Summary

In this activity, students will understand and interpret the color and number symbols on an NFPA Safety Diamond and then apply their knowledge to interpreting a label for chemicals. Students will also demonstrate an understanding of the safety precautions recommended for safe handling of specific chemicals as indicated by the diamond.

Grade Level

High School

NGSS Alignment

This activity will help prepare your students to meet the performance expectations in the following standards:

• HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
• Scientific and Engineering Practices:
  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data
  • Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Objectives

By the end of this activity, students should be able to

• Identify risks posed by potentially hazardous materials.
• Analyze what special safety equipment and procedures are applicable to a chemical.
• Create a safety label for chemicals.

Chemistry Topics

This activity supports students’ understanding of

• Lab Safety
• Chemical properties
• Physical Properties

Time:

Teacher Preparation: 20 minutes

Lesson: 45 minutes – 1 hour

Materials (per student team of 2)

• Diamond safety labels (printed from downloadable template)
• Markers or colored pencils (red, blue, yellow, black)
• Empty plastic bottle to serve as “sample chemical containers”
• Tape
• Internet access and computers/smartphones to access relevant information

Safety

• There are no safety concerns for this activity.

Teacher Notes

• Ask students to bring in empty plastic bottles to be used for this activity. You could give them extra points to encourage their participation.
• The NFPA safety diamond is designed to allow teachers, students and safety personnel to quickly and easily identify safety concerns associated with chemicals they may encounter.

• Each colored section of the fire diamond provides information of a safety concern specific to that chemical
  • Red= flammability
  • Yellow=reactivity
  • Blue= health hazard
  • White= special hazard, indicated by specific symbols/words

• In addition, each colored section is designated a specific number on a scale ranging from 0 to 4, with 0 meaning no hazard and 4 meaning extreme danger.
• The diamond was originally designed to convey information for first responders and safety personnel and not to provide complete safety information in a lab setting, which should be found by referring to the SDS or GHS symbols.
• Detailed chemical safety information for high school labs can be found here.
• You might want to show photos of fire diamonds from around the school or community and ask them how many have seen these labels and where.
• Teachers can provide printed labels (in color or black/white) for use in labeling the bottles. A template is available for download/printing.
• The teacher could show students a sample “fire diamond” and explain how to identify risks posed by the sample and analyze what special safety equipment and handling procedures are specified.
• Alternatively, you can have students use their resources to find this information for themselves and share with their peers in small groups. Follow this up by having student groups share aloud their findings about the meanings of the four parts and how the colors and numbers are used.
• For an extension, you can have students take pictures of “fire diamonds” found in their communities.
• Teachers may want to print class copies of the article (analysis question 5) for student use.