NFPA ratings are designed to communicate to emergency responders the hazards associated with a chemical under emergency fire or spill conditions. They are similar to HMIS ratings, however, the ratings will often differ due to the relative hazards posed by materials under ambient storage and use conditions (HMIS) and emergency fire and spill conditions (NFPA). The NFPA can be found on the web at www.nfpa.org.

The NFPA rates the hazardous properties of a chemical as follows:

Health:

4	Deadly
3	Extreme Danger
2	Hazardous
1	Slightly Hazardous
0	Normal material

Fire:

4	FP below 73°F and BP below 100°F
3	FP below 73°F and BP at or above 100°F or FP above 73°F and below 100°F
2	FP 100°F to 200°F
1	FP above 200°F
0	Will not burn

Instability:

4	May detonate
3	Shock and heat may detonate
2	Violent chemical change
1	Unstable if heated
0	Stable

Specific Hazard:

OX	Oxidizer
W	Use NO WATER