VENEZUELAN COVENIN

NORM 253:1999

CODIFICATION FOR THE

IDENTIFICATION OF PIPES
THAT CONTAIN FLUIDS

(2nd Revision)
 VENEZUELAN NORM COVENIN
CODIFICATION FOR THE IDENTIFICATION 253:1999
OF PIPING THAT CONDUCT FLUIDS (2nd Revision)

1. OBJECT

This Venezuelan Norm establishes the codification that the pipes must have, in order to
identify the fluid that circulates trough them.

2. NORMATIVE REFERENCES

The following norms contain dispositions that by being quoted in this text are considered
requirements of this Venezuelan norm. The indicated editions were updated at the
moment of this publication. As all norms, this one is subject to revision; we recommend
to those that make arrangements based on this norm, to ana lyze the convenience of using
the more recent editions of the norms quoted bellow:

COVENIN 187-81 Definitions and classification of the colors and safety

signals

COVENIN 1706:1999 Colors for cylinders that contain gas

COVENIN 2670:1998 Dangerous materia ls. Answer Guide to emergencies and

incidents or accidents

3. DEFINITIONS

3.1 Codification

Codification is the whole, i.e., the basic color, rings and legend painted over the pipes
that allows recognition of the fluid that circulates through them, and also to indicate the
pressure and/or temperature of same.

3.2 Basic Color

The Basic Color is the color that is used for the primary identification of the fluid type
that is conducted trough the pipe according to the basic state under normal pressure and
temperature conditions, according to the pH or to identify the potential risk of the same
(combustible/fuel, vacuum, etc.)
 3.3 Ring Color

Ring Color is a band placed at one extreme of the basic color strip that allows a more
specific identification regarding the fluid type that circulates trough the pipe.

3.4 Legend

Legend is the complete name of the fluid in Spanish. In the case of the medical fluids, the
legend must be according to requirements specified at A.1.4 (please remit to attachment
A)

4. REQUIREMENTS

4.1 The codification must be placed at the beginning and at the end of the pipe,
immediately before or after any wall that runs trough, before or after unions by
flange, valves or others.

4.2 The pipes must be painted with the basic identifying color as established in Chart
2. For polluted areas the chosen paint must be inert to the pollution agent.

4.3 All pipes must have a codification according the fluid type that conducts, as
established in Chart 3

4.4 All pipes must have a legend that identifies the fluid that conducts

4.5 The legend text must be the complete name of the fluid in Spanish. In case of
steam the legend must indicate if it is saturated or over heated.

Representation 1A. Application of the safety color with ring

Representation 1B. Application of the safety color without ring

 4.6 The legend must be painted over the basic color and same must be white or black
in order to contrast. In pipes with diameters inferior than 5 cm (inch), where it is
difficult to paint the legend, it must be placed over metallic or plastic plates,
hanged or glued to the brackets.

4.7 The letters of the legend must be of a size that is adequate to the diameter of the
pipe in order to allow easiness of reading

4.8 When the pipes are located under or over the normal vision line, the legends must
be placed over or under the central horizontal line of the pipe

4.9 Considering the exterior diameter of the pipe, the width of the basic color band
and the ring must be as established in Chart 1

EXTERIOR DIAMETER BASE COLOR WIDTH, A RING WIDTH B

cm Inch. cm Inch. cm Inch.
0<D=5.08 0<D=2 15.24 6.00 5.08 2.00
5.08<D=10.16 2<D=4 22.85 9.00 7.62 3.00
10.16<D=15.24 4<D=6 30.48 12.00 10.16 4.00
15.24<D=25.4 6<D=10 45.72 18.00 15.24 6.00
25.4<D=50.8 10<D=20 60.96 24.00 20.32 8.00
50.8<D=76.2 20<D=30 76.2 30.00 25.40 10.00
76.2<D=114.3 30<D=45 91.44 36.00 30.48 12.00

4.9.1 For those cases that require fluid identification with more than one ring of
different colors, they will be placed one next to the other always in the extreme of
the basic color the same color, they must be separate by a strip of basic color,
which

4.9.2 For those cases that require fluid identification with more than one ring of the
same color, they must be separate by a strip of basic color, which must have a
width of 1/10 of the ring width according to indicated in Chart 1

4.9.3 For the cases where the codification does not require the use of rings we take as
base color dimension the sum of the base color width plus the ring width
established in Chart 1
Representation 2. Examples of pipes codifications

4.10 The direction of the fluid movement must be indicated with arrows painted with or
black to contrast; before or after the codification

4.10.1 The size of the arrow must be proportional to the diameter of the pipe, in such a
way that it is easily visible.

4.11 The pipes used for protecting the electrical wiring must have the codification
pointed in Chart 3

4.11.1 The dimensions of the rings and of the basic color are those established in Chart 1

4.11.2 The legends must be painted in yellow

NOTE 1: Representation 2 are codification examples for pipes.

Chart 2. Basic Color of Fluids Identification

FLUID BASIC COLOR OF COLOR

IDENTIFICATION SAMPLE
Water Green
Other Steams Silver Grey
Vegetable, Animal and Mineral Oils Brown
Combustible Inflammable Liquids
Inert and Inflammable Gas Yellow
Acid Orange
Alkalis Violet
Air Blue
Residues in fermentation and Waste Water Black
Fermentable Products Dark Grey
Vacuum Light Grey
Water for Fire Combat Red
Electrical Fluid Black
Chart 3. Basic Color of Fluids Identification with Rings

FLUID BASIC COLOR RINGS SAMPLE (RINGS COLORS)

OF COLORS
IDENTIFICATION
Drinking Green Blue
Water
Residual Green Black
Water
Condensed Green Yellow
Water
Salted Water Green Orange
Radioactive Green Black and
Water Violet
Water Red Red
against Fire
Water Steam Green Silver Grey
Vegetable or Brown Golden
Animal Oils
Mineral Oils Brown Pink
Other
Combustible
Liquids
Concentrated Orange Yellow
Acid
Head and Black Brown
Tail of
Distillation
Ethylic Brown Blue
Alcohol in
Distillers
Disnatured Brown Green
Alcohol
Distilled Brown Orange
Product
Inflammable Brown Yellow
Liquids
Inert Gas Yellow Silver Grey
Electrical Black Red
Fluid