116 Gas shielded metal arc welding

The following colour codes are used for cylinders (BS 349, BS 381 C)

Gas or mixture Colour code

Acetylene, dissolved Maroon; also with name ACETYLENE.

Argon Peacock blue.
Peacock blue. Light brunswick green band round
Argon-CO 2 middle of cylinder.
Peacock blue. Signal red band round middle of
Argon-hydrogen cylinder.
Peacock blue. French grey band round middle of
Argon-nitrogen cylinder.
Argon-oxygen Peacock blue. Black band round middle of cylin-
der. % of oxygen indicated.
CO 2 , commercial vapour Black.
withdrawal
GO2, commercial liquid Black. Narrow white band down length of cylinder
withdrawal (syphon tube).
Helium Brown.
Hydrogen Signal red.
Hydrogen-high purity Signal red. White circle on shoulder.
Hydrogen-nitrogen Signal red. French grey band round middle of
cylinder.
Nitrogen French grey. Black cylinder shoulder.
Nitrogen (oxygen free) French grey. Black cylinder shoulder with white
circle.
Nitrogen-CO 2 French grey. Light brunswick green band round
middle of cylinder and black cylinder shoulder.
Nitrogen-oxygen French grey. Black band round middle of cylinder
and black cylinder shoulder.
Oxygen, commercial Black.
Propane Signal red with name PROPANE.
Air French grey.
Air-CO 9 French grey. Light brunswick green band round
middle of cylinder.

Note. Colour bands on shoulder of cylinder denote hazard properties. Cylinders

having a red band on the shoulder contain a flammable gas; cylinders having a
golden yellow band on the shoulder contain a toxic (poisonous) gas. Cylinders
having a red band on the upper shoulder and a yellow band on the lower shoulder
contain a flammable and toxic gas. Carbon monoxide has a red cylinder with a
yellow shoulder.