×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

(OP)
Hi,

I am a manufacturing engineer in charge of rebuilding several of the machines on the floor.  Along with this mechanical and electrical rebuild, I have decided to paint the machines to give them a fresh, new look.

My question is regarding the use of color for the machines.  I am using "Safety Yellow", which is also VERY close to our main company color, to pain the machines; is there a problem with painting a machine this color?  

I know that somewhere in the standard for ANSI safety colors, it says to "use sparingly to avoid "lessening" the safety attention grabbing effect."  Would painting a whole machine line this color diminish the effect of safety designations?

Thanks in advance.

RE: Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

Personally, I think it would.  Have you considered painting the bulk of the machine a neutral color, and then the safety critical areas (guards, catch points, etc) the safety color?

RE: Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

(OP)
Personally, I like Battleship Grey, a nice neutral color, however, it's coming down from above me that they should be the company's color (yellow).   I'll argue for a more neutral color or even the original company's color (green) to keep it "traditional".

RE: Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

Ah, the joy of painting out safety/regulatory concerns on color choices to management.

I'd shy away from the safety color too.

Can anyone more familiar with the relevant regulatory compliance give the OP some ammo to throw managements way.  My experience is more on aircraft stores, so not directly relevant.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

John Deere and Cat paint whole construction machines yellow.  Construction machines can be hazardous.  Is your machine hazardous?

RE: Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

I have checked several codes / standards and the only restriction is the use of "Danger Red" color for other than prohibition, imediat danger and fire fighting equipment.
The "Warning / Safety Yellow" should be used for anything which poses a potential danger in passage way, work area, access restrictions, many many other places highlighted for potential harm. For trained eyes, the "Safety Yellow" is highly noticeable;- it would however dilute in a similar color background and loose perhaps its warning properties. Indeed, the Caterpillar is painting strikingly their equipment in yellow, but not their workshops, where the red, yellow, green and blue are used only as signal colors. I tend to agree with the posters above advising the buk painting to be neutral color like grey, sand or similar and leave the "safety colors" to their normal designation.
Cheers,
gr2vessels

RE: Use of "Safety Yellow" color for Machine Painting

OSHA
1910.144(a)(3)

    Yellow. Yellow shall be the basic color for designating caution and for marking physical hazards such as: Striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping, and "caught in between."  

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources