NFPA 704 rating is a standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in the USA to indicate health, flammability, reactivity and hazard of materials. First adopted in 1960, NFPA 704 represents a diamond with colored safety square and embedded number from 0 to 4. Zero signifies no hazard and 4 presents maximum risk. Depending on the number in the squares, emergency personnel use the appropriate equipment, follow special procedures, and take the needed precautions during an emergency response.
Figure 1 illustrates four color-coded fields with red on top indicating flammability, blue on the left indicating level of health hazard, yellow on the right for chemical reactivity, and white containing codes for special hazards.
First adopted in 1960, NFPA 704 represents a diamond with safety square used by emergency personnel to identify the risks posed by hazardous materials.
Note: NFPA 704 should not be confused with other classification systems such as NFPA 30 for flammable and combustible liquids.
Figure 2 shows the NFPA 704 rating of a lithium ion batteries marked 010. Other battery chemistries may have 000 or different designations.
| Flammability | |
| Red 0 | Material does no burn under normal conditions |
| Red 1 | Material needs considerable preheating before ignition or combustion occurs |
| Red 2 | Material needs moderate heat before ignition or combustion occurs |
| Red 3 | Liquids and solids can be ignited under ambient temperature |
| Red 4 | Vaporizes under atmospheric pressure; burns easily |
| Health | |
| Blue 0 | Poses no health hazard |
| Blue 1 | Exposure causes irritation |
| Blue 2 | Intense and continued use cause injury |
| Blue 3 | Short exposure causes injury |
| Blue 4 | Short exposure causes major injury or death |
| Reactivity | |
| Yellow 0 | Stable |
| Yellow 1 | Becomes unstable at elevated temperature |
| Yellow 2 | Violent changes at high temperature, reacts with water |
| Yellow 3 | Can detonate with trigger |
| Yellow 4 | Can detonate at normal temperature |
| Special Hazard | |
| OX | Oxidizer, chemical burns without air |
| Reacts with water in an unusual or dangerous manner | |
| SA | Nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon and other asphyxiant gases |
Last Updated: 8-Aug-2018
Batteries In A Portable World