What is the purpose of the white section in the NFPA 704 diamond?

• A. Identify special hazards such as oxidizers or water reactive substances
• B. Indicate health hazard
• C. Indicate flammability hazard
• D. Indicate reactivity hazard

Answer: (A)

In the NFPA 704 system, the white section is reserved for special hazards that aren’t captured by the numeric ratings in the colored sections. It flags additional cautions like oxidizers or water-reactive substances (often shown as OX or a W with a strike-through) and other notes that affect handling and emergency response. The blue, red, and yellow sections convey health, flammability, and reactivity, while the white area adds these special hazard details. So this white section’s purpose is to identify special hazards such as oxidizers or water reactive substances.