What is Flagging Tape and How is it Used?

Flagging tape is popular for many reasons, but there is one primary reason why it’s a mainstay in numerous industries: ease-of-use.

Tape can be set up as a quick method of safety marking or to colour-code key areas. Most flagging tape is designed to resist fading and natural wear-and-tear, making it ideal for marking hazards and points of interest. However, it needs to be used properly in order to function well.

Below, we discuss what flagging tape is, what its colour code means, how to use it and the industries that use it the most.  

What is Flagging Tape?

So, what makes flagging tape different compared to other types of tape? Primarily, it’s the colour and non-adhesive nature.

Flagging tape, by design, “flags” and highlights things. This means it tends to be brighter than other types of tape, as well as using more eye-catching PVC, vinyl or cellulose-based materials.

Its purpose varies on an industry-by-industry basis, but if you need to highlight something, then flagging tape will help.

In total, flagging tape is regularly used in the following industries:

• Forestry – for marking unhealthy trees, logging, invasive species, saplings or wildlife fire suppression.
• Construction – for marking numerous hazards such as drains, electrical lines, gas pipes and cables. Wherever there is a hazard on a construction site, flagging tape will be around it.
• Surveying – signposting landmark and property boundaries.
• Outdoor recreation – it helps to mark walking paths and other methods of navigation for activities like orienteering, hunting, biking, paintballing and caving.
• Disaster response – whenever a natural disaster occurs, flagging tape is used to set up medical triages and safety zones.

Overall, the resilience and multi-faceted nature of flagging tape is why it’s useful in numerous industries.  

What Do The Flagging Tape Colours Mean

The tapes’ colours can vary slightly by industry, but there is a loose colour code they follow. Each colour represents a different level of danger:

• Pink – temporary survey markers.
• Red – electrical cables, lighting cables, etc.
• Orange – communication lines, cables, etc.
• Yellow – gas, oil, steam, petroleum and gaseous pipes.
• Green – sewers and drains.
• Blue – water pipes.
• Purple – irrigation, reclaimed water and slurry lines.
• White – proposed excavation routes.

The above may not be relevant to other industries such as forestry or outdoor recreation, but it is relevant for any safety-related discipline. Otherwise, the type of tape used will follow that industry’s internal colour code.

How to Use Flagging Tape

The primary aspect of good flagging tape practice is ensuring it is visible to everyone.

This means leaving plenty of space between the flagging tape and what it is marking, correctly tying it to postings, assembling postings so they stay upright in troublesome conditions and using the correct colour.

If you follow common sense, figuring out how to use flagging tape should be rather easy. Always try to assemble it with long-term use in mind.

Get High-Quality, Dependable Flagging Tape Today

If you’re looking for high-quality tape in a variety of colours and patterns, then try our range of flagging tapes today.