NFPA Hazard Ratings
Northeastern University’s laboratory doors are posted with emergency information to warn occupants and The Boston Fire Department (BFD) personnel of the presence and identification of hazardous materials inside each laboratory.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed a system for indicating the health, flammability, reactivity and special hazards for many common chemicals through use of the NFPA 704 Diamond. The laboratory hazard rating is determined by looking at all the chemicals, gases and special lab uses and generating a rating for each hazard category based on established criteria.
Please read the rating information in each category, take an inventory of your laboratory, and rate each category accordingly. To look up a rating for a particular chemical click on the link at the bottom of the page.
Use the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) finder resource on your SciShield (formerly BioRAFT) homepage.
Laboratory Fire Safety: Who Does What?
Fire safety in NU laboratories requires close collaboration from all stakeholders. This webpage clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder.
Boston Fire Department Audit: Tools for PIs
Checklist
Fire Safety Checklist for PIs (7/11 update)
Start here! Comprehensive checklist for PIs to prepare for BFD audit including laboratory safety best practices.
Resource
Gas-Liquid Conversion Tables
Guidelines
General Emergency Response for Laboratories (R2)
Resource
Chemical Segregation and Storage Table
Resource
Oxygen Depletion Calculations
Guide
NFPA Door Sign Creation
Your Door Sign To-Do List:
Keep your signs accurate.
- You are required by law (BFD, OSHA, other) to maintain accurate information on your NFPA 704 Diamond.
- The lab PI or Group Compliance Liaison shall review his/her hazardous materials and equipment inventory and update the correct data for each room attached to your laboratory profile.
Create your sign. Then send an email request to Lab Safety/OARS, and COPY your CSO to arrange printing and delivery.
- Please submit any changes on your laboratory profile on SciShield.
- If you have any questions on how to submit these changes, check our NFPA Door Sign Creation Guide on this page.
- Once you have submitted door sign corrections, contact Lab Safety for a review and copy your CSO.
- OARS will print and deliver the new sign after this step. Some CSOs can print signs as well.
HELP! Creating the sign in SciShield is confusing.
Open this NFPA Door Sign Guide. In addition, SciShield maintains SEVERAL knowledge guides. From your SciShield homepage, go to “Need Help?”.
Request laboratory door sign holder.
If you need a laboratory door sign holder, visit Facilities Online Work Request to submit a request to the Sign Shop.
Contact Lab Safety
Email: labsafety@northeastern.edu
Phone: 617.373.2769