NFPA 704
1 2 2 W
Fire diamond for Sodium borohydride

NFPA 704 is a standard maintained by the U.S.-based National Fire Protection Association. Sodium borohydride, also known as sodium tetrahydroborate, has the Chemical formula Na[[boron B]] H 4 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA is a US organization (albeit with some international members charged with creating and maintaining minimum standards and requirements It defines the colloquial "fire diamond" used by emergency personnel to quickly and easily identify the risks posed by nearby hazardous materials. This is necessary to help determine what, if any, specialty equipment should be used, procedures followed, or precautions taken during the first moments of an emergency response.

Symbolism

Two plastic squirt bottles containing the NFPA 704 color code for hazardous materials identification.

The four divisions are typically color-coded, with blue indicating level of health hazard, red indicating flammability, yellow (chemical) reactivity, and white containing special codes for unique hazards. Health is a state of complete physical mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity A hazard is a situation which poses a level of threat to Life, Health, Property or environment. Flammability is the ease with which a substance will ignite causing Fire or Combustion. Each of health, flammability and reactivity is rated on a scale from 0 (no hazard; normal substance) to 4 (severe risk).

Blue - Health

• 4.   Very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury (e. g. , hydrogen cyanide). Hydrogen cyanide is a Chemical compound with Chemical formula HCN
• 3.   Short exposure could cause serious temporary or moderate residual injury (e. g. , chlorine gas). Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and
• 2.   Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury (e. g. , chloroform). Chloroform, also known as trichloromethane and methyl trichloride, is a Chemical compound with formula C[[Hydrogen H]] Cl
• 1.   Exposure would cause irritation with only minor residual injury (e. g. , turpentine). Turpentine (also called spirit of turpentine oil of turpentine wood turpentine gum turpentine is a fluid obtained by the Distillation of Resin obtained from trees
• 0.   Poses no health hazard, no precautions necessary. (e. g. , lanolin). Lanolin, also called Adeps Lanae, wool wax, wool fat, anhydrous wool fat or wool grease, is a greasy yellow substance secreted by

Red - Flammability

• 4.   Will rapidly or completely vaporize at normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, or is readily dispersed in air and will burn readily (e. g. , propane). Propane is a three- Carbon Alkane, normally a gas but compressible to a liquid that is transportable Flash point below 23°C (73°F). The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest Temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture in air
• 3.   Liquids and solids that can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions (e. g. , gasoline). Flash point below 38°C (100°F) but above 23°C (73°F).
• 2.   Must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperature before ignition can occur (e. g. , diesel fuel). Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum Flash point between 38°C (100°F) and 93°C (200°F).
• 1.   Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur (e. g. , soybean oil). Flash point over 93°C (200°F).
• 0.   Will not burn (e. g. , water). Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life.

Yellow - Instability/Reactivity

• 4.   Readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at normal temperatures and pressures (e. Detonation is a process of Supersonic Combustion in which a Shock wave is propagated forward due to energy release in a reaction zone behind it An explosive material is a material that either is chemically or otherwise Energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied g. , nitroglycerine, RDX)
• 3. Nitroglycerin ( NG) ( US spelling also known as nitroglycerine, ( UK Spelling trinitroglycerin, trinitroglycerine Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, also known as RDX, cyclonite, hexogen, and T4, is an Explosive Nitroamine widely used   Capable of detonation or explosive decomposition but requires a strong initiating source, must be heated under confinement before initiation, reacts explosively with water, or will detonate if severely shocked (e. g. , fluorine). Fluorine, fluorum meaning "to flow" is the Chemical element with the symbol F and Atomic number 9
• 2.   Undergoes violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and pressures, reacts violently with water, or may form explosive mixtures with water (e. g. , phosphorus, potassium compounds, sodium compounds). Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22
• 1.   Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures (e. g. , acetylene (ethyne)). Acetylene ( IUPAC name ethyne), C2H2 is a Hydrocarbon belonging to the group of Alkynes It is the simplest of all alkynes
• 0.   Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water (e. g. , helium). Helium ( He) is a colorless odorless tasteless non-toxic Inert Monatomic Chemical

White - Special

The white "banda" area can contain several symbols:

• W: reacts with Water in an unusual or dangerous manner (e. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. g. , cesium, sodium)
• OX or OXY: Oxidizer (e. Caesium or cesium (ˈsiːziəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Cs and Atomic number 55 Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22 An oxidizing agent or oxidising agent (also called an oxidant, oxidizer or oxidiser) can be defined as either a Chemical compound g. , potassium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate)
• COR: Corrosive; strong acid or base (e. Potassium perchlorate, a Perchlorate salt with the chemical formula K[[chlorine Cl]] O4, is a strong oxidizer. The Chemical compound ammonium nitrate, the Nitrate of Ammonia with the chemical formula N[[Hydrogen H]]4 N[[Oxygen O]]3 In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are In Chemistry, a base is most commonly thought of as an aqueous substance that can accept Protons This refers to the Brønsted-Lowry theory of acids and g. sulfuric acid, potassium hydroxide)
  • ACID and ALK to be more specific. Sulfuric (or sulphuric acid, H 2 S[[oxygen O]]4 is a strong Mineral acid. Potassium hydroxide is the Inorganic compound with the formula K[[hydroxide OH]]
• BIO: Biological hazard (e. g. , smallpox virus)
• POI: Poisonous (e. Smallpox is an Infectious disease unique to humans caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. In the context of Biology, poisons are substances that can cause damage, Illness, or Death to Organisms usually by g. Spider Venom),
• The Radioactive trefoil (): is radioactive (e. This article is about the class of Biotoxins For other uses see Venom (disambiguation and Venomous (disambiguation. Hazard symbols are easily recognizable symbols designed to warn about hazardous materials or locations g. , plutonium, uranium)
• CRY or CRYO: Cryogenic

Note: Only W and OX/OXY are officially part of the NFPA 704 standard, but other self-explanatory symbols are occasionally used in an unofficial manner. Uranium (jʊˈreɪniəm is a silvery-gray Metallic Chemical element in the Cryogenics is often used incorrectly to refer to Cryonics, cryopreserving humans or animals The use of non-standard symbols or text may be permitted, required or disallowed by the authority having jurisdiction (e. In the fields of Architecture and Civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the Building or assembling of Infrastructure g. , fire department).

See also

• HMIS Color Bar
• Hazchem
• Hazmat

References

• University of Oregon Chem Labs - NFPA Hazard Identification System

External links

• Listing of NFPA Ratings for many chemicals
• About NFPA 704: Standard for the Identification of Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response