Infographic: Pipe Marking 101: Why is Pipe Marking Important?

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Pipe Marking 101 - Why is pipe marking important?

• Safety - Eliminate accidents by minimizing identification errors.
• Efficiency - No wasted time tracing pipes to their source.
• Compliance - Reduce company liability and eliminate fines.

Guidelines for labeling pipes

There are four main arenas of pipe marking guidelines.

1. Format - Standards and Formats vary from country to country.
   • EU Standard
   • Marine/Offshore (ISO 14726)
   • U.S. Standard (AMSE/ANSI Standard Standard A13.1-2007)
     Numbers 2 through 4 focus on the U.S. Standard
2. Color Scheme - Color schemes help with classification
   Pipe Marking labels must effectively communicate the contents of the pipes, and give additional detail if special hazards (such as extreme temperatures or pressures) exist.
   • White on Green - All Water (Potable, Cooling, Boiler, etc.)
   • White on Blue - All Air (Compressed, Lab, etc.)
   • Black on Yellow - Flammable Fluids & Gasses
   • White on Red - Fire-Quenching Fluids
   • White on Brown - Combustible Fluids & Gasses
   • Black on Orange - Toxic/Corrosive Fluids & Gasses
   This group of colors is definable by the user. Some common uses are:
   • White on Purple - Acids & Alkalis
   • White on Black - Waste Media
   • White on Gray - Non flammable Gas
   • Black on White - Air Ventilation Systems
3. Height of the text - The height of the text is based on the pipe size
   Text height and pipe marker label lengths should follow these recommended guidelines:
   

   Pipe Outer Diameter	Text Height	Minimum Label Length
   0.75" - 1.24"	0.5"	8"
   1.25" - 2.4"	0.75"	8"
   2.5" - 7.9"	1.25"	12"
   8" - 9.9"	2.5"	24"
   10"+	3.5"	32"

4. Visibility - Pipe markers should be visually accessible upon entering the area.
   • Guideline #1 - Pipes should be marked as close to all valves or flanges as possible.
   • Guideline #2 - Pipes should be marked as close to directional changes as possible.
   • Guideline #3 - Pipes should be marked at points where they have penetrated walls or dividers.
   • Guideline #4 - Pipes should be marked every 25’ to 50’ interval on straight runs.
   • Guideline #5 - Pipe markers should be readily visible when entering the facility from the normal entry point.

Creative Safety Supply is committed to being your safety and labeling experts. We provide a wide range of industrial safety products, including made-to-order pipe markers and industrial pipe marking label printers so you can make your pipe markers in-house. Call today!