Color Coding


                       A SAFETY TALK FOR

                      DISCUSSION LEADERS



This safety talk is designed for discussion leaders to use in preparing safety

meetings.



Set a specific time and date for your safety meeting.  Publicize your meeting

so everyone involved will be sure to attend.



Review this safety talk before the meeting and become familiar with its

content. Make notes about the points made in this talk that pertain to your

workplace.  You should be able to present the material in your own words and

lead the discussion without reading it.



Seating space is not absolutely necessary, but arrangements should be made so

that those attending can easily see and hear the presentation.



Collect whatever materials and props you will need ahead of time.  Try to use

equipment in your workplace to demonstrate your points.





                      DURING THE MEETING



Give the safety talk in your own words.  Use the printed talk merely as a

guide.



The purpose of a safety meeting is to initiate discussion of safety problems

and provide solutions to those problems.  Encourage employees to discuss

hazards or potential hazards the encounter on the job. Ask them to suggest ways

to improve safety in their area.



Don't let the meeting turn into a gripe session about unrelated topics.  As

discussion leader, its your job to make sure the topic is safety.  Discussing

other topics wastes time and can ruin the effectiveness of your safety meeting.



At the end of the meeting, ask employees to sign a sheet on the back of this

talk as a record that they attended the safety meeting.  Keep this talk on file

for your records.





Color Coding



While color is one of the most effective on-the job safety devices used, it

should always be employed in combination with clearly printed labels.



All workers should be familiar with the color plan and color coding used by

their companies.



If hazards are identified by a good, consistent color system, and proper

orientation and familiarization procedures are followed to acquaint all workers

with the color-hazard relationship, the recommended color-code system does not

necessarily have to be followed.



The standard color-code system to identify related hazards is: 



Red-- for fire apparatus and equipment, safety containers for flammable, and

emergency devices like switches for emergency stopping of machinery, stop bars

and bultons.  



Orange  -- for potentially dangerous parts of machinery or equipment that may

cut, crush, shock or otherwise injure a person.



Yellow --the color of caution; for physical dangers, such as slipping,

tripping, falling, caught-between and striking-against hazards.



Green--the color of safety; for first-aid equipment locations. 



Blue  -- a caution color; for warning against the use or movement of equipment

being repaired or worked on, or the starting of equipment. 



Purple--the basic color for warning of radiation hazards.



Black, white or a combination--for designating and helping to control traffic

movement, and for aisle markings, housekeeping areas and similar areas.



Signs, tags and tickets should follow the same basic colors.



Color coding is used extensively in certain piping systems to indicate to

workers what the line contains, such as water, steam, electricity, high

pressure, air, gases or chemicals. Color coding is also used on industrial gas

cylinders, but be advised that different chemicals may use the same color

cylinders--chlorine, ammonia, and oxygen are all coded green, for example.



All of you should become thoroughly familiar with the color coding used in your

work areas. In addition, it's important that new employees or veteran employees

with a new job be acquainted with the system of color coding.

Text Version