The following are Munsell notations and Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates which describe the Office of Hazardous Materials Transportation Label and Placard Color Tolerance Charts in tables 1 and 2, and the CIE coordinates for the color tolerances specified in table 3. Central colors and tolerances described in table 2 approximate those described in table 1 while allowing for differences in production methods and materials used to manufacture labels and placards surfaced with printing inks. Primarily, the color charts based on table 1 are for label or placard colors applied as opaque coatings such as paint, enamel or plastic, whereas color charts based on table 2 are intended for use with labels and placards surfaced only with inks.
For labels printed directly on packaging surfaces, table 3 may be used, although compliance with either table 1 or table 2 is sufficient. However, if visual reference indicates that the colors of labels printed directly on package surfaces are outside the table 1 or 2 tolerances, a spectrophotometer or other instrumentation may be required to insure compliance with table 3.
Table 1—Specifications for Color Tolerance Charts for Use With Labels and Placards Surfaced With Paint, Lacquer, Enamel, Plastic, Other Opaque Coatings, or Ink1
Color | Munsell notations | CIE data for source C | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Y | x | y | ||
Red: | ||||
Central color | 7.5R 4.0/14 | 12.00 | .5959 | .3269 |
Orange | 8.5R 4.0/14 | 12.00 | .6037 | .3389 |
Purple and vivid | 6.5R 4.0/14 | 12.00 | .5869 | .3184 |
Grayish | 7.5R 4.0/12 | 12.00 | .5603 | .3321 |
Vivid | 7.5R 4.0/16 | 12.00 | .6260 | .3192 |
Light | 7.5R 4.5/14 | 15.57 | .5775 | .3320 |
Dark | 7. 5R 3.5/14 | 09.00 | .6226 | .3141 |
Orange: | ||||
Central color | 5.OYR 6.0/15 | 30.05 | .5510 | .4214 |
Yellow and Grayish | 6.25YR 6.0/15 | 30.05 | .5452 | .4329 |
Red and vivid | 3.75YR 6.0/15 | 30.05 | .5552 | .4091 |
Grayish | 5.OYR 6.0/13 | 30.05 | .5311 | .4154 |
Vivid | 5.OYR 6.0/16 | 30.05 | .5597 | .4239 |
Light | 5.OYR 6.5/15 | 36.20 | .5427 | .4206 |
Dark | 5.OYR 5.5/15 | 24.58 | .5606 | .4218 |
Yellow: | ||||
Central color | 5.OY 8.0/12 | 59.10 | .4562 | .4788 |
Green | 6.5Y 8.0/12 | 59.10 | .4498 | .4865 |
Orange and vivid | 3.5Y 8.0/12 | 59.10 | .4632 | .4669 |
Grayish | 5.OY 8.0/10 | 59.10 | .4376 | .4601 |
Vivid | 5.OY 8.0/14 | 59.10 | .4699 | .4920 |
Light | 5.OY 8.5/12 | 68.40 | .4508 | .4754 |
Dark | 5.OY 7.5/12 | 50.68 | .4620 | .4823 |
Green: | ||||
Central color | 7.5G 4.0/9 | 12.00 | .2111 | .4121 |
Bluish | 0.5BG 4.0/9 | 12.00 | .1974 | .3809 |
Green-yellow | 5.0G 4.0/9 | 12.00 | .2237 | .4399 |
Grayish A | 7.5G 4.0/7 | 12.00 | .2350 | .3922 |
Grayish B2 | 7.5G 4.0/6 | 12.00 | .2467 | .3822 |
Vivid | 7.5G 4.0/11 | 12.00 | .1848 | .4319 |
Light | 7.5G 4.5/9 | 15.57 | .2204 | .4060 |
Dark | 7.5G 3.5/9 | 09.00 | .2027 | .4163 |
Blue: | ||||
Central color | 2.5PB 3.5/10 | 09.00 | .1691 | .1744 |
Purple | 4.5PB 3.5/10 | 09.00 | .1796 | .1711 |
Green and vivid | 10.0B 3.5/10 | 09.00 | .1557 | .1815 |
Grayish | 2.5PB 3.5/8 | 09.00 | .1888 | .1964 |
Vivid | 2.5PB 3.5/12 | 09.00 | .1516 | .1547 |
Light | 2.5PB 4.0/10 | 12.00 | .1805 | .1888 |
Dark | 2.5PB 3.0/10 | 06.55 | .1576 | .1600 |
Purple: | ||||
Central color | 10.0P 4.5/10 | 15.57 | .3307 | .2245 |
Reddish purple | 2.5RP 4.5/10 | 15.57 | .3584 | .2377 |
Blue purple | 7.5P 4.5/10 | 15.57 | .3068 | .2145 |
Reddish gray | 10.0P 4.5/8 | 15.57 | .3280 | .2391 |
Gray2 | 10.0P 4.5/6.5 | 15.57 | .3254 | .2519 |
Vivid | 10.0P 4.5/12 | 15.57 | .3333 | .2101 |
Light | 10.0P 5.0/10 | 19.77 | .3308 | .2328 |
Dark | 10.0P 4.0/10 | 12.00 | .3306 | .2162 |
1Maximum chroma is not limited.
2For the colors green and purple, the minimum saturation (chroma) limits for porcelain enamel on metal are lower than for most other surface coatings. Therefore, the minimum chroma limits of these two colors as displayed on the Charts for comparison to porcelain enamel on metal is low, as shown for green (grayish B) and purple (gray).
Note: CIE = Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage.
Table 2—Specifications for Color Tolerance Charts for Use With Labels and Placards Surfaced With Ink
Color/series | Munsell notation | CIE data for source C | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Y | x | y | ||
Red: | ||||
Central series: | ||||
Central color | 6.8R 4.47/12.8 | 15.34 | .5510 | .3286 |
Grayish | 7.2R 4.72/12.2 | 17.37 | .5368 | .3348 |
Purple | 6.4R 4.49/12.7 | 15.52 | .5442 | .3258 |
Purple and vivid | 6.1R 4.33/13.1 | 14.25 | .5529 | .3209 |
Vivid | 6.7R 4.29/13.2 | 13.99 | .5617 | .3253 |
Orange | 7.3R 4.47/12.8 | 15.34 | .5572 | .3331 |
Orange and grayish | 7.65R 4.70/12.4 | 17.20 | .5438 | .3382 |
Light series: | ||||
Light | 7.0R 4.72/13.2 | 17.32 | .5511 | .3322 |
Light and orange | 7.4R 4.96/12.6 | 19.38 | .5365 | .3382 |
Light and purple | 6.6R 4.79/12.9 | 17.94 | .5397 | .3289 |
Dark series: | ||||
Dark A | 6.7R 4.19/12.5 | 13.30 | .5566 | .3265 |
Dark B | 7.0R 4.25/12.35 | 13.72 | .5522 | .3294 |
Dark and purple | 7.5R 4.23/12.4 | 13.58 | .5577 | .3329 |
Orange: | ||||
Central series: | ||||
Central color | 5.0YR 6.10/12.15 | 31.27 | .5193 | .4117 |
Yellow and grayish A | 5.8YR 6.22/11.7 | 32.69 | .5114 | .4155 |
Yellow and grayish B | 6.1YR 6.26/11.85 | 33.20 | .5109 | .4190 |
Vivid | 5.1YR 6.07/12.3 | 30.86 | .5226 | .4134 |
Red and vivid A | 3.9YR 5.87/12.75 | 28.53 | .5318 | .4038 |
Red and vivid B | 3.6YR 5.91/12.6 | 29.05 | .5291 | .4021 |
Grayish | 4.9YR 6.10/11.9 | 31.22 | .5170 | .4089 |
Light series: | ||||
Light and vivid A | 5.8YR 6.78/12.7 | 39.94 | .5120 | .4177 |
Light and yellow | 6.0YR 6.80/12.8 | 40.20 | .5135 | .4198 |
Light and vivid B | 4.9YR 6.60/12.9 | 37.47 | .5216 | .4126 |
Dark series: | ||||
Dark and yellow | 5.8YR 5.98/11.0 | 29.87 | .5052 | .4132 |
Dark A | 5.1YR 5.80/11.1 | 27.80 | .5127 | .4094 |
Dark B | 5.0YR 5.80/11.0 | 27.67 | .5109 | .4068 |
Yellow: | ||||
Central series: | ||||
Central color | 4.3Y 7.87/10.3 | 56.81 | .4445 | .4589 |
Vivid A | 4.5Y 7.82/10.8 | 55.92 | .4503 | .4658 |
Vivid B | 3.3Y 7.72/11.35 | 54.24 | .4612 | .4624 |
Vivid and orange | 3.2Y 7.72/10.8 | 54.25 | .4576 | .4572 |
Grayish A | 4.1Y 7.95/9.7 | 58.18 | .4380 | .4516 |
Grayish B | 5.1Y 8.06/9.05 | 60.12 | .4272 | .4508 |
Green-yellow | 5.2Y 7.97/9.9 | 58.53 | .4356 | .4605 |
Light series: | ||||
Light | 5.4Y 8.59/10.5 | 70.19 | .4351 | .4628 |
Light and green-yellow | 5.4Y 8.56/11.2 | 69.59 | .4414 | .4692 |
Light and vivid | 4.4Y 8.45/11.4 | 67.42 | .4490 | .4662 |
Dark series: | ||||
Dark and green-yellow | 4.4Y 7.57/9.7 | 51.82 | .4423 | .4562 |
Dark and orange A | 3.4Y 7.39/10.4 | 48.86 | .4584 | .4590 |
Dark and orange B | 3.5Y 7.41/10.0 | 49.20 | .4517 | .4544 |
Green: | ||||
Central series: | ||||
Central color | 9.75G 4.26/7.75 | 13.80 | .2214 | .3791 |
Grayish | 10G 4.46/7.5 | 15.25 | .2263 | .3742 |
Blue A | 1.4BG 4.20/7.4 | 13.36 | .2151 | .3625 |
Blue B | 1.0BG 4.09/7.75 | 12.60 | .2109 | .3685 |
Vivid | 8.4G 4.09/8.05 | 12.59 | .2183 | .3954 |
Vivid green-yellow | 7.0G 4.23/8.0 | 13.54 | .2292 | .4045 |
Green-yellow | 7.85G 4.46/7.7 | 15.23 | .2313 | .3914 |
Light series: | ||||
Light and vivid | 9.5G 4.45/8.8 | 15.21 | .2141 | .3863 |
Light and blue | 0.2BG 4.31/8.8 | 14.12 | .2069 | .3814 |
Light and green-yellow | 8.3G 4.29/9.05 | 14.01 | .2119 | .4006 |
Dark series: | ||||
Dark and green-yellow | 7.1G 4.08/7.1 | 12.55 | .2354 | .3972 |
Dark and grayish | 9.5G 4.11/6.9 | 12.70 | .2282 | .3764 |
Dark | 8.5G 3.97/7.2 | 11.78 | .2269 | .3874 |
Blue: | ||||
Central series: | ||||
Central color | 3.5PB 3.94/9.7 | 11.58 | .1885 | .1911 |
Green and grayish A | 2.0PB 4.35/8.7 | 14.41 | .1962 | .2099 |
Green and grayish B | 1.7PB 4.22/9.0 | 13.50 | .1898 | .2053 |
Vivid | 2.9PB 3.81/9.7 | 10.78 | .1814 | .1852 |
Purple and vivid A | 4.7PB 3.53/10.0 | 9.15 | .1817 | .1727 |
Purple and vivid B | 5.0PB 3.71/9.9 | 10.20 | .1888 | .1788 |
Grayish | 3.75PB 4.03/9.1 | 12.17 | .1943 | .1961 |
Light series: | ||||
Light and green A | 1.7PB 4.32/9.2 | 14.22 | .1904 | .2056 |
Light and green B | 1.5PB 4.11/9.6 | 12.72 | .1815 | .1971 |
Light and vivid | 3.2PB 3.95/10.05 | 11.70 | .1831 | .1868 |
Dark series: | ||||
Dark and grayish | 3.9PB 4.01/8.7 | 12.04 | .1982 | .1992 |
Dark and purple A | 4.8PB 3.67/9.3 | 9.95 | .1918 | .1831 |
Dark and purple B | 5.2PB 3.80/9.05 | 10.76 | .1985 | .1885 |
Purple: | ||||
Central series: | ||||
Central color | 9.5P 4.71/11.3 | 17.25 | .3274 | .2165 |
Red | 1.0RP 5.31/10.8 | 22.70 | .3404 | .2354 |
Red and vivid A | 1.4RP 5.00/11.9 | 19.78 | .3500 | .2274 |
Red and vivid B | 0.2RP 4.39/12.5 | 14.70 | .3365 | .2059 |
Vivid | 8.0P 4.04/12.0 | 12.23 | .3098 | .1916 |
Blue | 7.0P 4.39/10.8 | 14.71 | .3007 | .2037 |
Grayish | 8.8P 5.00/10.3 | 19.73 | .3191 | .2251 |
Light series: | ||||
Light and red A | 0.85RP 5.56/11.1 | 25.18 | .3387 | .2356 |
Light and red B | 1.1RP 5.27/12.3 | 22.27 | .3460 | .2276 |
Light and vivid | 9.2P 4.94/11.95 | 19.24 | .3247 | .2163 |
Dark series: | ||||
Dark and grayish | 9.6P 4.70/10.9 | 17.19 | .3283 | .2204 |
Dark and vivid | 8.4P 4.05/11.6 | 12.35 | .3144 | .1970 |
Dark and blue | 7.5P 4.32/10.5 | 14.19 | .3059 | .2078 |
Table 3—Specification for Colors for Use With Labels Printed on Packagings Surfaces
CIE data for source C | Red | Orange | Yellow | Green | Blue | Purple |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
x | .424 | .460 | .417 | .228 | .200 | .377 |
y | .306 | .370 | .392 | .354 | .175 | .205 |
x | .571 | .543 | .490 | .310 | .255 | .377 |
y | .306 | .400 | .442 | .354 | .250 | .284 |
x | .424 | .445 | .390 | .228 | .177 | .342 |
y | .350 | .395 | .430 | .403 | .194 | .205 |
x | .571 | .504 | .440 | .310 | .230 | .342 |
y | .350 | .430 | .492 | .403 | .267 | .284 |
Y (high) | 23.0 | 41.6 | 72.6 | 20.6 | 15.9 | 21.2 |
Y (low) | 7.7 | 19.5 | 29.1 | 7.4 | 6.5 | 8.2 |
[Amdt. 172-50, 44 FR 9757, Feb. 15, 1979; Amdt. 172-50, 44 FR 10984, Feb. 26, 1979, as amended by Amdt. 172-50, 44 FR 22467, Apr. 16, 1979; 50 FR 45731, Nov. 1, 1985; Amdt. 172-127, 59 FR 49133, Sept. 26, 1994]