QCS 2014 Section 11: Health and Safety Page 15

Part 1.05: Other hazardous Activities (Regulatory Document)

Construction Site Safety

1.5.1 Appendix 1
Colours of ducts, pipes, cables and marker/warning tapes

1 These guidelines, reflect utility practice in the UK. However, operators must not assume that
any mains or services encountered will conform to the recommendations for positioning or
colour coding detailed in this appendix.
Pipe/Duct Identification
Issue 4, dated 8 January 2009
The pipe or duct may have the owning utility's name stamped upon it.

Colour of Duct/Pipe/Cable Buried in Ground

Utility Duct Pipe Cable Colour of Marker/ Warning

Tape Where Used

Electricity HV (High Voltage) Black or red tile N/A Black or red Yellow with black legend

Electricity LV (Low Voltage) Black or red N/A Black or red Yellow with black legend

Gas Yellow Yellow or yellow with N/A Yellow with black legend
brown stripes that is
14
removable to reveal
white or black pipe
20

Water non potable & Grey water N/A Black with green N/A N/A
stripes
S

Water -Firefighting N/A Black with red N/A N/A

C

stripes or bands
Q

Oil / fuel pipelines N/A Black N/A Various surface markersMarker

tape or tiles above red concrete

Sewerage Black No distinguishing N/A N/A

colour/ material (e.g.
Ductile Iron may be
red; PVC may be
brown)

Telecoms Grey N/A Black or light grey Various

White
Green
Black
Purple

Water Blue or grey Blue polymer or blue N/A Blue or Blue/black

uncoated Iron /
GRP. Blue polymer
with brown stripe
(removable skin
revealing white or
black pipe)

Water pipes for special purposes N/A Blue polymer with N/A Blue or blue/black
(e.g. contaminated ground) brown stripes (non-
removable skin)
QCS 2014 Section 11: Health and Safety Page 16
Part 1.05: Other hazardous Activities (Regulatory Document)

Highway Authority Services Duct Pipe Cable Tape

Street lighting England and Black or orange N/A Black Yellow withblack legend
Wales (consult the electricity
company first)

Street lighting Scotland Purple N/A Purple Yellow with purpleblacklegend

or

Street lighting Northern Orange N/A Black or orange Various

Ireland

Traffic control Orange N/A Orange Yellow withblacklegend

Street furniture Black N/A Black Yellow withblacklegend

Telecoms Purple/orange N/A Black Various

Communications Purple N/A Grey Yellow withblacklegend

Communications power Purple N/A Black Yellow withblacklegend

Road lighting Orange N/A Black

14 Yellow withblacklegend

Scotland
20
Communications Black or grey N/A Black Yellow withblacklegend

Road lighting Purple N/A Purple Yellow withblacklegend

S
C
Q