The document summarizes the ANSI A13.1 standard for pipe identification and labeling. It outlines the color coding schemes for different hazard levels and pipe contents according to the older and current versions of the standard. The key points are:
- Pipes carrying hazardous materials must be clearly labeled with contents and hazards
- The older standard defined high, low, and fire hazard classes with specific color codes
- The current standard uses 5 color codes based on hazard type rather than class
- Labels must be placed visibly with arrows to indicate flow direction
The document summarizes the ANSI A13.1 standard for pipe identification and labeling. It outlines the color coding schemes for different hazard levels and pipe contents according to the older and current versions of the standard. The key points are:
- Pipes carrying hazardous materials must be clearly labeled with contents and hazards
- The older standard defined high, low, and fire hazard classes with specific color codes
- The current standard uses 5 color codes based on hazard type rather than class
- Labels must be placed visibly with arrows to indicate flow direction
The document summarizes the ANSI A13.1 standard for pipe identification and labeling. It outlines the color coding schemes for different hazard levels and pipe contents according to the older and current versions of the standard. The key points are:
- Pipes carrying hazardous materials must be clearly labeled with contents and hazards
- The older standard defined high, low, and fire hazard classes with specific color codes
- The current standard uses 5 color codes based on hazard type rather than class
- Labels must be placed visibly with arrows to indicate flow direction
A recommended identification color scheme of piping systems based on ANSI A13.
1 Standard for Pipe
Identification are indicated below: Classification Color Field and Legend Inherently Hazardous Materials Flammable or Explosive Fluids Black text on Yellow background Chemically Active !oxic or Corrosive Fluids Black text on Yellow background Extreme !emperatures or "ressures Black text on Yellow background #adioactive Black text on Yellow background Inherently Lo$ Hazardous Materials Li%uid or Li%uid Admixture "otable &ater Feed $ater ''' WhiteText on Green background (as or (aseous Admixture Compressed air '' White Text on Blue background Fire )uenching Materials &ater Foam C*+ '' White Text on Red background Size of Letters *utside "ipe or Covering ,ize -in. &idth of Color /and -in. ,ize of Letters -in. 0123 to 4 4123 5 41+3 4 41+3 to +3 5 0123 + 41+3 to 63 4+ 4 4123 53 to 473 +2 + 41+ 8 473 0+ 0 41+3 Why are the ANSI color codes important? What does the yellow background mean? The yellow background signifies that the piping may handle hazardous material. Unfortunately, much has changed in the typical plant over the last 7 years since this standard was originally conceived. The basic standard can be traced to the !"#$s and use in the U% military. &bviously, our definitions for what is 'hazardous' has changed. (ater, air or carbon dio)ide, under certain situations *pressure, heat, mi)ture with other chemicals+ are not always benign. ,ow do we interpret, for e)ample, materials that should be used for 'fire -uenching' that are also 'hazardous'. %hould we use the red or the yellow A/%0 scheme. &r, how do we label a pipe that carries both the li-uid *which should be green+ and gas form of a chemical *which should be blue+. ,azards, in other words, are not so easily defined. ',azardous' may mean that the material is hazardous to a person nearby, or to the operation of the overall plant itself. 1ould 'hazardous' mean that the materials flowing through the process piping, if not handled carefully, could contaminate the product. &r, if leaked into the atmosphere, could the chemical infect the environment or cause damage to employees after cumulative e)posure over a period of years. 1learly, the A/%0 standard was written for far simpler times. 1olor %td 2eaning 3)ample 4ed A5(A 3lectric 5ower 6ines, 1ables, 1onduit and 6ighting 1ables 7uried ,igh 8oltage 6ine 9ellow A5(A :as, &il, %team, 5etroleum or :aseous 2aterials /atural :as ;istribution 6ine &range A5(A 1ommunication, Alarm or %ignal 6ines, 1ables or 1onduit 7uried <iber &ptic 1able 7lue A5(A (ater, 0rrigation and %lurry 6ines 7uried (ater 6ine :reen A5(A %ewers, ;rain 6ine 7uried %torm %ewer 6ine 4ed Traffic 5rohibition %T&5, 9ield &range Traffic Temporary (ork =one 1onstruction =one Ahead 9ellow Traffic 1aution 2erge Ahead, %low 7lue Traffic 0nformation %igns ,ospital 7rown Traffic ,istorical or 5ark 5icnic Area Ahead :reen Traffic ;irectional %igns 3)it ! 2ile, :o 4ed A/%0 %ign ;anger %igns, ,ighest ,azard ,azardous 8oltage (ill 1ause ;eath &range A/%0 %ign (arning %igns, 2edium ,azard ,azardous 8oltage 2ay 1ause ;eath 9ellow A/%0 %ign 1aution %igns, 6owest ,azard Turn 2achine &ff (hen /ot 0n Use 7lue A/%0 %ign /otice %igns 3mployees &nly :reen A/%0 %ign %afety <irst %igns (ear 3ar 5lugs 4ed A/%0 5ipe <ire >uenching 2aterials <ire 5rotection (ater 9ellow A/%0 5ipe 2aterials 0nherently ,azardous 1hlorine 7lue A/%0 5ipe 2aterials of 0nherently 6ow ,azard, :as 1ompressed Air :reen A/%0 5ipe 2aterials of 0nherently 6ow ,azard, 6i-uid %torm ;rain 7lue?4ed?9ellow /<5A 7! 7lue is used for ,ealth ,azards, 4ed for <lammability and 9ellow for reactivity 8ariations in color@coding standards are inevitable in our comple) plant and pluralistic society. (hile laudable, harmonization of color@codes, then, will be very difficult to achieve. 2any plants use other color@codingA for e)ample, color@code each system *i.e. 6ube &il is brown, 1ondensate is green, etc.B+ or color code by Unit *i.e. Unit ! is yellow, Unit # is blue, etc.+. <or most plants, we recommend either the A/%0 pipe marker color codes or simply black on yellow markers. <or more comple) plants, we recommend a color@coding by system. <or all environments, we recommend the inclusion of 4TC information on the valve or on the pipe. ANSI Color Code for hermocouple and hermocouple !"tension Wire ANSI Symbol Wire Alloys #olarity hermocouple Wire Color $C !"tension Wire Color Indi%idual &acket Indi%idual &acket D 0ron 1onstantan*T2+ ED5 @D/ (hite 4ed 7rown (hite 4ed 7lack C 1,4&236FG A6U236FG EC5 @C/ 9ellow 4ed 7rown 9ellow 4ed 9ellow T 1opper 1onstantan*T2+ ET5 @T/ 7lue 4ed 7rown 7lue 4ed 7lue 3 1,4&236FG 1onstantan*T2+ E35 @3/ 5urple 4ed 7rown 5urple 4ed 5urple / /icrosil*T2+ /isil*T2+ E/5 @// &range 4ed 7rown &range 4ed &range 4%H 1opper 1opper Alloy E4%5 @4%/ 9 9 7lack 4ed :reen 7H 516(IJ?1opper 1opper E75 @7/ 9 9 :rey 4ed :rey (JH (KH Alloy #JA Alloy LK Alloy ##KA Alloy L#I E(5 @(/ 9 9 (hite?4ed 4ed (hite?4ed ANSI #ipe 'arking Standards ;ocument /umber: #J ,azardous materials flow through miles of piping in many industrial, commercial and institutional facilities. Dust like hazardous materials in other situations, piping systems should be appropriately labeled to make people aware of the materials they carry. The older versions *!"M! N !""I+ of the A/%0 *American /ational %tandards 0nstitute+ A!J.! standard have merged into the A/%0?A%23 *American %ociety of Testing and 2aterials+ A!J.! %cheme for 0dentification of 5iping %ystems. This merged standard A/%0?A%23 A!J.!, addresses pipe marking by offering a common labeling method for use in all industrial, commercial, institutional facilities and in buildings used for public assembly. This standard does not apply to buried pipelines or electrical conduit. Label (e)uirements 5ipe marking labels must effectively communicate the contents of the pipes and give additional detail if special hazards *such as e)treme temperatures or pressures+ e)ist. The legend should be short in length and easy to understand. <or e)ample, the legend '%team ! 5%0:' specifies the contents as well as the additional pressure hazard. An arrow should be used in conOunction with the legend to show which direction the material flows. 0f flow can be in both directions, arrows in both directions shall be displayed. The older versions *!"M! N !""I+ of A/%0 A!J.! separated materials transported in above@ground piping systems into three categories: ,igh@,azard 2aterials: 3ncompasses several hazard areas including corrosive and caustic materialsA substances that are to)ic or capable of creating to)ic gasesA e)plosive and flammable materialsA radioactive substancesA and materials that, if released, would be hazardous due to e)treme pressures or temperatures. 6ow@,azard 2aterials: 2aterials that are not inherently hazardous and have a small chance of harming employees through mild temperatures and low pressures. <ire %uppression 2aterials: <ire protection materials such as foam, carbon dio)ide *1&#+, ,alon and water. The three hazard classes have different color@coded labels associated with them. All high@hazard materials use black characters on a yellow background. The low@hazard material class is divided into two different color schemes: li-uids or li-uid mi)tures use white characters on a green backgroundA gases or gaseous mi)tures use white characters on a blue background. The fire suppression class uses white letters on a red background. The letters on pipe labels should be a minimum of !?#' high, and should increase in size as the pipe diameter increases@*Table J+. The #7 edition of the A/%0?A%23 A!J.! changed the color scheme re-uirements for the labels. 0n this new edition of the standard, there are I standard colors instead of L colors. The new label color re-uirements are based on the characteristic hazards of the contents. %ee Table # below for the new color re-uirements. Label #lacement 6abels should be positioned on the pipes so they can be easily read. 5roper label placement is on the lower side of the pipe if the employee has to look up to the pipe, on the upper side of the pipe if the employee has to look down towards the pipe, or directly facing the employee if on the same level as the pipe. 6abels should be located near valves, branches, where a change in direction occurs, on entry?re@entry points through walls or floors, and on straight segments with spacing between labels that allows for easy identification. !"ceptions to this Standard &ther pipe labeling systems are acceptable if they are put in writing and meet the basic A/%0 re-uirements. Commonly Asked *uestions Q. Can I still use my current pipe marking system based on the older version of the standard or do I have to change my color scheme to meet ASME A13.1 !!"# A. Existing schemes for identification shall be considered as meeting the re%uirements of the standard if the schemes are described in $riting and employees are trained in the operation and hazards of the piping system' Q. $hat if I have a pipe smaller than # A. For pipes of less than in diameter the use of a permanently legible tag is recommended' Q. Are particular shades of yello%& green& red and blue re'uired for pipe labels# A. :es A;,I1A,ME A40'49 recommends the color code featured in the A;,I <=0'49 ,afety Color Code for Mar>ing "hysical Hazards' !he color shades recommended are intended to give highest level of recognition to employees $ith both normal and color9deficient vision' Q. (as this A)SI Standard been adopted by *S(A# A. ;o it is still considered an industry consensus standard $hich is only a recommendation' Even though it has not been specifically adopted by *,HA industry consensus standards may be evidence that a hazard is recognized and there is a feasible means of correcting such a hazard' If you do not follo$ a consensus standard it is possible to be cited under the (eneral ?uty Clause' Stairs (esidential +uilding Code for the ,nited States The %tairs@ 4esidential 7uilding 1ode for the U.%. is a municipal regulation. Thus it varies by state and town. %ome Ourisdictions base their legislation on the # and #J 0nternational 4esidential 1ode *041+. &ther communities seem to be still using the !""7 Uniform 7uilding 1ode *U71+. 0n all cases, each Ourisdiction has amended the code to reflect local concerns.. ie. flooding or earth-uake prone areas. 0t is absolutely essential that you check with your local office as the following information is only offered to suggest guidelines as to what issues and answers you might e)pect related to the stairs@residential building code... good luckP happy woodworking.. ;osing Extension@ Code #e%uirements 2a)imum overhang for nosing is somewhere between ! Q' N ! R'. %ome states legislate a minimum of S', including floor and landings. #isers A #uns@ 4iser ,eight: 2a)imum of between 7 S' N M Q' *some states regulate a minimum of I'+ 4un: 2inimum between "@!' *not counting the part underneath the 'nosing' of the tread above+. (ith a note that runs of over ! !?#' will usually re-uire three balusters per tread to comply with the L' ma)imum opening between spindles. 8ariation in 4ise N 4un: 1an only have a J?M inch difference between the largest and the smallest rise and the largest and smallest run. &inder and ,piral ,tairs@ (inder %tairs: %tairways that turn a corner. These treads are narrow on one end and wider at the other. %piral?1ircular %tairs: ,ave their own regulations that often stipulate the minimum width of around I' at the smallest end of pie shaped treads, and often specify that a tread must be somewhere between "@ !' wide, measured !# inches from the narrowest end. ,tair$ays &idth@ %tair (idth: 2inimum JI' with a stipulation allowing a wall mounted handrail to proOect from each side J R'