Under 1910.144(a)(1), what is the required color for fire protection equipment and apparatus?
Red is the required basic color for the identification of fire protection equipment and apparatus. See the OSHA Color identification in 1910.144(a)(1).
OSHA 1910.144
Color coding for safety
Subpart J
Questions & Answers
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(ii), how must portable safety cans of flammable liquids be marked or painted?
Portable safety cans of flammable liquids with a flash point at or below 80 °F must be painted red and have additional clearly visible identification in yellow (either a yellow band or the name of the contents stenciled or painted in yellow). This requirement is stated in 1910.144(a)(1)(ii).
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(ii), are shipping containers required to be painted red like safety cans?
No; shipping containers are excluded from the requirement that safety cans be painted red. The OSHA provision specifically requires red paint for safety cans or other portable containers of certain flammable liquids but excludes shipping containers, as described in 1910.144(a)(1)(ii).
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(ii), must temporary barricades and temporary obstructions use red lights?
Yes; red lights must be provided at barricades and at temporary obstructions. OSHA specifies this in 1910.144(a)(1)(ii).
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(iii), what color must emergency stop bars and stop buttons be on hazardous machines?
Emergency stop bars and stop buttons used for emergency stopping of machinery must be red. OSHA requires red for emergency stop bars and stop buttons in 1910.144(a)(1)(iii).
Under 1910.144(a)(3), what does yellow signify and where should it be used?
Yellow is the basic color for designating caution and for marking physical hazards such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping, and being "caught in between." OSHA sets out this use in 1910.144(a)(3).
Under 1910.144, are employers required to use only red and yellow for all safety markings?
No; 1910.144 specifies red for fire protection and danger/stop uses and yellow for caution and certain physical hazards, but it does not say those are the only colors permitted for every safety purpose. See the color designations in 1910.144(a).
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(ii), does the standard require the name of the contents to be stenciled in yellow if a yellow band is used instead?
No; employers must provide additional clearly visible identification either by a yellow band around the can or by stenciling/painting the name of the contents in yellow — one or the other satisfies the requirement. This is stated in 1910.144(a)(1)(ii).
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(iii), do electrically operated emergency stop switches require red paint even if they have labels or markings?
Yes; stop buttons or electrical switches used for emergency stopping must be red even if they bear letters or other markings. OSHA specifies the red requirement for emergency stop devices in 1910.144(a)(1)(iii).
Under 1910.144(a)(3), can yellow be used to mark floor areas where tripping or falling hazards exist?
Yes; yellow is specified as the basic color for designating caution and for marking physical hazards like stumbling, falling, tripping, and similar hazards, and can be used to mark floor areas with those hazards as stated in 1910.144(a)(3).
Under 1910.144, are there color requirements for other safety signs besides danger signs painted red?
The standard explicitly requires danger signs to be painted red and defines red and yellow uses, but it does not provide a complete chart of all sign colors; employers should follow the color assignments provided in 1910.144(a) when those specific conditions apply and use established conventions or other OSHA standards for additional signage needs (see 1910).
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(ii), does the requirement for red paint on safety cans apply to table containers of flammable liquids used in-process (open cup tester)?
Yes; the rule specifies that safety cans and other portable containers of flammable liquids having a flash point at or below 80 °F, and table containers of flammable liquids (open cup tester), excluding shipping containers, shall be painted red and marked as required in 1910.144(a)(1)(ii).
Under 1910.144, are employers required to repaint old equipment to match the color code if it already has functional markings?
OSHA does not expressly require repainting existing equipment in 1910.144, but it requires employers to ensure appropriate identification of fire protection equipment, danger, stop, and caution hazards using the specified colors where those specific provisions apply; employers should evaluate whether current markings adequately communicate the hazard and consider repainting to meet 1910.144(a).
Under 1910.144, are there specific shades or paint formulas specified for red and yellow?
No; 1910.144 prescribes red and yellow as the basic identification colors and their uses but does not specify exact shades, paint formulas, or color tolerances. Employers should use readily recognizable red and yellow colors and follow 1910.144(a).
Under 1910.144, must emergency stop bars on machines such as rubber mills be painted red even if they are made of metal or other materials?
Yes; emergency stop bars on hazardous machines must be red regardless of material, as 1910.144(a)(1)(iii) states that emergency stop bars on hazardous machines shall be red. See 1910.144(a)(1)(iii).
Under 1910.144(a)(1)(ii), do "danger" signs have to be painted red, or can they be red vinyl or other media?
The standard states that danger signs shall be painted red, but the intent is to ensure a clear red danger indication; using other durable media (for example, red vinyl signs) that are clearly red and convey the danger message would satisfy the purpose of 1910.144(a)(1)(ii), though employers should ensure visibility and durability equivalently to painted signs.
Under 1910.144, can employers use yellow striping to mark aisles and traffic areas to indicate caution?
Yes; yellow is the basic color for designating caution and marking physical hazards, so using yellow striping to mark aisles, edges, or traffic areas where caution is needed is consistent with 1910.144(a)(3).
Under 1910.144, if a machine's emergency stop switch is red but also surrounded by other colored indicators, does the red requirement still control?
Yes; the requirement that stop buttons or electrical switches used for emergency stopping shall be red is mandatory under 1910.144(a)(1)(iii), so employers should ensure the emergency stop itself is red even if additional colored indicators are present.
Under 1910.144, are employers required to post a color-coded key or legend explaining their color scheme to workers?
1910.144 does not explicitly require employers to post a color-code legend, but providing a simple, visible legend or training makes the color coding effective and helps meet the employer's general duty to inform employees about hazards; see the color identification rules in 1910.144(a) and general requirements in 1910.