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Cable Colours

The document discusses cable colors used in machinery according to the EN 60204-1 safety standard. It notes that the standard recommends green-and-yellow for the protective conductor and light blue for the neutral conductor. This calls into question the use of traditional IEE cable colors like yellow that could be confused with green-and-yellow. The HSE confirms green-and-yellow and light blue should always be used for safety. Companies will need to update their specifications to comply with the internationally agreed upon standard in EN 60204-1.

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Stephen Frayne
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311 views1 page

Cable Colours

The document discusses cable colors used in machinery according to the EN 60204-1 safety standard. It notes that the standard recommends green-and-yellow for the protective conductor and light blue for the neutral conductor. This calls into question the use of traditional IEE cable colors like yellow that could be confused with green-and-yellow. The HSE confirms green-and-yellow and light blue should always be used for safety. Companies will need to update their specifications to comply with the internationally agreed upon standard in EN 60204-1.

Uploaded by

Stephen Frayne
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Technical Information

Cable Colours
in Machines Sheet no. 12

The introduction of EN 60204-1 Safety of This is in the same way that IEE colours will be
Machinery — Electrical requirements of machines, used for a ring main in a house, but the single
as the main standard for electrical equipment on phase appliances connected to the ring main will
machines has led to some confusion in the UK be coloured BROWN, LIGHT BLUE and GREEN-
about the correct colour for cables used in AND-YELLOW.
machines.
EN 60204-1 states It is recommended that
The practice in many companies has been to use insulated conductors be colour coded as follows:
IEE cable colours for wiring machines. However
this practice has now been called into question by * BLACK: a.c. and d.c. power circuits;
the 1998 edition of EN60204-1 and new advice * RED: a.c. control circuits;
from the HSE. * BLUE: d.c. control circuits
* ORANGE: interlock control circuits supplied from
EN 60204-1: 1998 states in clause 14.2.2 that the an external power source.
protective conductor should be coloured GREEN-
AND-YELLOW.

In 14.2.1 the standard states for safety reasons EN60204-1 IEC60204-1 CABLE
the colour GREEN or the colour YELLOW should COLOURS

i
not be used where there is a possibility of
confusion with the bicolour combination GREEN- BLACK: a.c. and d.c. power circuits;
AND-YELLOW. This calls into question the use of RED: a.c. control circuits;
YELLOW as one of the three phases in IEE BLUE: d.c. control circuits
colours. ORANGE: interlock control circuits supplied
from an external power source.
In 14.2.3 the standard states where a circuit LIGHT BLUE: neutral
includes a neutral conductor identified by colour, GREEN-AND-YELLOW: protective conductor.
the colour shall be LIGHT BLUE. LIGHT BLUE
shall not be used for identifying any other conduc-
tor where confusion is possible. To comply with these requirements, many
companies will need to amend their purchase
The HSE confirms that in its view for safety documents and specifications. However
reasons, the colour of the protective conductor conforming to one internationally agreed
should always be GREEN-AND-YELLOW and the cable colour standard would have benefits
colour of the neutral should always be LIGHT for all companies in the long run, removing
BLUE. the confusion, additional costs and risks of
working to different wiring codes.
The HSE is more relaxed about the colour of other
conductors, however it points out that IEE colours BS EN 60204-1: 1998 IEC 60204-1: 1997 is
should really only be used for the electrical available from BSI Standards —
installation in a building and not be used (Tel: 020 8996 9000) price £112.00.
in a machine.

September 2001

THE PROCESSING AND PACKAGING MACHINERY ASSOCIATION


New Progress House, 34 Stafford Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 9AA
tel/ + 44 (0)20 8773 8111 fax/ +44 (0)20 8773 0022
e.mail/ [email protected]

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