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NFPA RTK Labeling Kits
NFPA 704 Right To Know (RTK) Resource Center
RTK introduction
NFPA 704 is a standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
It defines the "fire diamond" or "RTK diamond" used by emergency response personnel to quickly and
easily identify the risks posed by nearby hazardous materials. It has also become popular as a
general visual identifier in workplaces where hazardous chemicals are used. The RTK diamond may
help determine what, if any, specialty equipment should be used, procedures followed,
or precautions taken during an emergency response.
Understanding the RTK Diamond
The RTK diamond is divided into four regions. The four divisions are color-coded, with blue
indicating the level of health hazard, red indicating flammability, yellow indicating chemical reactivity,
and white containing special codes for unique hazards. Each of the health, flammability and
reactivity ratings is numbered on a scale from 0 (no hazard / normal substance) to 4 (severe risk).
RTK Blue region - Health Hazard
The blue region of the RTK diamond indicates health hazard and may contain either a 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. These numbers
indicate the level of health exposure risk, and can be interpreted as follows:
- 4 Very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury (e.g., hydrogen cyanide).
- 3 Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury (e.g., chlorine gas).
- 2 Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury (e.g., chloroform).
- 1 Exposure would cause irritation with only minor residual injury (e.g., turpentine).
- 0 Poses no health hazard, no precautions necessary. (e.g., lanolin).
RTK Red region - Flammability
The red region of the RTK diamon indicates flammability and may contain either a 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. These numbers
indicate the level of flammability, explosion and ignition risk, and can be interpreted as follows:
- 4 Will rapidly or completely vaporize at normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, or is readily dispersed in air and will burn readily (e.g., propane). Flash point below 23°C (73°F).
- 3 Liquids and solids that can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions (e.g., gasoline). Flash point below 38°C (100°F) but above 23°C (73°F).
- 2 Must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperature before ignition can occur (e.g., diesel fuel). Flash point between 38°C (100°F) and 93°C (200°F).
- 1 Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur (e.g., canola oil). Flash point over 93°C (200°F).
- 0 Will not burn (e.g., water).
RTK Yellow region - Reactivity
The yellow region of the RTK diamon indicates reactivity and may contain either a 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. These numbers
indicate the level of explosion, detonation or reaction risk, and can be interpreted as follows:
- 4 Readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at normal temperatures and pressures (e.g., nitroglycerin).
- 3 Capable of detonation or explosive decomposition but requires a strong initiating source, must be heated under confinement before initiation, reacts explosively with water, or will detonate if severely shocked (e.g., fluorine).
- 2 Undergoes violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and pressures, reacts violently with water, or may form explosive mixtures with water (e.g., phosphorus).
- 1 Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures (e.g., calcium).
- 0 Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water (e.g., helium).
RTK White region - Special
The white region of the RTK diamond may contain a number of special symbols. "W", with or without a strikeout, may be used to
represent a reaction with water ("use no water"). "OX" or "OXY" may be used to represent an oxidizer. "COR" may be used to
represent a strongly corrosive acid or base. "ACID" and "ALK" may be used to be more specific. "BIO" may be used to denote a biohazardous material.
"CRYO" may be used to indicate a cryogenic. The radioactive trefoil may also be used.
What RTK products are offered
Industrial Safety Solutions provides custom RTK software
that makes RTK labeling quick and easy. ISS RTK Label Creator contains a database with hundreds of pre-defined chemical
labels, easily sorted by CAS number or alphabetically. The database also contains information on personal protective equipment (PPE) and
target organs.
Industrial Safety Solutions also offers die-cut RTK labels with a pre-printed four-color NFPA diamond and label regions. When
used with the ISS RTK Label Creator Software, making clear and easy to read RTK labels couldn't be easier.
Where can I get additional information?
Additional information on NFPA RTK hazard labeling can be found at the NFPA website. It is referenced here for your
convenience.
NFPA
http://www.nfpa.org
NFPA 704
http://www.nfpa.org/faq.asp?categoryID=928
