Push button switches are essential components within industrial and consumer appliances, allowing users to control many different functions, including start/stop, increasing/decreasing speed or temperature, and selecting between automatic and manual operations.

 

They are typically crafted from premium metals or plastics and come in normally closed, normally open or a combination of both and many different sizes, colors and shapes, such as concave for easier operation using a finger and convex for operating using the palm.

 

It’s essential to select the push button switches type and color based on function and your application. Sadly, there really is no comprehensive international standard that strictly outlines which types and colors of push buttons to use for every application. That said, there are a handful of relevant guidelines that inform on proper practices and provide important recommendations.

 

Popular Push Button Color Guidelines

The two most relevant guidelines for selecting push button switch colors are ANSI/ISA-S5.1 and Pushbutton Guidelines by AWC.

 

Simply, ANSI is an American National Standard from the International Society of Automation specifying push button switch colors for control applications such as START/STOP or ON/OFF, EMERGENCY STOP and Reset.

 

On the other hand, Pushbutton guidelines by AWC Inc are not officially recognized but are still popular with appliance manufacturers for selecting push button switch colors based on their function and user application.

 

Push Button Switches Color Codes Based on These Guidelines

Push button switches have many different uses but the most popular is as simple On/Off switches. When installing a start/on push button switch red is prohibited. Go with black, white, gray or the highly recommended green and leave red for the emergency stop switch.

An emergency stop push button switch is useful when users need to kill operations fast in case of danger. It’s also known as a kill switch or E stop button. It’s best if it’s designed for high visibility and easy operation. Choose a switch with a red-colored mushroom head and yellow outer ring.  Use a button with a textured or bumpy surface for extra sensory cue. However, avoid placing an E-switch close to other red-colored buttons lest it results in confusion.

For stop/off buttons, you can use the same color as start/on but never green. Simply, green is typically associated with ‘go’ like traffic light color green or the phrase ‘green light’. Use white, gray, yellow or black for your stop/off switch. Black is highly recommended. Also red is okay but only if the button is far away from the E-stop switch.

 

In case of a reset switch, you can use a blue, gray, black or white button. Green is not allowed lest it creates confusion. In case the reset switch also functions as a non-emergency stop/off switch, choose a black, white or gray button, preferably the former for greater clarity.

 

In case the switch is used for alternate start/on and stop/off functions, you may use white, black, or gray colored buttons only. Neither red, green or yellow is recommended for switches installed for these types of functions.

 

You may also use a gray, black or white button for a momentary switch. This is a type of switch that remains active when pressed and deactivates instantly when let go. You should not install a red, green or yellow button for this switch.

 

For setting up an intervening switch to kill operation during abnormal situations or restart an interrupted automatic operation, use a yellow button. Yellow symbolizes abnormality, meaning a switch marked yellow is for intervening in case of abnormal conditions

 

In case you have many switches of the same color for different functions, make it easy for users to recognize which switch is needed for which function by varying the shape, and location of the buttons and even adding extra symbols. Additionally, contrast the button color with the rest of the background for enhanced visibility and incorporate elements such as textured surface to provide additional sensory cues.

 

Alright, that’s it on push button switch color codes. If you are ready to order your push button switch, we will be happy to fulfill your request. Visit our website to look at our switches and choose the one that makes sense for your operation and aesthetic requirements.