Did You Know Labels Can Cause a Corrosion Issue?

Recently, a study was conducted which concluded that poor, old or substandard labeling on pipes and equipment can cause corrosion issues.

This study was commissioned by the US Chemical Safety Board, but it is very much applicable to the machines we service here at Berg Industrial Service.

What is corrosion?

Pipe corrosion can take place in any industrial refrigeration installation, including cold room installers and ice rinks.

Corrosion is a natural process which causes the slow breakdown of materials (metals, mostly) via a chemical reaction.

Rust is the most common form of corrosion. When a pipe becomes rusty, it transforms the metal material into an oxide or salt.

As a result, the strength and structural integrity of the pipe are put at risk.

What could go wrong?

If labels aren’t installed correctly, the following items can seep between the them and the pipes on things like your rotary screw compressor:

• Rain
• Water
• Mist
• Dirt or debris
• Other corrosive chemicals

Over time, this can create a major (and potentially hazardous) corrosion issue.

As a result, replacing the pipe may be necessary, which is a very costly expenditure.

How can we help?

Our highly skilled and safety trained team of technicians can inspect your pipes and make sure any and all labels are affixed correctly.

As a matter of fact, we offer a comprehensive labeling program which helps with important things like:

• Label material: Based on your needs and equipment, we’ll ensure the right materials are used when developing and installing your labels.
• Procedure development: We’ll assist with creating best practices for things like area identification, label selection and environmental and temperature control.
• Annual cycling: Our team can put in place a cycling program to ensure labels are moved and rotated on a regular basis to prevent decay, breakdown and corrosion.

Contact us for more information about our labeling program.

The best labels for ammonia systems

Generally, two types of labels are used for ammonia-based systems:

• Stick-on labels
• Coil wrap labels

Water can penetrate both types of labels if they aren’t applied or affixed by a trained professional.

Some things you can do in the meantime

As you perform regular service inspections and maintenance on the pipes in your facility, take extra time to account for:

• Label accuracy (for things like pipe contents, hazards and direction of flow)
• Colour marking compliance (do they match your current colour schemes)
• Missing labels (which pipes don’t have labels and why is that)
• Sizing and location (are labels too small to read or too hard to access)

Since you can’t see inside a pipe, a label is your first, last and only source of information regarding what’s inside.

So it has to be accurate and in perfect condition. No exceptions.

Contact us for more information

Need help organizing your pipe labels?

Concerned your labels could cause expensive corrosion down the line?

Whatever the case may be, our team can identify and solve any pipe labeling issue for you. Ask to speak with one of our experts.

Share your questions or comments and we’ll get back to you to personally discuss your needs.

Contact us today to learn for more information.