"NFPA 704: Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response" emblem

The Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response diamond. Author: Marcos Rodríguez Bobadilla.

NFPA 704 safety squares on containers of ethyl alcohol and acetone. Author: Nuno Nogueira (Nmnogueira).

Over view

"NFPA 704: Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response" is a standard maintained by the U.S.-based National Fire Protection Association. First "tentatively adopted as a guide" in 1960, and revised several times since then, it defines the "Safety Square" or "Fire Diamond" which is used by emergency personnel to quickly and easily identify the risks posed by hazardous materials. This helps determine what, if any, special equipment should be used, procedures followed, or precautions taken during the initial stages of an emergency response. It is an internationally accepted safety standard, and is crucial while transporting chemicals.

Usage

Each of health hazard (blue), flammability risk (red), reactivity risk (yellow) and Special details such as radiation hazard (white) ares rated on a scale from 0 (no hazard) to 4 (severe hazard) in Arabic numerals.

Origin

The development of NFPA 704 is credited to the Charlotte Fire Department after a major fire at the Charlotte Chemical Company in 1959 led to the severe injury of 13 firefighters. The fire crew found a fire burning inside a unmarked vat that firefighters assumed to be burning kerosene, but vat exploding during the attempted fire suppression due to metallic sodium being stored in the kerosene, which firefighters did not know of at the time.

Also see

1. Health care
2. Health clinic
3. Health disasters in Japan

External links

1. http://www.nfpa.org/Assets/files/AboutTheCodes/704/704_FAQs.pdf
2. http://www.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/User/dnscms/pdf/broc/hazmat12.pdf
3. https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/index.html
4. http://chemlabs.uoregon.edu/Safety/NFPA.html
5. https://web.archive.org/web/20150310145104/http://chemlabs.uoregon.edu/Safety/NFPA.html
6. https://www.qcnews.com/news/local-news/july-marks-62-years-since-charlotte-fire-invented-haz-mat-safety-measure/
7. https://704shop.com/blogs/fact-friday/fact-friday-153-charlottes-haz-mat-history
8. https://charlottenc.gov/Fire/about-us/Documents/CFD%20History%20Final%20Jan%209%202014.pdf
9. https://www.nfpa.org/Assets/files/AboutTheCodes/704/TCRF-1975-704M.pdf
10. https://www.saferack.com/bulk-chemical/ammonia-loading-and-unloading/
11. https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=704
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFPA_704
13. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-06/documents/an_advisory_6-5-15.pdf
14. https://www.saferack.com/bulk-chemical/ammonia-loading-and-unloading/