ISO/FDIS 22324

Security and resilience – Emergency management – Guidelines for colour-coded alert

ISO 22324:2015 provides guidelines for the use of colour codes to inform people at risk as well as first response personnel about danger and to express the severity of a situation. It is applicable to all types of hazard in any location. This International Standard does not cover the method for displaying colour codes, detailed ergonomic considerations related with viewing displays, or safety signs covered by ISO 3864‑1.

Sécurité et résilience – Gestion des situations d'urgence – Lignes directrices relatives aux alertes par code couleur

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• ICS: 01.070 - Colour coding
• ICS: 03.100.01 - Company organization and management in general
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 292 - Security and resilience
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 292 - Security and resilience
• Current Stage: 5020 - FDIS ballot initiated: 2 months. Proof sent to secretariat
• Completion Date: 27-Sep-2022

RELATIONS

• Revises: ISO 22324:2015 - Societal security — Emergency management — Guidelines for colour-coded alerts
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022

Standards Content (sample)

© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Date: 2022-09-13
ISO/TC 292
Secretariat: SIS
Security and resilience — Emergency management — Guidelines
for colour-coded alert

Sécurité et résilience — Gestion de crise — Lignes directrices des couleurs associées aux niveaux

d’alerte
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
© ISO 2022

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of

this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written

permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the

country of the requester.
ISO Copyright Office
CP 401 • CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland.
---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Contents

Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................ iv

Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................... v

1 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

2 Normative references .......................................................................................................................................... 1

3 Terms and definitions ......................................................................................................................................... 1

4 Guidance for use of colour codes ..................................................................................................................... 1

4.1 General ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1

4.2 Colour codes to express the status of hazard .................................................................................................... 1

4.2.1 General ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1

4.2.2 Typical colours for colour-coding system ................................................................................................. 2

4.2.3 Order and position for the red, yellow and green spectrum ............................................................. 3

4.3 Colour codes to give supplementary information ........................................................................................... 3

4.3.1 General ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3

4.3.2 Black and purple .................................................................................................................................................. 3

4.3.3 Blue ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4

4.3.4 Grey ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4

4.4 Consideration for human factors and colour blindness ................................................................................ 4

4.4.1 General ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4

4.4.2 Colour names ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

4.4.3 Text colours ........................................................................................................................................................... 4

Annex A (informative) Examples on the use of colour codes in practice ................................................. 6

Annex B (informative) Recommendations for colour selection .................................................................. 9

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................................. 12

© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved iii
---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards

bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out

through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical

committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International

organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO

collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of

electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are

described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the

different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the

editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of

patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any

patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on

the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not

constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation onof the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and

expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the World

Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see

www.iso.org/iso/foreword.htmlthe following URL: .

The committee responsible for thisThis document iswas prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 292,

Security and resilience.

This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, (ISO 22324:2015), of which has been updatedit

constitutes a minor revision.
The changes are as follows:
— the title has been updated,;

— the document has been revised editorially.references to guidance in other relevant standards have

been added;
— the Bibliography has been updated.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A

complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv © ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Introduction

People maycan be faced in their daily lives with various kinds of risks. People at risk should be able to

take appropriate safety actions when faced with hazards even thoughif they maydo not have a full

understanding of them.

Public warnings, through a combination of prior notifications and alerts, enable people at risk to take

appropriate and timely actions to protect their safety. ISO 22322 provides further guidance on public

warning.

Colour-coded alerts are used to notify people at risk of status changes on a safety or danger continuum

in allowing them to take appropriate actions.

This document will lead to better understanding of colour-coded alerts by reducing confusion and

prompting more appropriate responses in an emergency situation.
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved v
---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Security and resilience — Emergency management — Guidelines for colour-
coded alert
1 Scope

This document provides guidelines forgives guidance on the use of colour codes to inform people at risk

as well as first response personnel about danger and to express the severity of a situation. It is applicable

to all types of hazard in any location.
This document is applicable to all types of hazard in any location.

This document does not coverapply to the method for displaying colour codes, detailed ergonomic

considerations related withto viewing displays, or safety signs covered by ISO 3864--1.

2 Normative references

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content

constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For

undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

ISO 22300, Security and resilience — Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 22300 apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
4 Guidance for use of colour codes
4.1 General

Red, yellow and green (and the spectrum in between in terms of hue) should be used to express the status

of a hazard. Black, purple, blue and grey should be used to give supplementary information about the

hazard. ISO 22322 provides further guidance on public warning.
4.2 Colour codes to express the status of hazard
4.2.1 General
The colour codes to express the status of hazard are as follows:

— Red is associated with danger and should be used to notify people at risk to take appropriate safety

actions immediately.

— Yellow is associated with caution and should be used to notify people at risk to prepare to take

appropriate safety actions.

— Green is associated with a safe status and should be used to notify people at risk that no action is

required.
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved 1
---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)

This document does not define danger, caution or safety other than the suggested meaning given in

Table 1.
Experts should classify the status of hazard into danger, caution or safe.
Table 1 — Colour codes
Colour Associated meaning Proposed action
Red Danger Take appropriate safety action immediately
Yellow Caution Prepare to take appropriate safety action
Green Safe No action required
4.2.2 Typical colours for colour-coding system

If more than three colours are needed to express the level of hazard, the colours and supporting

information should be based on the following:

— the number of the level of hazard should be minimized in order to limit the number of colours being

used;
— hues between the red and green spectrum should be chosen;
— no more than seven colours should be used to avoid confusion;

— supporting information, which is understandable by users, should be added, including:

— supplemental information (e.g. text, numbers, shape, symbol, size);
— positional coding.

Figure 1 illustrates the different colours which can be used in colour code-coding systems.

The colours in Figure 1 are indicative and should not be used for colour matching.

Annex B gives recommendations on colour specifications based on Munsell, CMYK, and RGB systems.

Figure
...

FINAL
INTERNATIONAL ISO/FDIS
DRAFT
STANDARD 22324
ISO/TC 292
Security and resilience – Emergency
Secretariat: SIS
management – Guidelines for colour-
Voting begins on:
2022-09-27 coded alert
Voting terminates on:
2022-11-22
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO
SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION
OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH
THEY ARE AWARE AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING
DOCUMENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
Reference number
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO-
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES,
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON
OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE
LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STAN-
DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS. © ISO 2022
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
FINAL
INTERNATIONAL ISO/FDIS
DRAFT
STANDARD 22324
ISO/TC 292
Security and resilience – Emergency
Secretariat: SIS
management – Guidelines for colour-
Voting begins on:
coded alert
Voting terminates on:
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2022

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may

be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on

the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below

or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO
ISO copyright office
SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION
OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
THEY ARE AWARE AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
DOCUMENTATION.
Phone: [phone]
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
Reference number
Email: [e-mail]
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO­
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Website: www.iso.org
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES,
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON
Published in Switzerland
OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE
LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STAN­
DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
NATIONAL REGULATIONS. © ISO 2022
---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Contents Page

Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................iv

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v

1 Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

2 Normative references ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

3 Terms and definitions .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

4 Guidance for use of colour codes ........................................................................................................................................................ 1

4.1 General ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

4.2 Colour codes to express the status of hazard ............................................................................................................. 1

4.2.1 General ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 1

4.2.2 Typical colours for colour-coding system .................................................................................................... 2

4.2.3 Order and position for the red, yellow and green spectrum ....................................................... 2

4.3 Colour codes to give supplementary information ................................................................................................... 3

4.3.1 General ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 3

4.3.2 Black and purple ................................................................................................................................................................. 3

4.3.3 Blue ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

4.3.4 Grey ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4

4.4 Consideration for human factors and colour blindness ..................................................................................... 4

4.4.1 General ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 4

4.4.2 Colour names ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

4.4.3 Text colours ............................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Annex A (informative) Examples on the use of colour codes in practice ......................................................................6

Annex B (informative) Recommendations for colour selection ............................................................................................. 9

Bibliography .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................11

iii
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards

bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out

through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical

committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International

organizations, governmental and non­governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.

ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of

electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are

described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the

different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the

editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of

patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of

any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or

on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not

constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and

expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to

the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see

www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 292, Security and resilience.

This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 22324:2015), of which it constitutes a

minor revision.
The changes are as follows:
— the title has been updated;
— references to guidance in other relevant standards have been added;
— the Bibliography has been updated.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A

complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Introduction

People can be faced in their daily lives with various kinds of risks. People at risk should be able to take

appropriate safety actions when faced with hazards even if they do not have a full understanding of

them.

Public warnings, through a combination of prior notifications and alerts, enable people at risk to take

appropriate and timely actions to protect their safety. ISO 22322 provides further guidance on public

warning.

Colour-coded alerts are used to notify people at risk of status changes on a safety or danger continuum

in allowing them to take appropriate actions.

This document will lead to better understanding of colour-coded alerts by reducing confusion and

prompting more appropriate responses in an emergency situation.
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/FDIS 22324:2022(E)
Security and resilience – Emergency management –
Guidelines for colour-coded alert
1 Scope

This document gives guidance on the use of colour codes to inform people at risk as well as first

response personnel about danger and to express the severity of a situation.
This document is applicable to all types of hazard in any location.

This document does not apply to the method for displaying colour codes, detailed ergonomic

considerations related to viewing displays or safety signs covered by ISO 3864-1.

2 Normative references

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content

constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For

undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

ISO 22300, Security and resilience — Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 22300 apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
4 Guidance for use of colour codes
4.1 General

Red, yellow and green (and the spectrum in between in terms of hue) should be used to express the

status of a hazard. Black, purple, blue and grey should be used to give supplementary information about

the hazard. ISO 22322 provides further guidance on public warning.
4.2 Colour codes to express the status of hazard
4.2.1 General
The colour codes to express the status of hazard are as follows:

— Red is associated with danger and should be used to notify people at risk to take appropriate safety

actions immediately.

— Yellow is associated with caution and should be used to notify people at risk to prepare to take

appropriate safety actions.
— Green is associated with a saf
...