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Re: Health Rating - NFPA
Larissa,
I believe a helpful reference would be NFPA 704 "Standard System for the
Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response". Hazard
groupings and degrees of hazard are explained here.
It may seem a bit excessive, however it may be reasonable for the Fire
Marshal to request that the radioactive symbol be posted in the "other
hazard" quadrant or white quadrant.
What I do not understand is why he wants to address the degree of
radioactive hazard in the health hazard quadrant. Typically, the
blue-health, red-flammability, and yellow-reactivity quadrants address the
degree of CHEMICAL hazard only. That's why you won't find a rating for
radioactive hazard in your NFPA book. Other hazards, such as biological,
radioactive, etc., are typically addressed in an entirely seperate label, or
they are identified in the "other hazard" quadrant as he suggested. I also
recomment that you refer to the local regulations as they may be more
stringent than national code. Again, I would reference NFPA 704 for clarity.
Good Luck,Tom
>Our local Fire Marshall wants us to post, in addition to the "Radiation"
>warning signs already up, NFPA diamonds with the "radioactivity" symbol in
the >white section *and* a health hazard rating in the blue section. These
are >licensed sealed sources that are being stored in a small bunkered building.
>Initially, he wanted a "4" rating under health, which I told him
>(diplomatically ;-) was absurd and would mislead any emergency responders
into >thinking we had something equivalent to cyanide gas in there! Now he's
saying a >"3" would be in order. I think it should be a "1". I haven't found
any ratings >for "radioactivity" in my NFPA booklet. Perhaps someone
>here can provide me with a reference for this? Thanks in advance.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
>Larisa Streeter
> Corporate Environmental Scientist
> Western Atlas International, Inc.
> Houston, Texas
> larisa@neosoft.com
>
R. Thomas Leonard, M.S.
Safety Officer
The Wistar Institute
3601 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
phone:(215) 898-3712
fax:(215)898-3868
e-mail:tleonard@wista.wistar.upenn.edu