AST Signage Requirement Guidance The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed a sign (placard) system

to easily communicate the hazards of a material to first responders and fire fighters. This system is called the NFPA 704 Standard. The sign is diamond-shaped with four smaller diamonds inside. One diamond is blue, one is red, one is yellow and one is white, as shown below. A material is assigned a rating in three categories: health (blue), fire (red), and instability (yellow). The white box is reserved for special hazards such as water reactivity or an oxidizer. The health, fire, and instability ratings of a material vary according to the physical and chemical characteristics of the material. The rating is 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0, with 4 being a severe hazard and 0 being a low hazard. Each rating is described in the table below.

Health (blue) 4
Exposure may be lethal.

Fire (red)
Highly flammable liquids and gases. Flash point < 73 F. Flammable liquids and solids. Flash point >73 F, but < 100 F. Combustible liquids and solids. Flash point >100 F, but < 200 F. Requires considerable preheating to ignite. Flash point > 200 F. Will not burn.

Instability (yellow)
Readily capable of detonation or reaction at normal temperatures. Requires a strong initiator to detonate or react.

Exposure may cause serious or permanent injury.

Exposure may cause temporary incapacitation or residual injury.

May undergo violent chemical change at elevated temperatures.

Exposure may cause significant irritation.

May become unstable at elevated temperature.

No hazard beyond that of an ordinary combustible material.

Stable, including under fire conditions.

Special Hazards (white) OX W ACID ALK Chemical is an oxidizer, and may cause a fire to burn faster and hotter. Chemical is reactive with water, and may cause a potentially hazardous situation. Chemical is an acid and may permanently damage the skin and eyes. Chemical is an alkali (caustic) and may permanently damage the skin and eyes.

The best source for the NFPA 704 ratings of a material is the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which can be obtained from the supplier of the material. The NFPA 704 ratings usually can be located in Section 16 of the MSDS. There are companies which supply self-adhesive vinyl and magnetic signs in accordance with the NFPA 704 Standard. The Department has provided a list of some companies on its AST webpage under the heading Signage Part A, Section 10: Companies which provide NFPA 704 signage, which is located at: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/Divisions/AWM/ast/pdf/NFPA%20704%20Signage%20 Companies.pdf Below are NFPA 704 ratings for some common petroleum products. Please consult the MSDS for other materials because the NFPA 704 ratings are different for other materials.