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 Aqua
water
Finished or potable Dark blue
water
Non-potable water Blue
Water with heating Blue with a 6 in. (150
digesters or buildings 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 Use of pipe Colour of pipe
Pipe
Waste Lines: Backwash Waste Light Brown
Sludge Dark Brown
Sewer (Sanitary or other) Dark grey
Sludge Lines: Raw Sludge Brown wid black bands
Sludge recirculation or Brown wid yellow bands
suction
Sludge draw off Brown wid Orange bands
Sludge recirculation Brown
discharge
Gas Lines: Sludge Lines Orange (or red)
Natural gas Orange (or red) with Black
bands
Other Lines: 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 Meaning Example
Electric Power Lines, Cables,
Red APWA Buried High Voltage Line
Conduit and Lighting Cables
Gas, Oil, Steam, Petroleum or Natural Gas Distribution
Yellow APWA
Gaseous Materials Line
Communication, Alarm or Signal
Orange APWA Buried Fiber Optic Cable
Lines, Cables or Conduit

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 Std Meaning Example
Green Traffic Directional Signs Exit 1 Mile, Go
ANSI Hazardous Voltage Will
Red Danger Signs, Highest Hazard
Sign Cause Death
ANSI Hazardous Voltage May
Orange Warning Signs, Medium Hazard
Sign Cause Death
ANSI Turn Machine Off When Not
Yellow Caution Signs, Lowest Hazard
Sign In Use
ANSI
Blue Notice Signs Employees Only
Sign
ANSI
Green Safety First Signs Wear Ear Plugs
Sign
ANSI
Red Fire Quenching Materials Fire Protection Water
Pipe
ANSI
Yellow Materials Inherently Hazardous Chlorine
Pipe
ANSI Materials of Inherently Low Hazard,
Blue Compressed Air
Pipe Gas
ANSI Materials of Inherently Low Hazard,
Green Storm Drain
Pipe Liquid
Blue/Red/Yello NFPA Blue is used for Health Hazards, Red for Flammability and Yellow
w 701 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 T/C Extension Wire Color

ANSI
Symbol Wire Alloys Polarity Individual Jacket Individual Jacket
Iron +JP White White
J Brown Black
Constantan(TM) -JN Red Red
CHROMEL®* +KP Yellow Yellow
K Brown Yellow
ALUMEL®* -KN Red Red
Copper +TP Blue Blue
T Brown Blue
Constantan(TM) -TN Red Red
CHROMEL®* +EP Purple Purple
E Brown Purple
Constantan(TM) -EN Red Red

Nicrosil(TM) +NP Orange Orange

N Brown Orange
Nisil(TM) -NN Red Red
Copper +RSP Black
RSX - - Green
Copper Alloy -RSN Red
PCLW630/Copper +BP Grey
BX - - Grey
Copper -BN Red

W3X Alloy 203; Alloy 405 +WP White/Red White/R

- -
W5X Alloy 225; Alloy 426 -WN Red 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
Yellow
Hazardous
Materials of Inherently
Blue
Low Hazard, Gas
Materials of Inherent Low
Green
Hazard, Liquid
 Length of
Colour Field Size of Letter
Pipe OD Min Pipe OD Max
for Pipe for Legend
Marker
0.75" 1.25" 8" 0.5"

1.5" 2" 8" 0.75"

2.5" 6" 12" 1.25"

8" 10" 24" 2.5"

10" -- 32" 3.5"

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 compliance-
oriented 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 colour-
code 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
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:
• 2754 PORTER GUARD™ Fast Dry 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
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
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
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:

• 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.