Safety Colors for Workplace: Review of Related Concepts

Safety Colors and Their Uses

• Safety colors are used to convey important safety information in the workplace, standardized by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute).

OSHA Recommended Color Coding

• Danger: red or predominantly red, with contrasting lettering or symbols, used for immediate risks to life and health.
• Warning: orange or predominantly orange, with contrasting lettering or symbols, used for risks that are not immediate but still significant.
• Caution: yellow, used for alerting people to potential risks.
• Biological Hazards: fluorescent orange or orange-red, used for biohazards due to their unique risks.

OSHA Safety Color Code for Marking Physical Hazards

• Red: used for fire-related hazards or to signal people to stop.
• Yellow: used for hazards related to striking, falling, slipping, tripping, pinch points, and other common hazards.

ANSI Safety Colors

• Red: used on safety signs, labels, or objects to signify danger or to alert people to stop.
• Orange: used to alert people of dangerous parts on machines or equipment.
• Yellow: used for caution, on signs or labels.
• Green: used to alert people to the presence of an emergency egress.
• Blue: used on signs and labels that provide information and suggestions.
• Black & White: used for guiding traffic or for housekeeping practices.
• Purple: reserved for future use, but often used for radiation hazards.
• Gray: reserved for future use.

ANSI Pipe Color Code Markings

• Yellow: used for flammable liquids or gases.
• Brown: used for combustible liquids or gases.
• Orange: used for toxic and/or corrosive solutions.
• Red: used for fire-quenching liquids or solutions.
• Green: used to label water pipes.
• Blue: used for compressed air.

Implementing Safety Colors in Your Facility

• Labels: can be pre-printed or custom made with industrial label printers.
• Signs: can be made by applying labels to sign backings or by ordering custom signs.
• Floor Marking Tape: can quickly convey information without wording.
• Floor Marking Paint: can convey a clear message in different colors.
• Posters: can be used to convey safety messages.

Safety Colors for Visibility

• Adds different levels of contrast to improve visibility.
• Glow-in-the-dark printed signs can remain visible during power outages.
• Selecting effective color combinations is essential to avoid confusing established safety colors.

Hard Hat Color Codes

• White: site managers, engineers, or supervisors.
• Yellow: construction workers and laborers.
• Blue: carpenters and other technical workers.
• Orange: crane operators.
• Green: safety inspectors.
• Red: fire marshals.
• Grey: site visitors.
• Brown: welders and workers exposed to high heat applications.