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NFPA 704, 2007 Edition, Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards
of Materials for Emergency Response.

Technical Report · July 2006

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.32358.01608

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 704-1

Copyright © 2006 National Fire Protection Associatjon. All Rights Reserved.

NFPA 704

Standard System for the

Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response

2007 Edition

Th is edi Lion of N FPA 704, Standard Syste'fn .fiR" the Identification of the !-lazaTds 0/ Materials .fiJI'
was prepared by the Technical Committee on Classification and Properties
bnergenc}' Re.lj)(J'II.le,
of Hazardous Chemical Data. It was issued by the Standards Council on July 28,2006, with an
effective date of August 17, 2006, and supersedes all previous editions.
This edition of NFPA 704 was approved as an American National Standard on August 17,
2006.

Origin and Development of NFPA 704

vVork on this standard originated in 1957; a great deal of the development work had been
done by the NFE~Sectional Committee on Classification, Labeling, and Properties of Flammable
Liquids starting in 1952. Background data were published by the Association in it, quarterly
magazine in 1954, 19S6, and 19S8. The material in its present form was first tentatively adopted in
1960. Official adoption was secured in 1961, and re,;sions were adopted in 1964, 1966, 1969, 1975,
1980, and 1985. In tJ1e 1987 and 1990 editions, the Committee on Fire Hazards of Materials
introduced quantitative guidelines for assigning the Health Hazard and Reactivity Hazard Rat-
ings. The 1996 edition introduced additional quantitative guidelines and an amended de!inition
fill' the Instability Hazard Rating, kmnerly the Reactivity Hazard Rating.
The 200 I edition clarified numerous topics, including the fClllcming: rating of mixtures; three
options of how to rate areas \\;th multiple chemical storage and use; location of signs; more
quantitative criteria filr f1ammability ratings for solids; and quantitative criteria fi)!' a fla;nmability
rating of zero, including introduction of a new test method. Guidance material was added fill'
quantjfying the degree of water reacti\1ty. An annex was added to cover water reactivity and iden-
tification criteria, as well as additional information on flash point test methods.
This 2007 eclition clarifies numerous topics, including the special hazards quadrant, place-
ment and hierarchy of symbols, and the new Simple Asphyxiant (SA) designation and other
optional symbols. Requirements have been added for the c1assificatjon offlamrnability rating
fill' dusts.
704-2 IDENTIFICATION OF TI-IE HAZARDS OF MATERIALS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Technical Committee on Classification and Properties of Hazardous Chemical Data

Gary Robinson, ChaiT

Liherty Mutual Group, IL III
Rep. Property Casualty Insurers Associatjoll of America

Robert A. Michaels, Ser:relmy

RAM TRAC Corporation, NY ISEI

Laurence G. Britton, Neolytica, WV ISEI Roland]. Land, Risk Control Consultants, LLC, \(A, ISE I
Lance Edwards, Natjonal Paint & Coatings Associatjon, Kenneth D. Lewis, Degussa Corporation, At. lUI
DCIMI Rep. NFPA Illdustrial Fire Protection Section
Richard Gowland, European Process Safet), Centre, David F. Peterson, Madison, \t\'isconsin, Fire
United Kingdom IU I Dcpartlllcut, WI lEI
Ronald Keefer, Menlo Park Fire Protectjoll DislIict, CA lEI William J. Satterfield, III, Hydrogen Safet)" LLC/Rode
Ron A. K.irsch, i'ureSai"et)', Incorporated, TN ISEI & Associates, LLC, RI III
Arthur A. Krawetz, Phoenix Chemical Laboratory David B. Wechsler, The Dow Chelllical COlllpany, TX I M I
Incorporated, IL IRTI
E Owen Kubias, Rocky River, 011 ISFI

Nonvoting

Ira Wainless, U.S. Department or Labor, DC lEI

Amy B. Spencer, NFI'A Staff Liaison

This lisf !i:/m:."",ts the ·'Ilell/I}(~·ship (if the li·llle tlu: Comrnilfee WIlS balloted on Ilu:final text ol this eriitioll. Since that ti"!lIP,
(h(tII.ge.\" il' fhe membership "!IUly have oren·m:r/.. /\ hey t.o rlllssi(iwt.io1/s isfoUIlr! af the b{J.(;/( of the d.oeument.
NOTE: MClllbcrship on a cOllllniUce shall not in and ofitscll' conslitute an cndorsclllell1. ofthcAssocialioll or
all)' dOClIIlICIlt. developed by the cOlllmittee 011 which the meillber serves.
Committee Scope: This COllllllittee shall have primal)' respollsibility f(Jl· doculllents on t he classification of
t.he relative hazards "fall chelllieal solids, liquids, and gases alld to compile data 011 the hazard propcrties of
these hazardous chemicals.

!;iJ 2007 Edition

 CONTENTS 704-3

Contents

Chapter I Administration............................... 704- 4 Chapter 7 Instability Hazards .......................... 704- 9

I. I Scope................................................ 704- 4 7.1 General .............................................. 704- 9
1.2 Purpose............................................. 704- 4 7.2 Degrees of Hazard ............................... 704- 9
1.3 Application......................................... 704- 4
1.4 Retroactivity ........................................ 704- 4 Chapter 8 Special Hazards .............................. 704-1 0
1.5 Equivalency......................................... 704- 4 8.1 General.............................................. 704-] 0
Chapter 2 Referenced Publications................... 704- 4 8.2 Symbols ............................................. 704-lO
2. I General.............................................. 704- 4
2.2 NFPA Publications ................................ 704- 4 Chapter 9 Identification of Materials by Hazard
2.3 Other Publicatjons ............................... 704- 5 Rating System ................................ 704-10
2.4 References f()r Extracts in Mandatory 9.1 Symbol Arrangement ............................ 704-10
Sections ............................................. 704- 5
Annex A Explanatory Material ......................... 704-12
Chapter 3 Definitions.................................... 704- 5
3.1 General.............................................. 704- 5 AnnexB Health Hazard Rating 704-14
3.2 NFPA OHicial Definitions ....................... 704- 5
3.3 General Definitions .............................. 704- 5 AnnexC Flammability ................ . 704-16

Chapter 4 General ........................................ 704- 5

AnnexD Combustible Dusts ......... . 704-17
4.1 Descriptjon ......................................... 704- 5
4.2 Assignment of Ratjngs ........................... 704- 5
AnnexE Instability, Thermal Hazard Evaluation
4.3 Location of Signs ................................. 704- 6
Techniques...................................... 704-] 7
Chapter 5 Health Hazards .............................. 704- 6
5.1 General .............................................. 704- 6 Annex F Water Reactivity Identification
5.2 Degrees of Hazard ................................ 704- 6 Criteria ........................................... 704-1 8

Chapter 6 Flammability Hazards ...................... 704- 8 Annex G Informational References .................. 704-20
h.1 General.............................................. 704- 8
6.2 Degrees of Hazard ................................ 704- 8 Index ........................................................... 704-21

2007 Edition !JtJ

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