COLOR CODING in HSE
Color coding is a crucial visual communication
tool in HSE, spanning various applications.
Here's a comprehensive summary of color
coding in health, safety, and environment,
categorized as below:
1. Hazard Communication & Chemical Safety.
2. Fire Safety.
3. General Safety and Workplace Hazards.
4. First Aid and Emergency Response.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
1. Hazard Communication & Chemical Safety:
1.1 NFPA 704 Diamond (Fire Diamond):
This diamond-shaped symbol uses colors to indicate the severity
of hazards associated with a material.
• Red: Flammability (0-4 scale, 4 being most flammable)
• Blue: Health hazard (0-4 scale, 4 being most hazardous)
• Yellow: Reactivity/Instability (0-4 scale, 4 being most
reactive)
• White: Special hazards (e.g., water reactivity, oxidizers)
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
1. Hazard Communication & Chemical Safety:
1.2 HMIS (Hazardous Materials Identification System):
Similar to NFPA 704, HMIS uses color-coded bars to
rate health, flammability, and physical hazards.
•
•
•
•
Blue: Health
Red: Flammability
Yellow: Reactivity
White: Personal protection equipment (PPE)
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
1. Hazard Communication & Chemical Safety:
1.3 Chemical Storage and Labeling:
• Color coding is used to segregate incompatible chemicals in
storage.
• Specific colors might indicate corrosives, flammables, oxidizers.
• Canister respirators have color
CO
codes to designate the type of
Organic Vapors
protection that they provide. For
Ammonia
example, yellow for acid gas,
All Contaminants
black for organic vapors, and
green for ammonia.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
1. Hazard Communication & Chemical Safety:
1.4 Globally Harmonized System of
Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS):
While GHS primarily uses pictograms, color
coding can still be used in conjunction with
labels for clarity.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
2. Fire Safety:
2.1 Sprinkler Systems:
• The glass bulbs in sprinkler heads are color-coded to
indicate their activation temperature.
• Different colors correspond to specific temperature
ranges, ensuring appropriate activation in various
environments.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
2. Fire Safety:
2.2 Heat Detectors:
Some heat detectors have color
coded rings that indicate the
activation temperature.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
2. Fire Safety:
2.3 Fire Extinguishers:
Color coding helps quickly identify the type
of fire extinguisher and its intended use.
• Red: General purpose (water).
• Yellow: Combustible liquids.
• Blue: Combustible metals.
• Black: Electrical fires (CO2).
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
2. Fire Safety:
2.4 Fire Hydrants:
Sometimes fire hydrants are color coded to indicate
the flow rate, or water pressure available.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
3. General Safety and Workplace Hazards:
3.1 Warning and Danger Signs:
• Red: Danger (immediate hazards).
• Yellow: Caution (potential hazards).
• Green: Safety (first aid, emergency exits).
• Blue: Notice (general information).
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
3. General Safety and Workplace Hazards:
3.2 Piping Systems:
Color coding identifies the contents of pipes
(e.g., water, gas, steam).
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
3. General Safety and Workplace Hazards:
3.3 Electrical Safety:
• Colors are used to identify electrical
wires (e.g., live, neutral, ground).
• Lock out tag out systems utilize
color coded tags.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
3. General Safety and Workplace Hazards:
3.4 Traffic and Pedestrian Safety:
• Yellow lines and markings indicate caution areas.
• White lines indicate traffic flow.
• Red is used for stop signs, and other stop indicators.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
3. General Safety and Workplace Hazards:
3.5 Waste Management:
Color-coded bins facilitate waste segregation
for recycling and proper disposal.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
4. First Aid and Emergency Response:
4.1 First Aid Stations:
Green is universally used to indicate
first aid stations and emergency exits.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed
COLOR CODING in HSE
4. First Aid and Emergency Response:
4.2 Emergency Showers and Eyewash Stations:
Often marked with green signs.
Source:. NFPA 704. HMIS. DOT. GHS. NFPA 13. NFPA 72. ASME A13.1.
Sarmad Yahya Mohammed