Medical Gas Pipe Labeling
NFPA 99 and JCAHO Compliance
| Gas Service |
Abbreviated Name |
Colors (Background / Text) |
| Medical air |
Med Air |
Yellow / black |
| Carbon dioxide |
CO2 |
Gray / black OR gray / white |
| Helium |
He |
Brown / white |
| Nitrogen |
N2 |
Black / white |
| Nitrous oxide |
N20 |
Blue / white |
| Oxygen |
O2 |
Green / white OR white / green |
| Oxygen / C02 mixtures |
O2 / CO2 n%
(n is % of C02) |
Green / white |
| Medical / surgical vacuum |
Med Vac |
White / black |
| Waste anaesthetic gas disposal |
WAGD |
Violet / white |
| Other mixtures |
Gas A% / Gas B% |
Colors as above: Major gas for background, minor gas for text |
| Non-medical air |
— |
Yellow-and-white diagonal stripe / black |
| Non-medical vacuum |
— |
White and black diagonal stripe / black boxed |
| Laboratory air |
— |
Yellow-and-white checkerboard / black |
| Laboratory vacuum |
— |
White-and-black checkerboard / black boxed |
| Instrument air |
— |
Red / white |
|
NFPA 99, "Standards for Health Care Facilities," establishes labeling requirements for medical gas systems. Compliance with NFPA 99 is required for JCAHO certification.
NFPA 99 Section 5.1 requires that all pipes carrying medical gas must be permanently labeled with their contents, direction of flow, and pressure (if between 200 and 300 psi). The text of the label should run parallel to the pipe and must be at least 3/8" tall. The table at right shows the standard colors and designations established by the code.
Labels must appear in the following locations:
- At intervals of 20' or less
- At changes of direction
- Before and after barriers
- At inlets and outlets
- Vertically, at every floor
- On access doors to enclosures containing piping, valves, or other medical gas components.
Valves and cylinders. Valves on pipes containing medical gas or vacuum should carry tags bearing the inscription "(Name of gas) (source, main line, riser for, service) shut-off valve for (location). Do not open or close valve except in an emergency." Cylinders containing compressed gases must be labeled to indicate their contents.
Door labels. NFPA 99 specifies the text that is to appear on doors to enclosures containing medical gas components, depending on the type of gas. Door labels should read:
- Oxidizing gases:
CAUTION OXIDIZING GAS(ES) STORED WITHIN
NO SMOKING
- Medical air:
CAUTION MEDICAL GASES
NO SMOKING OR OPEN FLAME
- Other gases:
CAUTION MEDICAL GASES
NO SMOKING OR OPEN FLAME
ROOM MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT OXYGEN
OPEN DOOR AND ALLOW ROOM TO VENTILATE BEFORE ENTERING
Our label printers offer a quick and economical solution for NFPA 99 compliance, without the need to order out and wait for delivery. You can create exactly the labels, valve tags, and door signs that your facility requires, saving you time and money.
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