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NFPA Placards Requirements

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) addresses the issue of safely storing hazardous materials by standardizing identification of the specific material as well as its flammability, instability and any health risk it may pose. NFPA standards dictate that placards be affixed to storage buildings, be of a certain size and consist of certain colors and numbers.

  1. Categories and Colors

    • A diamond-shaped placard needs to indicate four categories of hazard: health, flammability, reactivity and special hazard. Each category must be represented by a standardized color and located in a standardized place on the diamond.

      The left side of the diamond must be blue to represent a health hazard. The top of the diamond must be red to indicate flammability. The color yellow signifies reactivity and must be located on the right side of the diamond. Finally, white is linked with a special hazard, such as material that can become explosive if exposed to fire, and needs to take up the bottom portion of the diamond placard.

    Category Numbers

    • A number must also be paired with each colored section of the diamond placard. This number represents the severity of the hazard in an emergency condition such as a spill, leak or fire. The numbers range from 0, indicating that no extra warning is necessary and the material poses no additional risk beyond the typical warnings of any combustible material, to 4, which represents extreme danger and risk of death.

      The numbers also must reflect the amount of hazardous material in the container. For example, if the container holds 100 pounds, 10 gallons or 50 cubic feet of material, it must be marked with a 4 in the Health category. Personnel working with hazardous materials should be aware of what each number represents in each category.

    Dimensions and Placement

    • The NFPA also dictates the dimensions and placement of the placards. Placards in a building facility must be 15 inches by 15 inches in size. Each of the four parts of the diamond must be 7 1/2 inches by 7 1/2 inches. The number must be 6 inches in height and three-quarters of an inch in stroke width. Numbers can be black or white as long as they contrast with the background colors of each section.

      Placards must be attached on both sides of the building's entrance so emergency personnel can see them easily. Placards must also be posted at the entrance gate and on fences along the facility's property line. Subdivision placards can be smaller--8 inches by 8 inches--and must be placed next to entrances leading to subdivisions.

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