MINISTRY OF LABOR
Brazilian Regulations
NR-26
NR 26 Color Code
26.1. Color Code for Safety
26.1.1. This Regulation - NR has the objective of set the color code to be used on work
environments in order to prevent accidents, identifying safety equipment, delimitation of
areas, identification of piping used for liquids and gases in industry, and to warn of any risks.
26.1.2. Color code for safety shall be used in premises and work environment to indicate and
warn about existent risks.
26.1.3. The use of color code does not wave the use of other means of accident prevention.
26.1.4. The use of colors shall be as limited as possible, in order to avoid distraction,
confusion or fatigue in workers.
26.1.5. The colors herein adopted are the following:
- red;
- yellow;
- white;
- black;
- blue;
- green;
- orange;
- purple;
- lilac;
- gray;
- aluminum;
- brown.
26.1.5.1. The color-coding, as needed, specially when in traffic areas for people not
related to the work, will be placed along with the conventional signs or written
warning signs.
26.1.5.2. Red.
The color red shall be used to distinguish and identify fire protection equipment and
devices. It shall not be used in the industry to indicate danger, for its lower visibility
comparing with the color yellow (high visibility) and the color orange (meaning
Warning!)
It is to be used to identify:
- Fire alarm control box;
- fire hydrants;
- fire pumps;
- fire alarm buzzers and sirens;
- boxes containing blankets to put down flame;
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NR-26
- fire extinguishers and their location;
- fire extinguishers indication (visible by distance, within the extinguisher usage
area);
- fire hoses location (color to be used on spool piece, support, box frame or recess);
- sand or water pails, for fire extinguishing;
- piping, valves and handles of the sprinkler system;
- transportation for fire fighting equipment;
- emergency exit doors;
- water piping system for sprinklers;
- acetylene hoses (gas welding equipment).
As an exception, the color red will be used as danger warning:
- on lights to be installed on barricades, construction temporary walls and any other
temporary obstructions;
- on emergency shut-down push buttons for electrical circuits.
26.1.5.3. Yellow.
Color yellow shall be used on piping system to identify non-liquefied gases.
The color yellow shall be used to indicate Caution!, identifying:
- lower parts of portable ladders;
- handrails, windowsills, floors and lower parts of ladders presenting risks;
- face of stair steps;
- open edges of holes in the ground (wells, underground access holes, etc.) and edges
of platforms without handrail;
- lower edge of horizontal doors of elevators closing vertically;
- stripes on floor on elevator entrances and loading docks and platforms;
- curbs, when warning is needed;
- end walls on dead-end hallways;
- low hight beams;
- cabins, containers and hooks of overhead cranes, cranes, bulldozers, etc.;
- material transportation and handling equipment such as forklifts, industrial tractors,
overhead cranes, trolleys, trailers, wagons, etc.
background of caution plates and signs;
- pillars, beams, poles, columns and protruding parts of structures or equipment that
can be hit;
- barricades, gates and gate beams;
- caution flags (in conjunction with black);
- control boxes or other suspended equipment offering risk;
- bumper for heavy duty vehicles, with black stripes.
Black stripes (verticals or diagonals) and black squares will be used over yellow
when a better visibility for the signaling is required.
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26.1.5.4. White.
The color white shall be used on:
- walkways and hallways by means of stripes (location and width);
- direction and circulation, by use of signs;
- location of waste bins;
- location of water fountains;
- area around emergency first-aid equipment, fire fighting equipment and other emergency
equipment;
- storage areas;
- safety zones.
26.1.5.5. Black.
The color black shall be used to indicate piping systems of inflammable and combustible
liquids of high viscosity (e.g.: lubricating oil, asphalt, heavy fuel oil, tar, etc.).
The color black may be used in lieu of or in combination with the color white if
special conditions so require.
26.1.5.6. Blue.
The color blue shall be used to indicate Caution!, being limited to signs prohibiting
the use and removal of equipment that shall stay out of service.
- used in barricades and warning flags to be located on control locations, start
locations or power supply of equipment.
It will also be used on:
- compressed air piping systems;
- prevention against accidental moving of any equipment in maintenance;
- signs placed on starting locations or power supplies.
26.1.5.7. Green.
The color green indicates safety.
It shall be used to identify:
- water piping systems;
- boxes containing emergency equipment;
- boxes containing respirators;
- emergency showers;
- stretchers;
- eye washers;
- bulletin boards;
- emergency room entrance door;
- location of PPE (personal protection equipment), boxes containing PPE;
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NR-26
- safety signs;
- safety devices;
- oxygen hoses (gas welding equipment).
26.1.5.8. Orange.
The color orange shall be used to identify:
- acids piping systems;
- moving parts of machines and equipment;
- internal parts of safeguard of machines that can be removed or open;
- internal side of electrical devices cabinets;
- external face of gears and pulleys;
- safety start push buttons;
- cutting devices, saw edges, presses.
26.1.5.9. Purple.
The color purple shall be used to indicate danger due to radiation from a radioactive
source.
The color purple shall be used on:
- access doors and openings to places to handle or store radioactive material or
material exposed to radiation;
- places where radioactive material or equipment has been buried;
- containers with radioactive material or nuclear waste or radioactive material and
equipment;
- light signals to indicate equipment producing radiation and nuclear particles.
26.1.5.10. Lilac.
The color lilac shall be used to indicate piping systems with alkaline liquids.
Refineries may use lilac to identify lubricating oil.
26.1.5.11. Grey
a) Light gray shall be used to identify vacuum piping systems;
b) Dark gray shall be used to identify conduits.
26.1.5.12. Aluminum.
The color aluminum shall be used in piping systems for liquefied gas, inflammable
and combustible liquids with low viscosity (e.g.: diesel oil, gasoline, kerosene,
lubricating oil, etc.).
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MINISTRY OF LABOR
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NR-26
26.1.5.13. Brown.
The color brown shall be used, at companys discretion, to identify any other fluid not
identified by other colors.
26.2. The body (frame) of machines shall be painted white, black or green
26.3. Industrial piping systems for liquid and gas shall have color applied in the whole
extension of the piping for easy identification of the product and to avoid accidents.
26.3.1. Potable water piping shall be compulsorily differentiated from the others.
26.3.2. Whenever a more detailed identification is required (concentration,
temperature, pressure, purity, etc.), the differentiation will be done by stripes of
different colors applied over the basic color.
26.3.3. The identification using stripes shall be done so it is easily visualized in any
part of the piping
26.3.4. All piping fittings shall be painted with the basic colors according to the
product (i.e., same color code of piping).
26.3.5. The flow direction, whenever needed, will be indicated by an arrow painted in
a color contrasting with the basic color of the piping.
26.3.6. For safety reasons, reservoirs or fixed tanks storing fluids shall be indicated
by the same color code used on the piping.
26.4. Signals used on storage of dangerous substances.
26.4.1. Storage of dangerous substances shall follow international standards.
a) Dangerous substances are all material, individually or not, is corrosive,
toxic, radioactive, oxidizing, and that can harm workers, equipment or work
environment while being handled, stored, processed, packed or transported.
26.5. Symbols to identify containers used on moving of materials.
26.5.1. Technical rules and regulations about symbols in force in the Country shall be
followed when moving materials using in-land, ocean, air and intracostal
transportation.
26.6. Preventive labeling.
26.6.1. Dangerous or hazardous products shall be labeled according to rules included
on this item.
26.6.2. All instructions shown on labels shall be brief, precise and written in simple
and easily understandable language.
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26.6.3. The language shall be practical, not based only on specific product properties,
but used in a way to avoid risks resulting from the use, handling and storage of
product.
26.6.4. Where there is a possibility of mixing 2 or more chemical products with
properties different in type or degree from the individual ones, the label shall
highlight the hazardous properties of the final product.
26.6.5. The following items shall be included on the labels: (126.029-4 / I3)
- technical denomination of product;
- warning word on the risk degree;
- risk indications;
- preventive measures including the ones that shall be in place;
- first aid;
- medical information in case of accident;
- special instructions for fire, leakage or spillage, if applicable.
26.6.6. To comply with the previous item, the following procedure shall be used:
- complete technical denomination, specifying nature of chemical product. E.g.:
Corrosive Acid, Lead Based Product, etc. In any situation, the identification shall
be such that the correct medical treatment can be chosen, in case of accident.
- Warning words the warning words to be used are:
- "Perigo", for substances presenting high risk;
- "Cuidado", for substances presenting mild risks;
- "Ateno", for substances presenting low risk.
Risk Indications the indications shall inform about the risks related to normal or
reasonably expected handling of the product. Examples: "Extremely Inflammable",
"Hazardous if in contact to skin", etc.
- Preventive measures Used to establish other measures to be taken to avoid harm or
damages due to the indicated risks. Example: Keep out of heat, sparks or flames
and Avoid to inhale the powder.
First Aid Specific measures to be taken before medical assistance is available.
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