Safety orange
A vivid orange used for high-visibility and safety marking
Safety orange is a bright, highly visible orange shade used to make objects stand out, especially against the blue sky. It is widely used for safety equipment, construction signs, and hunting gear, and is defined by standards such as ANSI Z535 and Pantone 151c.
Share on WhatsAppOpen in the lab
- Defined by ANSI Z535 and Pantone 151c standards
- Used for US traffic cones and construction signs since 1961
- Required for hunting gear and replica gun tips in the US
- Called blaze orange, hunter orange, and OSHA orange
- Used for high-visibility clothing and equipment worldwide
What colour is Safety orange?
Safety orange is a vivid, reddish-orange colour designed to be highly visible against most backgrounds, especially the blue of the sky. Its main purpose is to make objects and people easy to see from a distance, reducing the risk of accidents. The colour is not subtle: it is chosen for its ability to stand out in both natural and built environments, making it a staple for safety-related uses.
Where does Safety orange come from?
The name 'safety orange' comes from its use in safety equipment and markings. In the United States, it became standard for traffic cones and construction signs from 1961. It is also called blaze orange, hunter orange, OSHA orange, and Caltrans orange, reflecting its roles in hunting, workplace safety, and road work. The colour is defined by standards such as ANSI Z535 and Pantone 151c.
How Safety orange is defined
Safety orange is not a pigment or dye from a natural source but a standardised colour value. It is defined in systems like Munsell (5.0YR 6.0/15) and Pantone (151c). To mix it in printing, 13 parts yellow, 3 parts warm red, and a small amount of black are used. The colour is specified for consistency in manufacturing and safety applications.
Where Safety orange is used
In the United States, safety orange marks traffic cones, construction barrels, and equipment, and is required by law for certain safety uses. It is also used on hunting clothing and the tips of replica guns. In Canada, orange construction signs use this colour. In Thailand and Indonesia, it marks workers like motorcycle taxi drivers and parking attendants. Some aircraft in Hong Kong use safety orange for visibility.
What Safety orange means
Safety orange does not carry symbolic meanings like mourning or celebration. Its purpose is practical: to alert, warn, and protect by making people and objects highly visible. In the United States, it is associated with safety culture and legal standards, especially in construction and hunting.
Orange around the world
What the orange family means from country to country.
On 30 September people wear orange shirts to remember the children sent to residential schools. Phyllis Webstad's new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at one.
Mourning and deathPolitics and protestGriefSource: National Day for Truth and ReconciliationOrange is also the colour of the New Democratic Party. Its sweep of Quebec seats in the 2011 election was called the Orange Wave.
Politics and protestSource: New Democratic PartyTheravada Buddhist monks wear robes in shades from saffron orange to ochre. Many Thai men ordain for a short time, so the robe is a familiar sight in most families.
Sacred and holyCalmSource: Kasaya (clothing)Orange and black are the colours of Halloween, 31 October: orange for pumpkins and autumn leaves, black for night.
Festival and celebrationDanger and warningFearSource: HalloweenThe lowest band of the flag is orange, often called apricot, after the national fruit. The constitution says it stands for the creative talent and hard work of the people.
Politics and protestNature and renewalPrideSource: Flag of ArmeniaThe flag is split corner to corner. The orange half stands for the Buddhist tradition, and the white dragon across the middle for purity.
Sacred and holySource: Flag of BhutanShades and relatives of Safety orange
Related shades include Dayglo orange or luminous orange (RAL 2005) in Europe, which serves the same high-visibility purpose. Other safety colours include safety yellow and international orange. Safety orange is sometimes confused with these, but is defined by specific standards for consistency.
Colours that go with Safety orange
Harmonies are worked out from the value #FF7800. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Safety orange
What colour is safety orange?
Safety orange is a vivid, reddish-orange shade designed to be highly visible, especially against the blue sky. It is defined by standards such as ANSI Z535 and Pantone 151c.
Where does the name 'safety orange' come from?
The name comes from its use in safety equipment and markings, especially in the United States. It is used to make objects and people stand out for safety reasons.
Where is safety orange commonly used?
It is used for traffic cones, construction signs, hunting clothing, and safety equipment in the United States and other countries. It also marks workers and vehicles in places like Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.
Is safety orange the same as blaze orange?
Yes, safety orange is also known as blaze orange, hunter orange, OSHA orange, and Caltrans orange. These names reflect its use in different safety and visibility contexts.
How is safety orange defined for manufacturing?
It is specified by colour standards like ANSI Z535, Munsell notation (5.0YR 6.0/15), and Pantone 151c. These ensure the colour is consistent and highly visible.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Safety orange", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
More of the orange family
All of orange
#FF7F50
Coral
A vivid orange-pink named after the colour of precious coral from the seaNamed shade
#FFBF00
Amber
A yellow-orange colour named after fossilised tree resinNamed shade
#F4C430
Saffron
A yellow-orange shade named after the colour of saffron crocus threadsNamed shade 路 馃嚠馃嚦 India +1
#FFE5B4
Peach
A soft pastel shade named for the inside of a peach fruitNamed shade 路 馃嚚馃嚦 China
#BA160C
International orange
A strong reddish-orange used for safety in engineering, aerospace and maritime workNamed shade 路 馃嚭馃嚫 United States +1
#F28500
Tangerine
A bright orange named after the tangerine fruitNamed shade
#E32600
Methyl orange
An orange-red azo dye used as a pH indicator in chemistryDye
#FBCEB1
Apricot
A pale yellow-orange shade named after the apricot fruitNamed shade
More colours tied to the United States
The colours of the United States
#FF0000
Red
A primary colour seen in light, pigment, and tradition worldwideBasic colour 路 馃嚭馃嚫 United States +5
#FFFF00
Yellow
A primary colour between green and orange, seen in sunlight, leaves, and pigmentsBasic colour 路 馃嚝馃嚪 France +5
#800080
Purple
A cool colour between red and blue, long linked with royalty and rarityBasic colour 路 馃嚤馃嚙 Lebanon +5
#6A5DFF
Indigo
A deep blue named for the dye once exported from IndiaNamed shade 路 馃嚠馃嚦 India +5