NFPA 704 diamond builder
Enter the ratings you have already determined for a material, check what each level stands for, and download the diamond as SVG or PNG artwork.
This tool draws a diamond. It does not assign ratings. Determine each rating from the material's safety data and the NFPA 704 criteria, and check local fire-code requirements for size and placement. Never copy GHS category numbers from a safety data sheet into the diamond.
Artwork is generated in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
What the levels mean
The summaries below paraphrase the published intent of each level so you can sanity-check a diamond. They are not the rating criteria. NFPA 704 defines each level with specific tests and thresholds, for example flash point and boiling point for flammability.
| Level | Health (blue) | Flammability (red) | Instability (yellow) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury. | Rapidly or completely vaporizes at normal temperature and pressure, or readily disperses in air and burns readily. | Readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at normal temperatures and pressures. |
| 3 | Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. | Liquids and solids that can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions. | Capable of detonation or explosive decomposition, but requires a strong initiating source or heating under confinement. |
| 2 | Intense or continued exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury. | Must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperatures before ignition can occur. | Undergoes violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and pressures. |
| 1 | Exposure could cause irritation with only minor residual injury. | Must be preheated before ignition can occur. | Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. |
| 0 | No hazard beyond that of ordinary combustible material under fire conditions. | Will not burn under typical fire conditions. | Normally stable, even under fire conditions. |
Special-hazard codes
The white quadrant is reserved for the special-hazard symbols the standard recognizes: a W with a bar through it for materials that react unusually with water, OX for oxidizers, and SA for simple asphyxiant gases such as nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. Other marks seen in the field, such as COR or ACID, are not part of the current standard and should not be added to a new placard.
Before you post a placard
- Rate the actual material or mixture in the condition it is stored, not a similar product.
- Where an area holds several materials, follow the method the standard and your fire authority accept for rating the area.
- Check the size, durability, and location rules your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Keep GHS labels and safety data sheets in place: the diamond serves emergency responders, not the people handling the product day to day.
Read the NFPA 704 guide · See the reference example · Compare with GHS pictograms