IIAR 2-2021: NFPA 704

We’ve written about NFPA 704 placards on ammonia refrigeration systems in the past, but it seemed timely to provide an update since ANSI/IIAR 2-2021 was recently published and includes a noteworthy change in the minimum requirements.

What’s the Same?

The 2021 version of Standard 2 still requires that an NFPA 704 placard be affixed to each machinery room door. Since equipment is located inside the machinery room, the correct designation is 3-3-0 for this situation. Informative Appendix J recommends a machinery room door be labeled as depicted below:

What has Changed?

• 5.14.2 expands the requirements for NFPA 704 placards beyond machinery rooms. It reads in part that 

“Buildings and facilities with refrigeration systems shall be provided with placards that display information in accordance with NFPA 704. Placards shall be located at restricted entrances to rooms or areas identified as likely to be accessed by emergency response personnel.”

For a cold storage with ammonia-cooled evaporators located throughout the facility, this could be interpreted as an NFPA 704 placard at each door. Appendix A offers clarification from NFPA 704 §A.4.3 which states:

“The quantity and location of NFPA 704 placards are based on factors such as fire department response and access: fire department operations; location, configuration, size, and arrangement of storage areas; location configuration of the buildings; and other factors. The authority having jurisdiction should be consulted regarding place of identification in response to incidents at the location.”

In view of this requirement, we suggest facilities consider which access doors are likely to be used by emergency responders and affix an NFPA 704 placard accordingly.