Color Codes for Pipe lines
COLOUR CODING OF PIPING SYSTEM Type of Pipe
Use of pipe
Colour of pipe
Water Lines:
Raw Water
Olive Green
Settled or clarified water
Aqua
Finished or potable water
Dark blue
Non-potable water
Blue
Water with heating digesters digesters or buildings
Blue with a 6 in. (150 mm) red band space 30 in. (760 mm) apart
Type of Pipe
Use of pipe
Colour of pipe
Chemical Lines:
Alum or primary coagulant
Orange
Ammonia
White
Carbon Slurry
Black
Caustic
Yellow with green band
Chlorine gas solution
Yellow
Fluoride
Light blue with red band
Lime slurry
Light green
Ozone
Yellow with orange band
Polymers or coagulant aids
Orange with green band
Potassium per-magnate
Violet
Soda Ash
Light green with red band
Sulfuric Acid
Yellow with red band
Sulfur dioxide
Light green with yellow band
Type of Pipe
Use of pipe
Colour of pipe
Waste Lines:
Backwash Waste
Light Brown
Sludge
Dark Brown
Sewer (Sanitary or other) Dark grey Sludge Lines:
Gas Lines:
Other Lines:
Raw Sludge
Brown wid black bands
Sludge recirculation or suction
Brown wid yellow bands
Sludge draw off
Brown wid Orange bands
Sludge recirculation discharge
Brown
Sludge Lines
Orange (or red)
Natural gas
Orange (or red) with Black bands
Compressed air
Green
ANSI Colour Codes The yellow background signifies that the piping may handle hazardous material. Unfortunately, much has changed in the typical plant over the last 70 years since this standard was originally conceived. The basic standard can be traced to the 1920's and use in the US military. Obviously, our definitions for what is "hazardous" has changed. Water, air or carbon dioxide, under certain situations (pressure, heat, mixture with other chemicals) are not always benign.
How do we interpret, for example, materials that should be used for "fire quenching" that are also "hazardous"? Should we use the red or the yellow ANSI scheme? Or, how do we label a pipe that carries both the liquid (which should be green) and gas form of a chemical (which should be blue)?
Hazards, in other words, are not so easily defined. "Hazardous" may mean that the material is hazardous to a person nearby, or to the operation of the overall plant itself. Could "hazardous" mean that the materials flowing through the process piping, if not handled carefully, could contaminate the product. Or, if leaked into the atmosphere, could the chemical infect the environment or cause damage to employees after cumulative exposure over a period of years? Clearly, the ANSI standard was written for far simpler times.
Color
Std
Red
APWA
Yellow
Meaning
Electric Power Lines, Cables, Conduit and Lighting Cables Gas, Oil, Steam, Petroleum or APWA Gaseous Materials Communication, Alarm or Signal Lines, Cables or Conduit
Example Buried High Voltage Line Natural Gas Distribution Line
Orange
APWA
Buried Fiber Optic Cable
Blue
APWA Water, Irrigation and Slurry Lines
Buried Water Line
Green
APWA Sewers, Drain Line
Buried Storm Sewer Line
Red
Traffic Prohibition
STOP, Yield
Orange
Traffic Temporary Work Zone
Construction Zone Ahead
Yellow
Traffic Caution
Merge Ahead, Slow
Blue
Traffic Information Signs
Hospital
Brown
Traffic Historical or Park
Picnic Area Ahead
Color Green
Std Traffic ANSI Red Sign ANSI Orange Sign ANSI Yellow Sign ANSI Blue Sign ANSI Green Sign ANSI Red Pipe ANSI Yellow Pipe ANSI Blue Pipe ANSI Green Pipe Blue/Red/Yello NFPA w 701
Meaning Directional Signs Danger Signs, Highest Hazard Warning Signs, Medium Hazard Caution Signs, Lowest Hazard
Example Exit 1 Mile, Go Hazardous Voltage Will Cause Death Hazardous Voltage May Cause Death Turn Machine Off When Not In Use
Notice Signs
Employees Only
Safety First Signs
Wear Ear Plugs
Fire Quenching Materials
Fire Protection Water
Materials Inherently Hazardous
Chlorine
Materials of Inherently Low Hazard, Compressed Air Gas Materials of Inherently Low Hazard, Storm Drain Liquid Blue is used for Health Hazards, Red for Flammability and Yellow for reactivity
Variations in colour-coding standards are inevitable in our complex plant and pluralistic society. While laudable, harmonization of colour-codes, then, will be very difficult to achieve. Many plants use other colour-coding; for example, colour-code each system (i.e. Lube Oil is brown, Condensate is green, etc.) or colour code by Unit (i.e. Unit 1 is yellow, Unit 2 is blue, etc.). For most plants, we recommend either the ANSI pipe marker colour codes or simply black on yellow markers. For more complex plants, we recommend a colour-coding by system. For all environments, we recommend the inclusion of RTK information on the valve or on the pipe.
ANSI Color Code for Thermocouple and Thermocouple Extension Wire Thermocouple Wire Color ANSI Symbol Wire Alloys
T/C Extension Wire Color
Polarity Individual
Jacket
Individual
Jacket
J
Iron Constantan(TM)
+JP -JN
White Red
Brown
White Red
Black
K
CHROMEL®* ALUMEL®*
+KP -KN
Yellow Red
Brown
Yellow Red
Yellow
T
Copper Constantan(TM)
+TP -TN
Blue Red
Brown
Blue Red
Blue
E
CHROMEL®* Constantan(TM)
+EP -EN
Purple Red
Brown
Purple Red
Purple
N
Nicrosil(TM) Nisil(TM)
+NP -NN
Orange Red
Brown
Orange Red
Orange
RSX
Copper Copper Alloy
+RSP -RSN
-
-
Black Red
Green
BX
PCLW630/Copper Copper
+BP -BN
-
-
Grey Red
Grey
W3X W5X
Alloy 203; Alloy 405 +WP Alloy 225; Alloy 426 -WN
-
-
White/Red Red
White/R ed
ANSI & Pipes What are the ANSI pipe marking guidelines and do we have to follow them? No, many industries have not followed the ANSI guidelines. But they can still a useful guide to smaller firms, even as they becomes less popular with larger firms. The ANSI pipe marker guidelines define both colour codes and sizes.
Material
Marker Color
Fire Quenching Materials
Red
Materials Inherently Hazardous
Yellow
Materials of Inherently Low Hazard, Gas
Blue
Materials of Inherent Low Green Hazard, Liquid
The problem, unfortunately, is that the modern process plant has become ever more complex and internationally "aware". To most nuclear and large international chemical firms, the traditional ANSI pipe marker designs are both superficial and outdated. Note that OSHA or an ISO 9000 audit team inspects your plant, not ANSI! The demand, then, to put more and more information on the pipe marker is driven by several new regulations and standards: the EPA Standards for Clean Air, the OSHA Process Chemical Specifications and ISO 9000 programs.
Just as OSHA is changing their focus from complianceoriented standards to performance-oriented standards, plants are changing too. Before, the only question was whether or not your pipes, valves and hazards were labeled at all. Simple, one-word legends were sufficient (enough to "CYA", to put it bluntly). Now, the questions are more complicated: (1) do your employees actually understand potential hazards, (2) do they know how to avoid the hazard, and most importantly (3) do they know what to do in an emergency. Passive, single word pipe markers have been supplanted by those giving more information and integrating into the plant's proactive hazardous communication training.
SAFETY & PIPING COLOR CODES OSHA SAFETY COLORS GENERAL INFORMATION: The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires that all industries colourcode safety equipment locations, physical hazards and protective equipment. Safety colour codes were established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and adopted by OSHA for use in hazardous areas. Porter Coatings’ Safety Colours conform to OSHA and ANSI guidelines. OSHA does not specify the exact shade of colour, but the colour-coding should be consistent throughout a facility.
RED: THE BASIC COLOR FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF: Fire Protection Equipment and Apparatus: Used for: fire alarm boxes, fire blanket boxes, fire buckets or pails, fire exit signs, fire extinguishers, fire hose locations, fire hydrants, fire pumps, fire sirens, post indicator valves for sprinkler system and sprinkler piping. Danger. Used for: safety cans or other portable containers of flammable liquids having a flashpoint at or below 80°F, table containers of flammable liquids (with additional clearly visible identification of the contents either in the form of a yellow band around the can or the name of the contents conspicuously stencilled or painted on the can in yellow and danger signs. Stop. Used for: Emergency stop bars on hazardous machines and stop buttons or electrical switches used for emergency stopping of machinery. PORTER COATINGS SAFETY RED: 2772 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry Gloss Enamel Safety Red 2912 PORTER GUARD™ DTM Acrylic Gloss Enamel Safety Red PC4072 PORTERGLAZE™ 4000 Gloss Epoxy Safety Red • • •
ORANGE: THE BASIC COLOR FOR DESIGNATING DANGEROUS PARTS OF MACHINES OR ENERGIZED EQUIPMENT WHICH MAY CUT, CRUSH, SHOCK, OR OTHERWISE INJURE. Used to emphasize such hazards when enclosure doors are open or when gear belt or other guards around moving equipment are open or removed, exposing unguarded hazards. PORTER COATINGS SAFETY ORANGE: 2754 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry Gloss Enamel Safety Yellow 2913 PORTER GUARD™ DTM Acrylic Gloss Enamel Safety Yellow PC4074 PORTERGLAZE™ 4000 Epoxy Gloss Yellow Base PC9074 PORTERTHANE™ 9000 Urethane Gloss Yellow Base •
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YELLOW: THE BASIC COLOR FOR DESIGNATING CAUTION: Used for: marking physical hazards such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping and “caught in between.” Solid yellow, yellow and black stripes, yellow and black checkers (or yellow with suitable contrasting background) should be used interchangeably, using the combination which will attract the most attention in the particular environment.
PORTER COATINGS SAFETY YELLOW: •
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2754 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry Enamel Safety Yellow 2913 PORTER GUARD™ DTM Acrylic Gloss Enamel Safety Yellow
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PC4074 PORTERGLAZE™ 4000 Epoxy Gloss Yellow Base
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PC9074 PORTERTHANE™ 9000 Urethane Gloss Yellow Base
GREEN: THE BASIC COLOR FOR DESIGNATING “SAFETY” AND THE
LOCATION OF FIRST AID EQUIPMENT (OTHER THAN FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT) PORTER COATINGS SAFETY GREEN: 2744 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry Enamel Ultra Deep Base 2904 PORTER GUARD™ DTM Acrylic Gloss Enamel Ultra Deep Base PC4044 PORTERGLAZE™ 4000 Epoxy Gloss Neutral Base PC9044 PORTERTHANE™ 9000 Urethane Gloss Neutral Base •
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BLUE: THE BASIC COLOR FOR DESIGNATING “CAUTION”, LIMITED TO WARNING AGAINST THE STARTING, THE USE OF, OR THE MOVEMENT OF EQUIPMENT UNDER REPAIR OR BEING WORKED ON. PORTER COATINGS SAFETY BLUE: 2744 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry Enamel Ultra Deep Base 2904 PORTER GUARD™ DTM Acrylic Gloss Enamel Ultra Deep Base PC4044 PORTERGLAZE™ 4000 Epoxy Gloss Neutral Base PC9044 PORTERTHANE™ 9000 Urethane Gloss Neutral Base •
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PURPLE: THE BASIC COLOR FOR DESIGNATING RADIATION HAZARDS (X-RAY, ALPHA, BETA, GAMMA, NEUTRON, PROTON, DEUTERON, AND MESON TYPES). Used in combination with purple for markers such as tags, labels, signs and floor markers.
PORTER COATINGS SAFETY PURPLE: Tint* from: •
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2744 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry Enamel Ultra Deep Base 2904 PORTER GUARD™ DTM Acrylic Gloss Enamel Ultra Deep Base PC4044 PORTERGLAZE™ 4000 Epoxy Gloss Neutral Base PC9074 PORTERTHANE™ 9000 Urethane Gloss Neutral Base
BLACK, WHITE, OR COMBINATIONS OF BLACK AND WHITE: THE BASIC COLORS FOR DESIGNATING TRAFFIC AND HOUSEKEEPING MARKINGS. Solid white, solid black, single colour striping, alternate stripes of black and white, or black and white checkers should be used in accordance with local conditions. PORTER COATINGS SAFETY BLACK: 2728 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry Enamel Black 2928 PORTER GUARD™ DTM Acrylic Gloss Black NOTE: The Porter Coatings Industrial Colour Selection Guide (Order #5860/E) for safety colour tint formulas. •
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