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Barricade tape

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Barricade tape is an intensely colored tape that is used to warn or prevent people from entering a nearby possible risk or hazard. Barricade tape is also known as caution tape, barrier tape, hazard tape or police tape.

Although we are more familiar with the bright yellow and black police tape with “Do not cross police line” text; barricade tapes are actually commonly used for industrial applications. These are used to workplace safety and accident prevention.

Description

Barricade tape is made with durable, tear-proof plastic materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene or nylon that is at least 2millimeter thick and 3 inches wide. However, different manufacturers offer different sizes and thickness of barricade tapes. Other common sizes of barricade tapes are 2, 4 or 6 inches wide and 4 or 10 millimeter thick.

Barricade tapes often have bright color background and pre-printed bold warning texts. If you prefer to create your own warning messages, you may do so. You can buy plain barricade tapes and write your own message onto it. However you must make be certain you are following the proper specification for barricade tapes. This is because just like any other safety and early warning devices, barricade tapes must comply with the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) regulations.

OSHA and ANSI Requirements for Barricade Tape

OSHA and ANSI provided precise specification for barricade tape colors which are found in OSHA regulations 1910.22 and 1920.144 and ANSI Z535.5-2007, Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes (for Temporary Hazards). However, the dimension, thickness and materials of the barricade tape are up to the manufacturers’ discretion.

Barricade tape colors, as directed by OSHA, are as follows:

  1. Red / white for Fire Prevention and Protection Equipment
  2. Black / white for Housekeeping and Aisle Marking
  3. Magenta / yellow for Radiation Hazards
  4. Green / white for Safety and First Aid
  5. Blue / white for Defective Machinery
  6. Orange / white for Traffic and Caution Warning
  7. Black / yellow for Physical Hazards

Barricade tape colors, as directed by ANSI, are as follows:

1. Yellow/Black Barricade Tape serves as CAUTION and POTENTIAL HAZARD from:
  • Excavation less than 1.2 meters (4 feet) in depth
  • Identification of trip hazards, and low hanging objects
  • Material storage on the site
2. Red Barricade Tape indicates DANGER and SERIOUS HAZARD from:
  • Overhead work
  • Live electrical components
  • Scaffold under construction
  • Around swing radius of equipment with a rotating superstructure.
3. Magenta (Purple)/Yellow Tape DANGER and POSIBLE RADIATION EXPOSURE

References

http://www.worksafely.com/safety-equipment/barricade-tape.aspx

http://www.usbr.gov/ssle/safety/RSHS/sec9.pdf

http://www.hanford.gov/pmm/files.cfm/MSC-PRAC-30479.pdf

http://www.nema.org/Standards/ComplimentaryDocuments/Contents-Scope-ANSI-Z535-5-2007.pdf

http://www.southernsafetyandsupply.com/PDFS/26_TapeProducts_SoSafety09.pdf

http://www.creativesafetysupply.com/caution-tape-article/