PFI Standard ES-43

(Reaffirmed February 2005)

STANDARD FOR PROTECTION OF

AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEEL
AND NICKEL ALLOY MATERIALS

Prepared by
Pipe Fabrication Institute Engineering Committee

All PFI Standards are advisory only. There is no

agreement to adhere to any PFI Standard and their
use by anyone is entirely voluntary.

Copyright by

PIPE FABRICATION INSTITUTE

Dedicated to Technical Advancements and Standardization in
the Pipe Fabrication Industry
Since 1913
USA CANADA
511 Avenue of America’s, # 601 655, 32nd Avenue, # 201
New York, NY 10011 Lachine, QC H8T 3G6

WEB SITE
www.pfi-institute.org

Standard for Protection of Austenitic Stainless Steel and
Nickel Alloy Materials
1. Scope
1.1 This standard describes recommended methods
for the handling, storage and fabrication of
austenitic stainless steel and nickel alloy
materials to avoid surface contamination. This
standard applies during handling, receiving and
storage of raw materials and during all phases of
fabrication, inspection and shipment.
2. Handling & Storage
2.1 Austenitic stainless steel and nickel alloy
material shall be handled with nylon slings or
equipment protected with a non-contaminating
buffer material.
2.2 When receiving these alloys, a visual
examination of both internal and external
surfaces shall be conducted to detect existing
contamination or gouges caused by contact with
contaminating material.
2.3 Fittings shall be stored on pallets or shelving
constructed of non-contaminating material.
2.4 Storage areas for these materials shall be
separate from the areas where carbon steel
material is stored.
2.5 If stainless steel material is stored outdoors in a
salt air environment, the material shall be
covered with a water repellent sheet.
2.6 Carbon steel strapping shall only be used if a
durable, non-contaminating material is used to
isolate the strapping from contact with the
stainless steel or nickel alloy. Suggested neutral
material includes clean wood, cardboard, cloth,
paper and stainless steel buffers.
2.7 Walking on the austenitic stainless steel or
nickel alloy material shall be avoided.
3. Fabrication
3.1 Surfaces of tools and equipment containing
carbon steel, zinc, copper or their alloys which
come into contact with austenitic or nickel alloy
materials shall be covered with a non-
contaminating material.
PFI Standard ES-43
(Reaffirmed February 2005)
3.2 Tools such as grinding wheels and wire brushes
previously used on carbon steel shall not be
used on austenitic stainless steel or nickel alloy
materials.
3.3 Grinding discs, abrasive discs and belts shall be
made of resin-bonded alumina, silicon carbide
or zirconium carbide. Sulphurized compounds
shall not be used as a bonding material.
3.4 Only 300 series stainless steel brushes shall be
used on austenitic and nickel alloys.
3.5 All material removal and cleaning tools shall be
marked to identify that they are to be used on
austenitic and nickel alloy materials only.
Marking shall be visible while a tool is in use.
3.6 Areas used for fabrication of austenitic and
nickel alloy materials shall be separated from
carbon steel areas by methods suitable to
prevent contamination by carbon steel shavings,
grinding dust, and zinc dust from painting
operations.
3.7 Where tape is used for back purging, the tape
shall use an adhesive with a water soluble
chloride content not exceeding 50 ppm.
3.8 After pressure-sensitive and adhesive-backed
tapes are no longer required, they shall be
removed along with any residual adhesive using
a suitable solvent or abrasive.
3.9 When hydrostatic testing is required, the test
fluid shall not contain more than 50 ppm
chlorides. Piping shall be properly drained
following testing.
3.10 Cutting fluids or oils shall be low halogen, low
sulphur and shall be completely removed from
all surfaces prior to any hot forming, welding, or
heat treating operations.
4. Shipping
4.1 Packing materials and shipping protectors such
as PVC caps, plugs, adhesive tapes shall be new
and not contain substances that could be harmful
to these alloys.
 PFI Standard ES-43
(Reaffirmed February 2005)

4.2 Any marking or color coding shall be done with

materials having a water soluble chloride
content not exceeding 50 ppm, measured after
the marking material has dried.

4.3 If identification tags are used, the tags and

attachment devices shall be made of a non-
contaminating material.

4.4 Austenitic stainless steel and nickel alloys shall

be shipped in a manner that will minimize the
risk of the material becoming contaminated.
Shipping these alloys on the same load as
carbon steel material should be avoided. If
common loads are to be used, care must be
taken to ensure segregation by use of wood
bracing or other non-contaminating material.
 CHARTER MEMBERS
ACCO ENGINEERED SYSTEMS Glendale, California
AECON INDUSTRIAL Cambridge, Ontario (Canada)
A & G PIPING, INC. Forth Worth, Texas
ARMISTEAD MECHANICAL, INC. Mahwah, New Jersey
BASSETT MECHANICAL, INC. Kaukauna, Wisconsin
DIXIE MECHANICAL, INC. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
ENERPIPE SYSTEMS, INC. New London, Wisconsin
GASTIER INTERNATIONAL, INC. Anjou, Quebec (Canada)
GEM INDUSTRIAL, INC. Walbridge, Ohio
GREAT LAKES MECHANICAL, INC. Little Chute, Wisconsin
HIGH PURITY SYSTEMS, INC. Manassas, Virginia
IDEAL WELDERS, LTD. Delta, British Columbia (Canada)
INDUSTRIAL POWER SYSTEMS, INC. Toledo, Ohio
J. F. AHERN CO. Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
JOHN E. GREEN COMPANY Highland Park, Michigan
KINETIC SYSTEMS, INC. Union City, California
LAWDAN UNDUSTRIES St. Paul, Minnesota
MARELICH MECHANICAL CO. INC. Hayward, California
MC ABEE CONSTRUCTION, INC. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
MC CARL’S, INC. Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
MECHANICAL INC. – A HELM GROUP CO. Freeport, Illinois
MURPHY COMPANY St. Louis, Missouri
NARDEI FABRICATORS, LTD. Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
P1 GROUP, INC. Lawrence, Kansas
PERFORMANCE MECHANICAL, INC. Pittsburg, California
PIONEER PIPE, INC. Marietta, Ohio
PIPE FABRICATING & SUPPLY CO. Woods Cross, Utah
PIPING SYSTEMS, INC. Kaukauna, Wisconsin
S. A. COMUNALE COMPANY, INC. Barberton, Ohio
S & D / OSTERFELD MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS Dayton, Ohio
SCHECK MECHANICAL WI CORP. Kaukauna, Wisconsin
SHAW MID-STATES PIPE FABRICATING, INC. El Dorado, Arkansas
TEAM INDUSTRIES, INC. Kaukauna, Wisconsin
UNIVERSITY MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING CO. San Diego, California
WESTLAKE INDUSTRIES, INC. Burlington, Ontario (Canada)
W. SOULE & COMPANY Portage, Michigan
W. J. O'NEIL COMPANY Livonia, Michigan
Associate and Affiliate member contributors
Dave Stanzel Miller Electric Mfg. Co. Appleton, WI
Walter Sperko Sperko Engineering Services, Inc. Greensboro, NC
Thomas Warrelmann Victaulic Company of America Easton, PA
Sheryl Michalak Welding Outlets, Inc. Houston, TX

Visit our website www.pfi-institute.org for an up to date list of all PFI Members and their website

A current index of the latest revised ES Standards, Technical Bulletins and Safety Training Guideline is available from the Pipe
Fabrication Institute.
PFI Safety Training Guideline, Standards and Technical Bulletins are published to serve proven needs of the pipe fabricating industry
at the design level and in actual shop operations. Hence, such needs are continually considered and reviewed by the Engineering
Committee of the Pipe Fabrication Institute to provide recommended procedures, which have been demonstrated by collective
experiences to fulfill requirements in a manner for Code compliance. However, as the PFI Standards are for minimum requirements the
designer or fabricator always has the option of specifying supplementary conditions in the form of requirements beyond the scope of
the PFI publications.