The system for identification of fire hazards by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) allows a standard method for alerting emergency personnel to potential threats posed by materials.
The label is a diamond-shaped icon with 4 subdiamonds
Color |
Location |
Meaning |
blue |
left |
health |
red |
apical |
flammability |
yellow |
right |
reactivity |
white |
basal |
special hazard |
Blue: Health Hazard
Key |
Type of Possible Injury |
Protective Equipment |
4 |
• A few whiffs of vapor could cause death • Vapor or liquid could be fatal on penetration of protective clothing |
Only special protective clothing designed to protect against the specific hazard should be worn. |
3 |
Material extremely hazardous to health |
• Areas may be entered with extreme caution • Full protective clothing, including self-contained breathing apparatus, rubber gloves, boots and bands around legs, arms and waist should be worn. • No skin surface should be exposed. |
2 |
Material hazardous to health |
Areas may be entered freely with self-contained breathing apparatus. |
1 |
Material only slightly hazardous to health |
It may be desirable to wear self-contained breathing apparatus. |
0 |
Material which on exposure to fire conditions would offer no health hazard beyond that of ordinary combustible material. |
|
Red: Flammability
Key |
Susceptibility of Material to Burning |
Fire Fighting Response |
4 |
• Very flammable gases • Very flammable liquids • Materials that in the form of dusts or mists readily form explosive mixtures when dispersed in air |
• Shut off flow of gas or liquid and keep cooling water streams on exposed tanks or containers. • Use water spray carefully in the vicinity of dusts so as not to create dust clouds. |
3 |
• Liquids which can be ignited under almost all normal temperature conditions. • Solids which form coarse dusts, solids in shredded or fibrous forms that create flash fires, solids that burn rapidly, usually because they contain their own oxygen. • Any material that ignites spontaneously at normal temperatures in air. |
• Water may be ineffective on these liquids because of their low flash points. |
2 |
• Liquids which must be moderately heated before ignition will occur. • Solids that readily give off flammable vapor. |
Water spray may be used to extinguish the fire because the material can be cooled to below its flash point. |
1 |
Material that must be preheated before ignition can occur. |
• Water may cause frothing of liquid if it gets below the surface of the liquid and turns to steam. • Water spray gently applied to surface will cause a frothing which will extinguish the fire |
0 |
Material that will not burn |
None |
Yellow: Reactivity
Key |
Susceptibility to release of energy |
Includes |
Response |
4 |
Materials which in themselves are readily capable of detonation or of explosive decomposition or explosive reaction at normal temperatures and pressures. |
Materials which are sensitive to mechanical or localized thermal shock. |
If a chemical with this hazard rating is in an advanced or massive fire, the area should be evacuated. |
3 |
Materials which in themselves are capable of detonation or of explosive decomposition or of explosive reaction but which require a strong initiating source or which must be heated under confinement before initiation. |
Materials which are sensitive to thermal or mechanical shock at elevated temperatures and pressures or which react explosively with water without requiring heat or confinement. |
Fire fighting should be done from an explosion resistant location. |
2 |
Materials which in themselves are normally unstable and readily undergo violent chemical change but do not detonate |
• Materials which can undergo chemical change with rapid release of energy at normal temperatures and pressures • Materials which can undergo violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and pressure • Materials which may react violently with water or which may form potentially explosive mixtures with water |
In advanced or massive fires, fire fighting should be done from a safe distance or from a protected location. |
1 |
• Materials which in themselves are normally stable but which may become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. • Materials which may react with water with some release of energy but not violently |
|
Caution must be used in approaching the fire and applying water. |
0 |
Materials which are normally stable even under fire exposure conditions and which are not reactive with water |
|
Normal fire fighting procedures may be used |
White: Special Hazard
Key |
Indicates |
Comment |
W |
Possible hazard to the use of water. |
Reactivity of chemical water listed under Reactivity key. |
OX |
Oxidizer |
|
ACID |
Acid |
|
ALK |
Alkali |
|
COR |
Corrosive |
|
<rad> |
Radioactive |
|
where: <rad> indicates radioactive icon
Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
ICD-10: ,