Fuel Safety Bulletin 2006-03
July 25, 2006
Subject: Marking of gas piping in commercial, industrial and assembly buildings
Clause 6.17.1 of the CSA B149.1-05 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code states that; In every care or detention occupancy, commercial, industrial, and assembly building, piping or tubing shall be identified by one of the following:
- the entire piping or tubing system shall be painted yellow;
- the piping or tubing system shall be provided with yellow banding; or
- the piping or tubing system shall be labelled or marked "GAS" or "PROPANE", as applicable, utilizing yellow labels or markings.
When identified in accordance with Item (b) or (c), the identification intervals shall not exceed 20 ft (6 m).
OH&S WHMIS Regulations also require that: Where a controlled product in a workplace is contained or transferred in
- a pipe;
- a piping system including valves;
- a process vessel;
- a reaction vessel; or
- a tank car, tank truck, ore car, conveyor belt or similar conveyance,
the employer shall take every precaution that is reasonable in the circumstances to ensure the safe use, storage and handling of the controlled product through employee education and the use of colour coding, labels, placards or any mode of identification clearly legible to employees.
Installation contractors have an good knowledge of these requirement and mark the piping before leaving the job. They are, however, often finished long before the final painting is completed in a new building, or a renovation is done to an older building. Building owners, in an effort to hide unsightly piping, often require that all piping be painted to help it become less obtrusive. This painting often covers the required piping identification and creates a real hazard for maintenance personnel. In so doing, the painter has contravened both the CSA code and the WHMIS regulations.
Sincerely,
Dale C. Stewart
Chief Inspector - Fuel Safety