The Standard for Fire Safety Symbols

Fire safety symbols are found in NFPA, National Fire Protection Association, Standard 170. The latest version is the 2009 Edition and represents the eighth revision since its adoption in 1994. It combines four other standards into one complete publication.

History

• Symbols can be a language all their own.

  NFPA 170, "Standard for Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols" incorporates symbols for public fire safety, fire fighting operations, and symbols used in architectural, engineering and risk analysis plans and drawings.

  Chapter 8, "Symbols for Emergency Management Plans" and Chapter 9, "Development of Emergency Evacuation Plans", are new additions.

Function

• Misunderstanding and confusion can be overcome with communication.

  This standard brings together several disciplines that, before 170, worked separately. As a result, NFPA had four different standards in place that overlapped each other and caused confusion within the fire service, construction, engineering, emergency management, insurance, and architecture.

Features

• Symbols eliminate words where space is limited.

  NFPA 170 lists the most common symbols used by the various groups where physical plans are needed. Some of the symbols used are; fire alarm placements, electrical cabinets, emergency exits, fire department connections for sprinklers, emergency shelter, emergency shut-off, utility disconnects and literally hundreds more.

Other Standards

• Fire extinguisher symbols and labeling are standardized.

  Three NFPA standards were not rolled into 170. The symbols used in NFPA Standards 10, "Portable Fire Extinguishers"; 101, "Life Safety Code"; and 704, "System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response" (fire diamond) are all referenced in 170 but they were not affected or changed.