The National Fire Protection Association(NFPA) Hazard Rating Diamond
WHAT IS MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS)
The NFPA Diamond is used worldwide
to communicate the hazards. The diamond gives useful information if the
material is on fire and reactive information. The diamond's hazard information
is valid under normal circumstances. The National Fire Protection Association(NFPA)
has developed a rating system to identify and rank hazards of a material. This
colorful labels used to communicate these hazards. The label is diamond-shaped,
made up of four smaller diamonds, one each blue, red, yellow, and white. A
number or special symbol is placed on this four diamonds.
The blue diamond, appearing on the
left side of the label, conveys Health Hazard information for persons exposed
to the material. A number from 0 to 4 is written in the blue diamond. The
higher the number the higher the hazard, as follows:
0-No hazard.
1-Can cause irritation if not
treated.
2-Can cause injury. Requires prompt
treatment.
3-Can cause serious injury despite
medical treatment.
4-Can cause death or major injury
despite medical treatment
The red diamond, appearing at the
top of the label, conveys Flammability Hazard information. Again, the numbers 0
to 4 are used to rate the flammability hazard, as follows
Flashpoints:
0-Will not burn.
1-Ignites after considerable
preheating.
2-Ignites if moderately heated.
3-Can be ignited at all normal
temperatures.
4-Very flammable gases or very
volatile flammable liquids.
The yellow diamond, appearing at
the right side of the label, conveys Reactivity (or Stability) information. The
numbers 0 to 4 are also used to rank reactivity hazards, as follows:
0-Normally stable. Not reactive
with water.
1-Normally stable. Unstable at high
temperature and pressure. Reacts with water.
2-Normally unstable but will not
detonate.
3-Can detonate or explode but
requires strong initiating force or heating under confinement.
4-Readily detonates or explodes
The white diamond, appearing at the
bottom of the label, conveys Special Hazard information. This information is
conveyed by use of symbols that represent the special hazard. Some of the
common symbols are shown here:
W denotes the material is water reactive
OX denotes an oxidizing agent
COR denotes a corrosive hazard
ALK denotes an Alkali hazard ACID
denotes an Acid hazard
To determine the NFPA Hazard
Ratings for a material that does not have the label affixed, check the Material
Safety Data Sheet(MSDS).
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