Best Practices to Consider When Creating Pipe Markings

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Every business should be aware of the regulations surrounding pipe markings, a safety measure that ensures that employees and any emergency workers can quickly identify the contents of the pipes and the direction of flow. Whether a business chooses to create custom markings, use standard pipe marking labels, or apply warehouse pipe marking covers, the markings must comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements. Here are the considerations that should be made in every workplace:

Complying with color standards

All pipes in the facility should be consistently labeled using the same colors for the same pipe contents, avoiding confusion and providing guidance for workers. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has standardized pipe markings to make them easily recognizable to workers across different organizations. The system uses six different colors to reflect the contents of pipes, including highlighting the presence of hazards such as flammable fluids, toxic or corrosive fluids, combustible fluids, and more.

Using durable materials

It is important to use heavy-duty materials for pipe markings since the nature of pipes makes them subject to wear and tear over time, risking damaged pipe markings that become completely ineffective. To ensure their longevity, pipe markings should be made from materials that can maintain their condition against moisture, chemical exposure, and UV light, minimizing the need to replace or repair them as frequently.

Highlighting key information

The contents of pipe markings must be clear to read and positioned free of obstruction. Since they include crucial information such as the contents of the pipe, the direction of flow, the pressure of the fluid, and any hazardous contents, they should be placed in a location where they are easily visible to workers and use a font that is large enough to be read from a distance. Throughout the workplace, all pipes should be labeled using the same color scheme and labeling layout, regardless of the nature of the pipe or the area in which it is located. Maintaining consistency across the facility will help ensure that workers can easily identify the contents of the pipes promptly and avoid confusion in time-sensitive scenarios.

Training employees on the markings

Once pipe markings are in place throughout a business, employees must be provided with sufficient training on how to interpret them. The training should consist of where to find the labels, how to read the markings, what the different colors represent, and how to respond in case of an emergency, ensuring an incident can be handled most efficiently.

Maintaining pipe markings regularly

It is important to regularly inspect the pipes and upon doing so, make sure the markings are still in good condition, updating them as and when needed. If there is work undertaken which means changes to the contents of the pipes or the direction of flow are made, it can be a health and safety risk if the labeling is not updated to reflect this.

Additional Resources

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