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A N S I Z53-L 77 M 072LiL50 002b582 2 M ' S-05r-3 0 ANSI 253.1-1979

safety color code for marking physical hazards



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American National

ANSI Z53.L 79 W 0724150 0026583 4 W

An American National Standard implies a consensus of those substantially concerned with its scope and provisions. An American National Standard is intended as a guide to aid the manu- facturer, the consumer, and the general public. The existence of an American National Stan- dard does not in any respect preclude anyone, whether he has approved the standard or not, from manufacturing, marketing, purchasing, or using products, processes, or procedures not conforming to the standard. American National Standards are subject to periodic review and users are cautioned to obtain the latest editions.

CAUTION NOTICE: This American National Standard may be revised or withdrawn at any time. The procedures of the American National Standards Institute require that action be taken to reaffirm, revise, or withdraw this standard no later than five years from the date of publication. Purchasers of American National Standards may receive current information on all standards by calling or writing the American National Standards Institute.

Standard

Published by

American National Standards Institute 1430 Broadway, New York, New York 10018

Copyright O 1979 by American National Standards Institute, Inc Ail rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, In an electronic retrkvai system or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

P1?4h479/4

7-



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E

ANSI @ 253.1- 1979

Revision of ANSI 253.1-1971

American National Standard Safety Color Code for Marking Physical Hazards

Secretariat

National Bureau of Standards

Approved June 28, 1978

American National Standards Institute, Inc



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(This Foreword is not a part of American National Standard Safety Color Code for Marking Physical Hazards, Foreword ANSI 253.1-1979.) This standard, approved by the American National Standards Institute on June 28, 1978, is the fourth revision of the American War Standard, developed at the request of the War Department and approved by the American Standards Association (ASA) on July 16, 1945. The ASA was reconstituted as the USA Standards Institute (USASI) in August 1966, and as the American Na- tional Standards Institute (ANSI) in October 1969.

Peacetime work on the Safety Color Code began in 1946 under committee procedures of the ASA, with the National Safety Council serving as sponsor of the project. The Sectional Commit- tee on Safety Color Code, 253, reviewed the War Standard and enlarged its application to include the colors orange, blue, and purple. The committee also approved standard definitions and limits for the colors. The revised standard was approved by the ASA on September 11, 1953. In the

color yellow, due to conflicts with other American National Standards.

In the current revision, a significant step forward has been made toward increased safety through uniformity in safety color coding. The safety color codes formerly used in this standard and in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) were combined and adjusted to give the best feasible color discrimination for observers of both normal and color-deficient vision (colorblind). For the first time, safety color code color tolerance charts are available for use with this standard. Each color tolerance chart shows the standard color and six color tolerances illustrating acceptable ranges in hue, value (lightness), and chroma (saturation). Each color tolerance chart also lists the Munseii notation and equivalent CIE specifications (x, y, Y) for each standard color and tolerance sample. The colors brown, blue, and gray have been added, and Table 1 has been expanded to include the same information on most of the levels of the Universal Color Language (UCL) for the tolerance samples as for the standard or centroid of each Safety Color and recommended Highway Color. Revisions to the current Federal Highway Administration Standard Highway Colors have not yet been approved by DOT.

Suggestions for improvement of this standard will be welcome. They should be sent to the Ameri- can National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 1001 8.

This standard was processed and approved for submittal to ANSI by American National Stan- dards Committee on Safety Color Code for Marking Physical Hazards, 253. Committee approval of the standard does not necessarily imply that all committee members voted for its approval. At the time it approved this standard, the 253 Committee had the following members:

1971 revision, the 253 Committee deleted the color blue and modified the application of the i

1

Melvin R. Meyerson, Chairman Kenneth L. Kelly, Secretary

Organization Represented Name of Representative

Frederick H. Deeg (Alt) American Mutual Insurance Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thomas F. Bresnahan American Petroleum Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Manney American Society of Agricultural Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carlton E. Johnson American Society of Mechanical Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H. J . Eiermann Association of American Railroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph M. McMulan Chemical Specialities Manufacturers Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W. S. Jessop Consumer Product Safety Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donald R. Mackay Electric Light and Power Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Schaftstall Federal Highway ADM-DOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert E. Conner Hazardous Materials Operations-DOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee E. Metcalfe

John W. Mathews (Alt)

W. J. Stuber (Alt)

F. Dalias Sparre (Alt)



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A N S I Z53.L 7 7 m 0724350 002658b T m

Organization Represented Name of Representative Illuminating Engineering Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerald L. Howett

Inter-Society Color Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kenneth L. Kelly Manufacturing Chemists Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Jorgensen National Bureau of Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kenneth L. Kelly

John E. Kaufman (Alt) Industrial Safety Equipment Association, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Stone

Lyman E. Pevey (Alt) National Paint and Coatings, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Royal Brown National Safety Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T. J. Reilly Occupational Safety and Health Administration-DOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thomas H, Seymour U.S. Department of the Air Force (Liaison) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O. Fred Bedford U.S. Army Materials Development and Readiness Command (Liaison) . . . . . . . . . James D. Lloyd U.S. Department of the Army (Liaison) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kenneth W. Vorpahl Individual Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William N. Hale, Jr

F. Parker Helms Fenmore R. Seton Robert C. Vanstrum

E. Dwayne Burks (Alt)

J. Larry Crawford (Alt)



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Contents SEaloN PAGE 1. Introduction.. . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2. Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3. Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4. Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5. Exceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 6. ColorMeaning . . . . . . , . . . . . . . , . . . . , . , . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . , , . . . 6

6.1 SafetyRed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 6.2 Safety Orange. , . . . . , . . , . . . . , . . . . . . . . . , . , . . . . . . . . . . . . , , . . . . . 6 6.3 Safety Yellow. . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 6.4 SafetyGreen.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . , . . . . . . , . . . . . . . 7 6.5 Safety Blue . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . 7 6.6 Safety Purple . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . , . , , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 6.7 Safety Gray . . , . , . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 6.8 Safety Black, Safety White, Safety Yellow, or Combinations of

Safety Black with Safety White or Safety Yellow. . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 7. Color Specification and Test Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

7.1 Visual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 7.2 Instrumental . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 7.3 Materials to Which Specifications and Test Methods Are Applicable , . . , . . . . . . 10 7.4 Auxiliary Specifications of Reflecting Materials . . , . . , . , . . . . . . . . . . , . . , . . . 10 7.5 Color Blindness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 7.6 Fundamental Specification of the CSSCC Safety Colors and

Recommended Highway Colors*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 8. Revision of American National Standards Referred to in This Document , . . . . . . . . . . 12 Table 1 Fundamental Specification of the Combined Standard Safety

Color Code Safety Colors and Recommended Highway Colors for CIE Source "C" (Representative of Overcast North Sky Daylight) . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9

Fig. 1 CIE 193 1 Chromaticity Diagram Showing the Areas Representing the Combined Standard Safety Color Code Safety Colors and Recommended Highway Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . , . . , . . . . . . . . . . , . . 1 1

*Two sets of 3 X 5-inch samples of the standard colors - one for the Safety Colors and one for the recommended Highway Colors, as mentioned in 7.6 - can be obtained from the American National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 1001 8.



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A N S I Z53-3 77 0 7 2 4 3 5 0 002b588 3

American National Standard Safety Color Code for Marking Physical Hazards

1. Introduction

Color schemes for the identh.;ation and location of fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, traffic aisleways, stumbling and tripping hazards, radiation, etc, have been developed in the past by a large number of industrial plants and other organizations.

Generally speaking, these color schemes have given satisfaction to those using them in individual plants. They suffer, however, from lack of uniformity among plants or organizations. As a result of these conditions, spontaneity of action in times of emergency is lost, par- ticularly by employees who have moved from one plant to another, when each has a different system.

within and between plants and organizations, and to increase spontaneity of action in times of emergency, the safety color codes formerly used in this standard and in the Highway Traffic Sign Safety Color Code used by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have been combined, and the resulting Combined Standard Safety Color Code (CSSCC) colors have been adjusted to give the best feasible color discrimination for observers of both normal and color-deficient vision (colorblind). As a result, the Combined Standard Safety Color Code Color Tolerance Charts are the same as those used with: Ameri- can National Standard Specifications for Accident Pre- vention Signs, ANSI 235.1-1972; American National Standard Specifications for Accident Prevention Tags, ANSI 235.2-1968 (R 1974); American National Stan- dard Specifications for Informational Signs Complemen- tary to ANSI 235.1-1972, ANSI 235.4-1973; American National Standard Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems, ANSI A13.1-1975; American National Standard Radio Frequency Radiation Hazard Warning Symbol, ANSI C95.2-1966 (R 1974); the Department of Transporation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Warning Labels and Placards; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, DOT) Ambulance Orange and Ambulance Blue; and those recommended as revi-

In order to increase uniformity of safety color coding

sions to the current Federal Highway Administration Standard Highway Colors.'

It is intended that use of this Safety Color C6de should supplement the proper guarding or warning of hazardous conditions. The marking of a physical hazard by a standard color warning should never be accepted as a substitute for the reduction or elimination of the hazard wherever possible.

It is recognized also that too many color identifica- tions constantly in the field of vision of the employees are both confusing and fatiguing. Each location should, therefore, be carefully studied in order to keep the number of markings at a minimum, thereby providing even greater emphasis for the markings that are finally adopted and used.

2. Scope

This standard sets forth the technical definitions, color standards and color tolerances, and the applications of these Safety Colors to specific purposes in connection with accident prevention in occupational, educational, or industrial operations.

3. Purpose

3.1 The intent of this standard is to establish a safety color code that will alert and inform persons to take precautionary action or other appropriate action in the presence of hazards.

3.2 This standard is not a substitute for engineering or administrative controls, including training, to eliminate identifiable hazards.

Revisions to the current Federal Highway Administration Standard Highway Colors have not yet been approved by DOT.

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AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD 253.1-1979

3.3 It is not intended that this standard take immediate precedence over any generally accepted standard or regu- lation with respect to the use of color in sea or air navigation, or in railroad or highway transportation,2 but that it serve as a guide in the development, where possible, of a common color meaning.

4. Applications

4.1 The criteria of this standard shall app: to the use of safety color coding for the identification of physical hazards, the location of safety equpment, protective equipment, stationary machinery, portable powered hand tools, signs, and markers.

4.2 This standard shall apply to the use of the Com- bined Standard Safety Color Code to prevent injury, property damage, or both.

4.3 These criteria shall apply to existing structures, facilities, equipment, and machinery, and to subsequent modifications and additions.

4.4 This standard sets forth the specifications of the Safety Colors and recommended Highway Colors for as wide a range of materials as possible to satisfy the many applications for these colors.

4.5 Locations, objects, or safety signs that are color coded and for which illumination must be provided shall be illuminated to levels which will permit positive identification of the color and the hazard or situation which the color identifies. These locations, objects, or safety signs shall be illuminated with an illuminant

*See the following documents for reference and information: (1) Highway Transportation: American National Standard Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, ANSI D6.1-1971

Control Signal Heads, ANSI D1O.l-1966 (R1970)

the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (2) Railroad Transportation: Standard Code of the Association of American Railroads - Operating Rules; Block Signal Rules, Interlocking Rules (3) Navigation of Waterways: United States Coast Guard - Ocean Engineering Report No. 37, Visual Signalling, Theory and Application of Aids to Navigation (4) Air Navigation: Federal Aviation Administration Publica- tions - AC 70 746G1, Obstruction Marking and Lighting, Federal Standard No. 3, MIL-C-25050 (5) School Buses: Minimum Sfandards for School Buses, 1970 Revised Edition, Recommendations of: National Conference on School Transportation, NEA Education Center, Washington, D.C., May 4-7,1970 (out of print: can be seen a t the Office of State Director of Pupil Transportation)

American National Standard Adjustable Face Vehicle Traffic

FP-74, Federal Highway Administration, DOT, available from

which wili not distort the color and, therefore, the message the color identification conveys.

4.6 Wherever possible, color contrast (especially lightness contrast) between the safety sign or color coded object and its background should be provided.

5. Exceptions

The authority having jurisdiction may permit variations from the criteria of this standard only when equal or greater safety is provided.

6. Color Meaning3 J

6.1 Safety Red. Safety Red shall be the color for the identification of (1) Danger; (2) Stop.

The following are examples of applications of the color Safety Red:

(1) Emergency stop bars on hazardous machines (2) Stop buttons or electrical switches used for

(3) Footnote references 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), 3(f),

6.2 Safety Orange. Safety Orange shall be the color for designating dangerous parts of machines or energized equipment.

The following are examples of applications of the color Safety Orange:

(1) Dangerous parts of machines or energized equipment which may cut, crush, shock, or otherwise injure

emergency stopping of machinery

3(g), and 3(h).

Specific applications that reference these colors: (a) American National Standards on accident prevention signs, tags, and other information, ANSI 235.1-1972, ANSI 235.2- 1968 (R1974), and ANSI 235.4-1973 (b) American National Standard Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems, ANSI A13.1-1975 (c) American National Standard Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, ANSI D6.1-1971 (d) Hazardous materials warning placards and labels, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 100-199 (e) Ambulance Blue and Orange, Federal Specification KKK- A-1822, January 2,1974 (f) American National Standard Radio Frequency Radiation Hazard Warning Symbol, ANSI (35.2-1966 (R1974) (g) Uniform Marking of Fire Hydrants, NFPA No. 291-1974 (h) Automotive Fire Apparatus, NFPA No. 1901-1975 There are two colors, Safety Gray and Safety Purple, which

have not been assigned color meanings. Brown is a highway color. They have also been included in Table 1 and Fig. 1 for establishing color boundaries and for guidance in use.

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A N S I 253.1 77 - 0724150 002b570 1 - AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD 253.1-1979

and to emphasize such hazards when enclosure doors are open or when gear, belt, or other guards around moving equipment are open or removed, exposing unguarded hazards.

(2) Inside of movable guards; inside of transmis- sion guards for gears, pulleys, chains, etc. Exposed parts (edges only) of pulleys, gears, rollers, cutting devices, power jaws, etc.

and 3(g).

6.3 Safety Yellow. Safety Yellow shall be the color for designating caution. Solid yellow, yellow and black stripes, or yellow and black checkers shall be used for maximum contrast with the particular background.

The following are examples of applications of the color Safety Yellow:

(i) For marking physical hazards, such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping, or being caught in between.

(2) Storage cabinets for flammable materials and containers of flammable or combustible liquids. Stor- age cabinetashall be labeled in conspicuous, high visi- bility lettering - Flammable, Keep Fire Away.

(3) Safety cans for flammable or combustible materials. Such cans shall be yellow or identified by a yellow band around their middle at least 1/4 their height.3 The contents of the container shall be identified thereon.

(4) Containers for explosives, corrosives, or un- stable materials. Such containers shall be yellow or identified by a yellow band around their middle at least 1/4 their height.3 The contents of the container shall be identified thereon.

(5) Footnote references 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), and

6.3.1 The radiation hazard symbol colors shall be Safety Black on Safety Yellow.6

6.4 Safety Green. Safety Green shall be the color for designating safety and the location of first aid and safety equipment.

The following are examples of applications of the color Safety Green to show the location of:

(i) Gasmasks (2) First aid kits (3) First aid dispensary (4) Stretchers

(3) Footnote references 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e),

3(g)*

Radiation as used in this Safety Color Code shali apply to radiation types such as X ray, alpha, beta, gamma, neutron, proton, deuteron, and meson.

The Committee recommends that all new radiation hazard symbols be Safety Black on Safety Yeliow. AU present Safety Purple on Safety Yeliow or Safety Black on Safety White radiation hazard symbols may be used until replaced but not later than 8 years from the effective date of this standard.

(5) Safety deluge showers (6) Safety bulletin boards and signs (7) Footnote references 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), and

3(g).

6.5 Safety Blue. Safety Blue shall be the color for designating information such as informational signs and bulletin boards (not of a safety nature). Safety Blue also has specific applications in the railroad area to designate warnings against the starting, use of, or move- ment of equipment that is under repair or being worked upon.

Examples of applications of the color Safety Blue are given in footnote references 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), and 3(e).

6.6 Safety Purple. The fundamental specification of Safety Purple is listed in Table 1. Color meanings have not been assigned for this color. Examples of applications are given in footnote references 3(a), 3(b), and 3(d).

6.7 Safety Gray. The fundamental specification of Safety Gray is listed in Table 1. Color meanings and applications of this color have not been assigned.

6.8 Safety Black, Safety White, Safety Yellow or Com- binations of Safety Black with Safety White or Safety Yellow. Safety Black, Safety White, Safety Yellow or combinations of Safety Black with Safety White or Safety Yellow shall be the colors for the designation of traffic or housekeeping markings, and as provided in 6.3.1 -

Examples of applications of the colors Safety White and Safety Black are given in footnote references 3(a), 3@), 3(c), 3(d) and 3(0.

7. Color Specification and Test Methods

7.1 Visual

the Munsell Notation System, a color identification and specification system based on equal visual spacing as described in American National Standard Method of Specifying Color by the Munsell System, ANSI/ASTM D 1535-68 [Z138.5]. Table 1 lists the standards of colors and tolerances and the equivalent CIE x, y, Y data.

7.1.2 Test for compliance shall be by visual examination using visual reference standards annotated with Munsell notations, and appropriate to the color region

7.1.1 The primary color specification is in terms of

Preferred usage for Safety Black and Safety Yellow is for traffic markings, and preferred usage for Safety Black and Safety White is for information purposes.

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of interest. Such standards include the Color Tolerance Charts designed for use with this standard, appropriate colors from the Munsell Book of Color, and other color samples whose values have been determined by instrumental measurement and converted to Munsell notations. Visual examination shall be conducted in accor- dance with ASTM D 1729, Visual Evaluation of Color Differences of Opaque Materials, except that CIE Source C shall be used.'

7.2 Instrumental 7.2.1 The instrumental color specification is a set of

boundary equations defining an area in CIE color space (CIE 193 1 Diagram) at the lightness of the standard (Y or V), as listed in Table 1. The permissible areas ap- pear on Fig. 1 .

7.2.2 Test for compliance can be through the use of either colorimeters or spectrophotometers, designed to measure reflecting materials, with the data processed to yield CIE x, y, Y data for Source C. See American Na- tional Standard Practice for Spectrophotometry and Description of Color in CIE 193 1 System, ANSI/ASTM E308-69 (1974) [Z138.2], or ASTM D2244, Instrumen- tai Evaluation of Color Differences of Opaque Materials.

7.3 Materials to Which Specifications and Test Meth- ods Are Applicable

test methods are applicable to all nonfluorescent and nonretroreflective reflecting materials.

retroreflective materials are:

for daytime color are contained in the Highway Color Tolerance Charts of the Federal Highway Admini~tration.~

7.3.2.2 The instrumental specification and test method for daytime color are contained in Section 633.06 of FP-74, 1974, as amended.">''

7.3.1 Both visual and instrumental specifications and

7.3.2 Temporary specifications and test methods for

7.3.2.1 The visual specification and test method

'CIE Source Cis used because it is the source for which the Munsell System is spaced. It is not significantly different from Source D, which appears in ASTM D 1729. Copies of the Highway Color Tolerance Charts of the Federal

Highway Administration, DOT, can be obtained from Hale Color Consultants, 1220 Bolton Street, Baltimore, Md. 21217. "Copies of RP-74, Federal Highway Administration, DOT, can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402

The Highway Colors are somewhat different from those specified in Table 1 and Fig. 1, although they are sufficiently close that they carry the same ISCC-NBS color names The difficulties inherent in changing the daytime colors of these materials, while retaining other highly desirable characteristics, dictate that more time will be needed to bring retroreflective materials into conformance with the CSSCC color specifications in Table 1.

7.3.3 These specifications and test methods are not currently applicable to fluorescent materials.

7.4 Auxiliary Specifications of Reflecting Materials

Society Color Council-National Bureau of Standards) Color Names Dictionary designation (hue name and modifier descriptive of the lightness and saturation of the color) of the Universal Color Lang~age '~ may be used to describe the standard of each Safety Color and recommended Highway Traffic Sign Color. See Table I .

7.4.2 F W A Color Names. Table 1 also shows the descriptive color names of the recommended Highway Traffic Sign Colors of the Federal Highway Adminis- tration (FHWA), DOT.

7.4.1 ISCC-NBS Color Names. The ISCC-NBS (Inter-

7.5 Color Blindness. The colors in the Combined Stan- dard Safety Color Code have been chosen to give maximum feasible recognition to both normal and color- deficient (specifically red-green confusing) observers.

7.6 Fundamental Specification of the CSSCC Safety Colors and Recommended Highway color^.'^ The fundamental specification for each standard and tolerance color for CIE Source C is listed in terms of a Munsell notation and equivalent CIE (x, y, Y) data; also listed in Table 1 are the boundary equations of permissible areas on the CIE Chromaticity Diagram at the lightness of the standard (Y or V) and ISCC-NBS color names and FHWA color names for the standard colors. Fig. 1 shows the CIE 193 1 Chromaticity Diagram on which the permissible areas are defined by the boundary equations and the color names and Munsell notations for each Safety Color and recommended Highway Color Standard.

l a Specifications and test methods for both visual and instrumental evaluation of fluorescent materiais are presently under study.

Kelly, Kenneth L. and Judd, Deane B. Color: Universal Lan- guage and Dictionary of Names (Combination of the Universal Color Language and the Color Names Dictionary), NBS Special Publication SP440, Dec. 1976. Obtainable from the Superinten- dent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 for $3.25 (order by SD Catalog No. C13.10:440, Stock No. 003-003-01705-1). Note: SP440 and the ISCC-NBS Centroid Color Charts can be obtained from the Office of Stan- dard Reference Materials, National Bureau of Standards, Wash- ington, D.C. 20234 for the combined price of $18.00 (ask for SRM No. 2107). The ISCC-NBS Centroid Color Charts alone can be obtained from the same NBS Office as SRM No. 2106 for $15.00 per set.

for the Safety Colors and one for the recommended Highway Colors - can be obtained from the American National Stan- dards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10018.

4T~vo sets of 3 X 5-inch samples of the standard colors - one

i

i

i

,

10



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.800

,700

Y .600

50

,500

400

.300

k .200

I

. I O 0

0.0

A N S I Z 5 3 - L 79 0 7 2 4 1 5 0 0 0 2 6 5 9 4 7


~~

I I I I I I I 520

COM BI NED STANDARD

SAFETY COLOR CODE

47 Ov / /

I I I I I 3/IV 0.0 .IO0 .200 .300 400 s.500 .600 .700 .800

Source: National Bureau of Standards

NOTE: The small circles identify the chromaticities of the standard colors.

3c

Fig. 1 CIE 1931 Chromaticity Diagram Showing the Areas Representing the Combined Standard Safety

Color Code Safety Colors and Recommended Highway Colors

11



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A N S I 253.1 ~ 77 ~ m 0724350 002b575 O

AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD 2.53.1-1979

8. Revision of Standards Referred to in This Do cumen t

When the following standards referred to in this document are superseded by a revision approved by the American National Standards Institute, Inc, the revision shall apply:

American National Standard Scheme for the Identifica- tion of Piping Systems, ANSI A13.1-1975

American National Standard Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, ANSI D6.1- 1971

American National Standard Adjustable Face Vehicle Traffic Control Signal Heads, ANSI D10.1-1966 (R1970), (ITE Technical Report 1-1966)

12

American National Standard Specifications for Acci- dent Prevention Signs, ANSI 235.1-1972

American National Standard Specifications for Acci- dent Prevention Tags, ANSI 235.2-1968 (R1974)

American National Standard Specifications for Informa- tional Signs Complementary to ANSI 235.1-1 972, Acci- dent Prevention Signs, ANSI 2 3 5.4- 1973

American National Standard Recommended Practice for Spectrophotometry and Description of Color in the CIE 1931 System, ANSYASTM E308-69 (R1974) [ Z13 8.21

American National Standard Method of Specifying Color by the Munsell System, ANSI/ASTM D1535-68 [Z138.5]



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American National Standards

The standard in this booklet is one of nearly 8500 standards approved to date by the American National Standards Institute.

The Standards Institute provides the machinery for creating voluntary standards. It serves to eliminate duplication of standards activities and to weld conflicting standards into single, nationally accepted standards under the designation "American National Standards."

Each standard represents general agreement among maker, seller, and user groups as to the best current practice with regard to some specific problem. Thus the completed standards cut across the whole fabric of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. American National Standards, by reason of Institute procedures, reflect a national consensus of manufacturers, consumers, and scientific, technical, and professional organizations, and governmental agencies. The completed standards are used widely by industry and commerce and often by municipal, state, and federal governments.

The Standards Institute, under whose auspices this work is being done, i s the United States clearinghouse and coordinating body for voluntary standards activity on the national level. It is a federation of trade associations, technical societies, professional groups, and consumer organizations. Some 1 O00 companies are affiliated with the Institute as company members.

The American National Standards Institute is the United States member of the International Organization for Standardization ( E O ) and the Interna- tional Electrotechnical Commission (I EC). Through these channels U.S. standards interests make their positions felt on the international levei. American National Standards are on file in the libraries of the national standards bodies of more than 60 countries.

American National Standards Institute, I nc 1430 Broadway

New York, N.Y. 10018



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