Barricade tape, also known as caution tape or warning tape, is a brightly colored plastic tape used to warn people of hazards. It acts as a minor barrier to prevent accidental access to dangerous areas and enhances safety. Common types include construction tape for work zones, hazard tape for toxic chemicals, traffic control tape to redirect vehicles, and police tape to preserve crime scenes. Barricade tape comes in standardized colors according to OSHA and ANSI regulations to indicate different classes of hazards, such as yellow and black for physical dangers or magenta and yellow for radiation risks. It is made of durable, tear-proof materials and printed with bold text messages.

1. Barricading Caution Tape [Warning Tape]
Barricade tape is brightly colored tape (often incorporating a two-tone pattern of
alternating yellow-black or red-white stripes or the words "Caution" or"Danger" in
prominent lettering) that is used to warn or catch the attention of passersby of an area or
situation containing a possible hazard. It acts as a minor impediment to prevent accidental
entrance to that area or situation and as a result enhances general safety. Barricade tape
is also known as construction tape or barrier tape or in reference to the safety hazard
involved as notice tape, caution tape, warning tape, danger tape or hazard tape. In case
the tape is used by an organization the tape is named police tape, firefighter tape or
traffic control device tape.
The tape is often wrapped and affixed as a visual warning sign and demarcation, for
instance against entering a dangerous area, such as an industrial or commercial building
site, a roadworks construction site or the scene of an accident] or a crime (for crime scene
preservation), or against handling inoperative machinery or appliances.
Description
Barricade tape is made with durable, resilient, tear-proof plastic materials such as
polyethylene, polypropylene, or nylon. It is at least 2 mm thick and 3 inches wide.
However, different manufacturers offer different sizes and thicknesses of barricade tape.
Other common sizes of barricade tape are 2, 4 or 6 inches wide and 4 or 10 mm thick.
Barricade tape often has a bright background and pre-printed bold warning text. It is also
possible to purchase plain barricade tape and write a custom message on it. However,
care should be taken when using custom tape, as all barricade tape designs are required
to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) regulations (when used for purposes subject to
regulation by these organizations).
Types
Police tape marking off a crime scene
Barricade tape is used according to the color specifications set by OSHA and ANSI.
Barricade tape may be use primarily as a safety precaution for various industries and
procedures.
Construction Tape – is used in construction zones to notify people about ongoing
construction and that there are possible hazards within the demarcated area.
Construction tape usually employs a yellow-blackcolorcombination and incorporates
printed text, such as "Under Construction", "Caution", "Work Zone", and "Keep Out"
(among others). This type of barrier tape is commonly found at the site of renovations,
demolition, and minor repairs.
Hazard Tape – is used in locations containing a substantial danger. Examples include
electrocution hazards or areas within which there is a risk of exposure to toxic chemicals.

2. Hazard tape is available in different color combinations, each of which indicates certain
classes of threat. For example, yellow-black tape is used to signal the presence of a
physical hazard (e.g., a hole), while magenta-yellow denotes a radiation hazard. This type
of barrier tape is commonly used in laboratories, production areas, and industrial zones.
Traffic Control Device Tape – this type of barrier tape, as its name implies is used to
control traffic, whetherfoot trafficor vehicle traffic. Traffic control device tapes are used
as temporary traffic signal to redirect traffic during parade or whenevera road is closed.
These are usually brightly colored, eitherin solid orange ororange-white combination.
Police Tape or Law Enforcement Tape – this type of barrier tape is used to isolate, protect
and preserve a crime scene. Police tape is used to notify the public that an investigation is
on going and that a particular area is restricted. This is usually seen with a yellow-white,
yellow-black or blue-white color combination.
Firefighter Tape – serves the same purpose as police tape and hazard tape. Firefighter
tape is used to isolate a particular area during or after a fire to keep the public away from
fire-related risks (e.g., smoke inhalation, airborne particulate matter, and damaged
structures).
OSHA and ANSI requirements for barricade tape
The seven OSHA color combinations for barricade tape.
OSHA and ANSI provide precise specification for barricade tape colors. These 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 left to the discretion of the manufacturer.
OSHA-specified barricade tape colors
 Red / white for Fire Prevention and Protection Equipment
 Black / white for Housekeeping and Aisle Marking
 Magenta / yellow for Radiation Hazards
 Green / white for Safety and First Aid

3.  Blue / white for Defective Machinery
 Orange / white for Traffic and Caution Warning
 Black / yellow for Physical Hazards
ANSI-specified barricade tape colors
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 site
2. Red Barrication 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 denotes DANGER and POSSIBLE RADIATION EXPOSURE
4. Underground warning tape (custom)Warn to digging underground gas-pipeline ,electric
cable and OFC cable installation.
Custom thickness and width are available
Underground work
Protection from overground work