lower rating is safer. ...
- Yellow Section: Instability ...
- Blue Section: Health Hazards ...
- White Section: Special Precautions ...
What do the numbers on the NFPA labels mean?
The labels are shaped like diamonds and have numbers in them to indicate what type of hazard is present. Understanding when NFPA labels are required is essential for the safety of any facility. What is the NFPA? The NFPA is not a governmental organization and does not have any regulatory authority in the United States or other countries.
What is the NFPA label for hazardous materials?
The National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, started a labeling system for hazardous materials way back in 1960. The label’s been nicknamed the Fire Diamond. It was originally designed for firefighters to quickly read a container in case of a hazmat emergency. But all workers should know how to read an NFPA label just in case.
How can I print my own NFPA labels?
(2:08) Make sure that emergency workers and your employees can quickly see these dangers. Try using an industrial label printer to print your own NFPA labels. There are many choices, of course, we’d love it if you would consider one from Creative Safety Supply.
What is an NFPA 704 label?
NFPA 704 is a labeling system used to identify hazardous materials. It is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 704 is a supplemental labeling system specifically intended for emergency responders, though other people can read and benefit from these labels in normal working conditions.
How do you read a NFPA?
The blue section of an NFPA Fire Diamond is used to assess a material's health hazard.0 = Normal material.1 = Slightly hazardous.2 = Hazardous.3 = Extreme danger.4 = Deadly.
How do you read a hazard label?
The four bars are color coded, using the modern color bar symbols with blue indicating the level of health hazard, red for flammability, orange for a physical hazard, and white for Personal Protection. The number ratings range from 0-4. The Health section conveys the health hazards of the material.
How do I read my NFPA 704 placard?
Each color-coded section of blue, red, yellow, and white represents a different type of hazard. With the exception of the bottom white diamond, there will be a number that corresponds to the level of danger a chemical poses. On a scale of 0-4, zero represents no hazard at all and four represents an extreme hazard.
What do the NFPA ratings mean?
NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION (NFPA) RATING SYSTEM Chemical substances are rated for degree of HEALTH RISK (blue diamond), FLAMMABILITY (red diamond), REACTIVITY (yellow diamond), on a scale of 0 to 4.
What do the numbers mean on a hazard label?
Labels also have special number codes, which represent the following: 0 = means minimal hazard. 1 = means slight hazard. 2 = means moderate hazard. 3 = means serious hazard.
What is an NFPA label?
The NFPA diamond label is used to warn firefighters and other emergency responders of the hazards they would be exposed to in a fire or chemical spill situation. Colors indicate the type of hazard. Numbers indicate the degree of hazard. 0 = Materials that offer no hazard beyond that of ordinary combustible materials.
How do you read a placard?
For example:Red placards indicate the material is flammable;Green placards indicate the material is non-flammable;Yellow placards indicate the material is an oxidizer;Blue placards indicate the material is dangerous when wet;White placards indicate the material is an inhalation hazard and/or poison;More items...•
What number is the most serious in the NFPA hazard label?
Number System: NFPA Rating and OSHA's Classification System 0-4 0-least hazardous 4-most hazardous 1-4 1-most severe hazard 4-least severe hazard • The Hazard category numbers are NOT required to be on labels but are required on SDSs in Section 2.
Which NFPA symbol indicates the greatest risk?
The red, blue, and yellow diamonds use a numbering system from 0 - 4 to indicate the severity of each fire, health, and reactivity hazard, respectively. "0" indicates no hazard and "4" indicates the most severe hazard.
How do you read a hazard ratio more than 1?
A hazard ratio of one means that there is no difference in survival between the two groups. A hazard ratio of greater than one or less than one means that survival was better in one of the groups.
How do you identify hazard identification?
To be sure that all hazards are found:Look at all aspects of the work and include non-routine activities such as maintenance, repair, or cleaning.Look at the physical work environment, equipment, materials, products, etc. ... Include how the tasks are done.Look at injury and incident records.More items...•
What is the NFPA symbol?
The industry-accepted symbol for hazardous material fire safety. The chart can be confusing if you haven’t been trained on the meanings of the numbers and colors.
What is the blue section on the NFPA?
The Blue section located on the left side of the NFPA Diamond refers to a material’s potential health hazard, highlighting the health risks posed by contact with a worker. Health Hazards are rated on a 0 to 4 scale, with normally harmless items like peanut oil meriting a 0 while extremely toxic or deadly materials (such as hydrogen cyanide) get a 4.
What is the OSHA standard for hazardous chemicals?
OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 requires employers to have all containers of hazardous chemicals in the workplace labeled, tagged, or marked with the appropriate hazard warnings. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Diamond is the most recognized labeling system available. The iconic standardized symbol found on NFPA signs and NFPA labels quickly identifies and describes the hazards that can be expected from certain substances.
What is the flammability rating?
Flammability is graded on a 0 to 4 scale, and a lower rating is safer. For example, water will not burn and rates a 0, while propane gas burns readily, and rates a 4.
What does each color of a chemical label mean?
Each section color corresponds to a type of danger, and each number or letter denotes the scale of the danger. Chemical labels often allow you to write in the data manually.
Can you write in chemical labels?
Chemical labels often allow you to write in the data manually.
Can a NFPA chart be confusing?
The chart can be confusing if you haven’t been trained on the meanings of the numbers and colors. Here’s a quick and helpful guide to reading an NFPA chart.
How many symbols are there in the NFPA 704?
There are three symbols approved by the NFPA 704 system:
What is the purpose of NFPA diamond labels?
NFPA diamond labels can be used on any type of chemical container to alert people to the specific hazards present.
What is the hazard diamond on NFPA 704?
The NFPA 704 label contains lots of information in a compact and easy-to-understand format, which is essential in emergency situations. The most recognizable part of the label is the hazard diamond, which is further broken up into four smaller diamonds.
What is NFPA 704?
NFPA 704 is a labeling system used to identify hazardous materials. It is published by the National Fire Protection Association ( NFPA ).
Why do companies use NFPA 704?
Companies and individuals use this system because it is effective and can dramatically improve the safety of many environments. People will notice this type of label in a wide range of areas. One of the most common places the average person will see an NFPA 704 label is on trucks that carry chemicals.
What happens if a chemical barrel is marked with a flammability level above zero?
If a chemical barrel is marked with a flammability level above zero, emergency responders will immediately know to keep sparks, flames, and heat away. The number breakdown for this section is as follows: Zero - Any label that has a zero in this diamond is a material that will not burn, even in typical fire conditions.
Why do chemical labels need to be sized?
Whenever using multiple labels on a chemical container, it is important to ensure they are sized and positioned properly so that all the labels are easy to read. Having them too close together can sometimes make them seem like one label. This is one of the reasons some companies use their own industrial label printers so they can have the exact size and type of labels they need for their own internal safety standards.
What is the NFPA label?
The National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, is best known for their labeling standards that are used to identify potential hazards of various materials. They are often seen on the backs of trucks that are transporting these types of materials. The labels are shaped like diamonds and have numbers in them to indicate what type of hazard is present. Understanding when NFPA labels are required is essential for the safety of any facility.
What is NFPA guide?
This NFPA Guide is a color-coded, quick-reference guide providing useful information about flammable, explosive, and dangerous substances. Learn to promote safety by properly labeling hazardous these hazardous materials.
What is the NFPA?
The NFPA is not a governmental organization and does not have any regulatory authority in the United States or other countries. Because of this, they cannot legally obligate any company to follow their standards. For the most part, companies choose to follow the NFPA labeling standards because they are proven to be effective and helpful in keeping people, equipment, and facilities safe. While the NFPA itself doesn’t have enforcement authority, there are times when companies have to follow the labeling standards that they wrote.
What is the OSHA labeling system?
They require that companies use this labeling system whenever hazardous materials are being transported, stored, or used in a facility. As the NFPA releases updates and improvements to their standards, OSHA will typically follow suit to remain in line with the latest and most effective safety standards.
Why do government agencies look to private organizations like the NFPA?
This is done because it is well-known that an organization like the NFPA has a proven track record of successfully creating effective safety practices. In addition, when a governmental agency simply adopts an existing standard, it is easier for companies to follow with minimal cost or disruption. In the end, this helps to improve safety, which is the goal of these agencies.
Why are NFPA labels shaped like diamonds?
The labels are shaped like diamonds and have numbers in them to indicate what type of hazard is present. Understanding when NFPA labels are required is essential for the safety of any facility.
Can the NFPA make labeling system?
So, while the NFPA can’t make it so their labeling system must be followed, that is the case in the real world thanks to regulations from OSHA and other governmental agencies. Any company owner or safety manager will want to make sure to keep up with the latest updates from the NFPA so they can avoid future compliance issues.
What is the NFPA 704 rating?
The NFPA 704 diamond system alerts firefighters and other emergency response personnel to the health, flammability and reactivity hazards present and special considerations needed to effectively fight a fire, spill or other dangerous situation involving hazardous chemicals.
What is the NFPA 704 diamond system?
The NFPA 704 diamond system has applications in commercial, industrial and institutional facilities that manufacture, process, use or store hazardous materials. It can also assist engineers as well as plant and safety personnel in taking inventory and evaluating the relative hazards of materials in their facility. [2]
What is the purpose of the NFPA diamond?
The NFPA diamond alerts emergency responders to the presence of hazardous materials and their potential effects, and helps them plan an appropriate emergency response. It does not identify specific chemicals in the facility or chronic, long-term health hazards as a result of them.
Where is the NFPA diamond?
But even when it comes to the general public, the fire diamond is widespread on semi-trucks, propane tanks, train cars and other places where potential ly hazardous materials are stored or transported.
What does the blue diamond on a 704 mean?
When looking at the NFPA 704 diamond, the left diamond is blue and relates to the level of hazard to a person’s body. A chemical’s health hazard number indicates the level as to which it can cause personal injury via inhalation, skin or eye contact, or ingestion. It does not include potential injury resulting from fire or explosion, or from chronic long-term exposure.
