Pipe Marking 101

Pipe marking is required in most industrial facilities. Pipe marking standards were developed by ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers). ANSI (The American National Standards Institute) approved and publishes these standards (along with 10,000 other national standards). The labels used on pipes are most commonly printed, with adhesive on the back so they apply directly to pipes.

Additionally, when direct application is not possible, pipes can be tagged with a plastic or metal tag. Tags are also commonly used on pipe valves (not covered in this infographic).

• Formatting differences between United States, Europe, and Marine pipe marking, focusing on the US pipe marking standards.
• Color schemes for background colors and the contrasting lettering on the labels (Marine pipe marking also uses colored bands to help further identify the contents of pipes).
• Size requirements for labels and the corresponding text. The labels must be legible and readable.
• Placement of labels. This important aspect of labeling covers how a label should be placed on a pipe run, the specifics of label requirements at fittings and pass-throughs. It also points out the importance of placing the labels where they can be easily seen by the viewer.

Original source of infographic from Creative Safety Supply.