1.1 This recommended practice (RP) addresses the permanent marking of hazardous liquid pipeline transportation facilities. It covers the design, message, installation, placement, inspection, and maintenance of markers and signs on pipeline facilities located onshore and at inland waterway crossings. Markers and signs indicate the presence of a pipeline facility and warn of the potential hazards associated with its presence and operation. The markers and signs may contain information to be used by the public when reporting emergencies and seeking assistance in determining the location of a buried pipeline.
1.2 The provisions of this RP cover the minimum signage (markers and signs) requirements for hazardous liquid pipeline facilities. The pipeline operator is responsible for determining the type and extent of signage. Consideration should be given to the hazardous characteristics of the commodity being transported; the pipeline’s proximity to industrial, commercial, residential, and environmentally sensitive areas; susceptibility to excavation-related damage; consequences of failure; and applicable state and federal laws. Several examples of markers and signs with locations are illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 6, and Figure 8. The pipeline marking programs are integral components of the pipeline operator’s operations, maintenance and emergency plans, damage prevention programs, and public awareness programs.
