Bottled Gas - Colour Coding

Colour Coding

Different countries have different gas colour codes but attempts are being made to standardise the colours of cylinder shoulders:

• Colours of cylinders for Medical gases are covered by an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard, ISO 32; but not all countries use this standard.
• Within Europe gas cylinders colours are being standardised according to EN 1089-3, the standard colours applying to the cylinder shoulder only; i.e., the top of the cylinder close to the pillar valve.
• In the United States, colour coding is not regulated by law.

The user should not rely on the colour of a cylinder to indicate what it contains. The label or decal should always be checked for product identification.