Exposed pipes in a facility have the potential to create extremely hazardous situations. Because of this, many employees are nervous working around or walking under unmarked pipes in a facility. Further, in an emergency situation, it can be extremely important for emergency personnel to quickly and accurately tell what is in the exposed pipes in a facility.

For these reasons, it is important to establish a system for marking the pipes in your facility. And when establishing your system, there are really only two options. You can either create a custom system for your facility or you can utilize a current, industry accepted, system. If you decide to use the industry standard, which is usually recommended, you will want to check out ANSI/ASME A13.1. This is the most commonly accepted system, and is used almost universally.

The benefit of this system is that first responders will understand the color coding system without needing to reference your coding system. By using a system that is used as widely as the ANSI/ASME A13.1, most first responders will be trained on that system. Additionally, the actual pipe markings will be large enough for the first responders to see, since the system created by ANSI/ASME has very rigorous standards for the size, shape, and colors of each sign.

If you have any further questions about establishing a pipe marking system or about using ANSI/ASME A13.1, please contact us. If you have anything else to add about marking pipes, please leave a comment.

No matter how you do it, it is important to mark any exposed pipes in your facility. Some companies create their own system for marking these exposed pipes, while others use established systems created by industry leaders. Either way, it is important to have a clear system in place so that employees and first responders will know what they are dealing with in an emergency situation.

If you decide to create your own system for marking your pipes, it is important to consider three things: what color are the labels, how big are the labels, and how do you show the direction of the fluid’s flow. The color of the lettering and the labels should have some uniformity, so that if the words cannot be read, they can still be understood as flammable, toxic, safe, and so on. The labels need to be size appropriate based upon the size of the pipe. The larger the pipe, the larger the label needs to be. And with that, the larger the label, the larger the lettering should be. Finally, it is crucial that every label denotes the direction of the flow of the pipes. In an emergency situation or an evacuation, this information could save lives.

If you decide instead to use an existing system, the most common is the ANSI/ASME A13.1 pipe labeling system. This system creates a set of rules around label creation and makes it easier on safety teams to maintain accurate labels. It also makes the job of first responders easier, as they will be familiar with your facility’s labels.

If you would like to have your pipe marking system reviewed, or if you would like to upgrade to the ANSI/ASME A13.1 system, please contact us and we can help you. If you have anything to add about properly labeling pipes, please leave a comment.

The ANSI/ASME A13.1 pipe labeling system was created to help employers and employees quickly and effectively identify what materials are flowing through a pipe, and in what direction those materials are flowing. This is important for day to day work activities, as it is always important to understand what you employees are working around, especially if a leak or other piping issue should arise. But it is critically important in the event of a serious emergency, as it can help employees determine which ways they should, and should not, go if there are broken pipes in their way. It also makes the job of first responders and other disaster personnel easier, as they, too, can quickly identify what substances have leaked, or are of potential concern in various parts of your work place. This simple, universal labeling system can save lives, and is of extreme importance to workplace safety.

The system itself is relatively easy to use. It is a color coded system consisting of 10 color schemes. The scheme is the combination of the color of the writing and the color of the background upon which the writing rests. Many of these color schemes have preset meanings, allowing anyone with a knowledge of this system to quickly identify the materials flowing in your pipes. For the few which are allowed to be company specific, it is important to note these schemes in your safety and health management system as well as your emergency action plan, so that they can be conveyed to anybody who needs that information.

The system also identifies the sizes and types of labels required for different sized pipes. The guidelines for the sizes and lettering, as well as the color schemes, changed in 2007. If you have not yet incorporated the ANSI/ASME A13.1 labeling system, or if you have not updated since the 2007 changes, it might be time to do so.

If you would like more information on this labeling system and how it can impact your business, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about ANSI/ASME A13.1, please leave a comment.

For many industries, piping which carries hazardous materials throughout a facility are a necessary evil. To help employees identify the materials flowing through these pipes, the piping must be properly labeled. This will both make employees aware of the materials flowing around them and, in the event of a leak or other problem, help employees or emergency personnel quickly identify what potential hazard exists. To make this labeling process simpler, ANSI/ASME A13.1 was created. This program creates a universal practice for labeling piping, including a color coded system which allows employees to identify the materials in pipes, even if they can not read the labels.

The color coded system has 10 unique color schemes, identified by the background color and the color of the writing. The system was updated in 2007, however some companies are still using the pre-2007 system. For those companies which are, it might be time to update, as your facility can lead newer employees to misrepresent hazardous materials if they report the labels to a third party in the event of an emergency. The quickest way to do this would be to bring in a professional organization who focuses on workplace safety.

ANSI/ASME A13.1 also covers the requirements of what is on the labels and how big the lettering needs to be. The labels should be short and concise, and have an arrow pointing in the direction of the flow. The lettering should be at least 1/2 inch high, and needs to increase in size based upon the diameter of the pipe.

If you are unsure if your facility has updated its piping labels, or if you would like more information on the exact requirements for your facility, please contact us so that we can assist you in creating a safe work environment for your employees. If you have anything else to add about the identification of piping as determined by ANSI/ASME A13.1, please leave a comment.