British Pipe Marking Standards

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British Standard BS 1710

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By Steve Hudgik

Following the British Standards BS 1710, pipes in the workpalce must be properly marked that contain dangerous substances. Using colour to identify the contents of pipes, conduits, and ducts will help reduce the risk of possible confusion, injury, and other dangerous incidents. Creating a pipe marking standard will greatly benefit the safety and productivity of the workplace.

The following table specifies the colours to be used to identify pipelines and services in accordance with BS1710: 1984.

Pipe Labels should be placed in the following locations:
  • On all pipes leading into and away from a manifold system.
  • Within one metre of pipework passing through a wall, bund wall, boundary fence or other barrier, or entering the ground.
  • On all pipes in a loading gantry, adjacent to the main control valve or flow-meter for each pipe.
  • Within one metre of hose connection points. On long runs of pipelines at intervals not exceeding 50 metres where the pipeline is visible along its length, otherwise at 8 metres.
  • On long runs of pipelines that travel from grade up into elevated pipe-racks. The markers shall be fitted to the individual lines at the point that the lines rise into the rack, and then at the point the lines come down from the rack.
  • On the suction and discharge piping adjacent to any pump.
  • At tee connections, valves, and any other point where identification would be required in normal operation.
  • Where pipework enters or exits a tank.
  • At any point where identification is required in an emergency or of a hazard.

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SERVICE BASIC COLOUR COLOUR CODE ID
Water
Drinking         
Green		 Auxiliary Blue
Cooling         
Green		 White
Boiler Feed         
Green
     
Condensate         
Green
     
Chilled         
Green
     
Central Heating < 100°C         
Green
     
Central Heating > 100°C         
Green
     
Cold, Down Service         
Green
     
Hot Water Supply         
Green
     
Hydraulic Power         
Green		 Salmon Pink
Sea, River Untreated         
Green
Fire Extinguishing         
Green		 Safety Red
Oils
Diesel Fuel         
Brown		 White
Furnace Fuel         
Brown		 Brown
Lubricating         
Brown		 Emerald Green
Hydraulic Power         
Brown		 Salmon Pink
Transformer         
Brown		 Crimson
Refrigeration Service
Refrigerant 12         
Yellow Ochre		 Blue
Refrigerant 22         
Yellow Ochre		 Green
Refrigerant 502         
Yellow Ochre		 Brown
Anhydrous Ammonia         
Yellow Ochre		 Dark Mauve
Other Refrigerants         
Yellow Ochre		 Emerald Green
Other Applications
Natural Gas         
Yellow Ochre		 Yellow
Compressed Air         
Light Blue		 Light Blue
Vacuum         
Light Blue		 White
Steam         
Silver Grey		 Silver Grey
Drainage         
Black		 Black
Electrical Conduits/Ducts         
Orange		 Orange
Acids and Alkalis         
Violet		 Violet

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