Every non domestic premise in the UK is governed by safety legislation and as such will have a need for safety signs. Safety signage is a cost effective and efficient way to warn and educate people to the particular risks associated with a building. While there are some signs, such as fire signs, which will be common to all buildings, there are many others which will only be relevant in certain situations. The way to determine the signs needed should be by way of a full risk assessment and perhaps a sign site survey.

Below we have put together our top 10 list of the typical signs likely to be found in businesses and public buildings, but please bear in mind that every building has different requirements and signage should be judged on individual risk assessments.

1. UK Health and Safety Law Poster

For anyone employed, the UK Health and Safety Law Poster must be provided to each worker as a copy of the approved leaflet or equivalent pocket card. The poster must be displayed in a location where it’s visible to workers. On the design of the poster, British health and safety laws are outlined with a list telling workers what employers must do, what employee’s must do and instructions on what to do if there’s a problem.

Health and safety law poster

2. Fire Action Notices 

The Fire Action Notice is to make sure that anyone who is situated in a building has enough information to know what to do if a fire emerges or if they need to evacuate the building. Information that’s typically on these signs include: 

  • The fire services phone number
  • The exit use to leave the building
  • Assembly point locations
  • Further instructions specific to the building 

There are several Fire Action Signs, so it’s necessary to choose the one that is relevant to your premises. If you are responsible for a commercial premises, you must display a Fire Action Notice. It’s best practice to display one next to each Fire Alarm call-point and every final exit door.

Fire action notice

3. Fire Exit and Emergency Escape Signs 

Fire Exit Signs, also known as Fire Escape Signs or an Emergency Exit Sign, direct people in the right direction to exit a building as quickly and safely as possible. These play a key role if a fire was to break out and are a requirement under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 (HSR) and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005 (RFSO).

Fire exit sign with arrow pointing up

4. Fire Equipment Signs 

Fire Equipment Signs contain a description for the type of fire extinguisher that’s available and it’s uses. These can be found in different colours, with the most common being red and green. The sign also details what the fire extinguisher can/cannot be used for. This is provide better safety and reduce inappropriate usage. It’s a legal requirement to make sure all fire equipment is easy to access, easy to use with the right instructions in place.

Foam fire extinguisher sign

5. First Aid Signs 

First Aid Signs are necessary to locate and instruct people where first aid equipment is in a building. They sometimes offer further instructions, such as who the first-aider is and instructions for people with disabilities. It’s a legal requirement that anyone responsible for a premises has enough first aid in place to ensure that people are as safe as possible. These signs and procedures should conform to BS 5499.

Your first aiders are here sign

6. No Smoking Signs 

No Smoking Signs are there to inform people that smoking is not permitted because it may pose a fire risk or potential hazard. These signs are a mandatory instruction, meaning that they should be followed at all times. No smoking signs are located in areas where fire risks are identified, so it’s necessary to install prohibition signs to ensure that safety measures are in place. July 2007 saw a total smoking ban in all enclosed public places, work places and certain vehicles in the UK. The smoke free legislation means it is an offence not to display the appropriate No Smoking Signs, resulting in fines up to £1000.

This is a no smoking area sign

7. Slip, trip & fall signs 

Slip, Trip & Fall signs are a legal requirement anywhere a slippery area is not cordoned off. These signs are to help workers and visitors stay safe and reduce the chances of accidents.  Most premises will have routine cleaning operations which may leave areas vulnerable, which is why these signs are essential to have in place. Lightweight stands holding double-sided signs are readily available.

Danger slippery surface sign

8. Obstacle or Dangerous Location Signs 

Most buildings will have localized hazards, the most common of which are trip hazards and low-hanging obstacles. These signs need to be put in place to advise people to be more cautious when in these areas. Trips are the most common cause of injury, which could be avoIded with a ’Mind The Step’ sign.

Mind the step sign

9. Hazardous Substance Signs 

Many workplaces involve some form of contact with hazardous substances, such as painting, hair and beauty salons and medical professions. The types of risks for each industry varies, but it’s important to understand every hazard symbol and the dangerous related to the substances. There are nine hazard symbols commonly used, which are explosiveflammableoxidisingcorrosiveacute toxicity, hazardous to the environmenthealth hazard, serious health hazard and gas under pressure. So if you’re responsible for a workplace that deals with substances, it’s a legal requirement that you complete regular risk assessments and ensure that the correct signage is in place.

Corrosive substance sign

10. Catering Signs 

Most premises have kitchen or catering facilities. So it’s important to have the appropriate signage in place to minimise risks for burns and also hygiene and food safety. If your workplace prepares and serves food, you need to ensure compliance with The Food Standards Agency (FSA) by having the appropriate signage in place. So whether you have a small kitchen for your staff, or a large, well equipped kitchen for your restaurant, we have your signage covered.

First aid for burns poster

A Guide to COSHH – A Guest post from RoSPA

If you’ve ever had any dealings with any aspect of Health and Safety, the chances are you’ve come across the acronym COSHH or one of the COSHH symbols. However, you may still be uncertain about what COSHH actually stands or what the symbols mean. Don’t worry though, help is at hand with our informative short guide to COSHH.

What does COSSH stand for?

COSHH stands for ‘Control of Substances Hazardous to Health’ and under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, employers need to either prevent or reduce their workers’ exposure to substances that are hazardous to their health.

What are ‘substances hazardous to health?’

Broadly speaking, substances hazardous to health include any substances that could cause harm to employees, contractors and other people. These hazardous substances can come in many different forms, including:

  • Chemicals
  • Fumes
  • Dusts
  • Vapours
  • Mists
  • Nanotechnology
  • Gases
  • Asphyxiating gases
  • Biological agents

What do the COSHH symbols stand for?

The COSHH symbols are a set of international symbols that allow you to understand the different hazards within your organisation. They have been in use since 1967, with each symbol representing a different type of hazard. In 2009 the symbols were updated to reflect the international nature of hazardous substances.

COSHH Training

COSHH training is designed to safeguard your employees, teaching them to to identify, measure and control the exposure to harmful substances. A COSHH training course should provide you with:

  • An understanding of how and which substances can harm health
  • Knowledge and definitions of exposure limits
  • Skills to understand exposure and to conduct risk assessments
  • A greater understanding of practical control measures and safe systems of work

Where can I find out more?

The HSE has a free downloadable guide called ‘Working with substances hazardous to health’ – which is a brief overview of COSHH.

The RoSPA Workplace Safety Blog also contains further information on COSHH, as well as other useful posts on all matters relating to occupational health and safety.

While safety signs may not have been at the top of your Christmas list, this time of year is the perfect time to carry out a signage audit of your premises. The beginning of year is always associated with fresh starts, out with the old and in with the new. We often get renewed energy which gives us the impetus to start new projects or clear the decks in anticipation of what January will bring.

Taking Stock of your Safety Signs

Take time to walk round your premises, it may take a couple of trips round if you have a large or complicated building layout. Note all your existing fire signs and safety signs. Do you have all the necessary signs covered by legislation? Through the course of the year things happen to your building, were signs replaced after that wall got repainted? were your signs covered up when you had the last office move round? Many people find that their fire signage is often in the wrong place, check your emergency escape signage is being displayed properly. If you are not sure whether you are completely covered legally get a site survey done to give you peace of mind. While it isn’t yet a requirement to change all your existing safety signs to the new ISO7010 versions make sure any missing or damaged signs are replaced with the new updated symbols.

Care of your safety Signs

Safety signs over time can become dirty or damaged several environmental factors can effect your signs. Signs in areas of high traffic can become dirty quickly. Make sure all signs are clean and clear and be easily read, cleaning where needed. If they are illegible and beyond cleaning replace where necessary.

Signage Clutter

Have you got too many safety signs? are the messages you are giving out confusing? If it is a high hazard area consider replacing a number of your signs with single multi message signs. Having your safety information in one place will not only look smarter but will help reduce sign blindness- where people are so used to seeing the same signs day in day out they in fact cease to register seeing the signs at all.

For more information about safety signs or any other signage query please contact our sales team sales@stocksigns.co.uk  and don’t forget to order your new 2013 catalogue.

This article was first published in December 2011.

While safety signs may not have been at the top of your Christmas list, this time of year is the perfect time to carry out a signage audit of your premises. The beginning of year is always associated with fresh starts, out with the old and in with the new. We often get renewed energy which gives us the impetus to start new projects or clear the decks in anticipation of what January will bring.

Taking Stock of your Safety Signs

Take time to walk round your premises, it may take a couple of trips round if you have a large or complicated building layout. Note all your existing fire safety signs. Do you have all the necessary signs covered by legislation? Through the course of the year things happen to your building, were signs replaced after that wall got repainted? were your signs covered up when you had the last office move round? Many people find that their fire signage is often in the wrong place, check your emergency escape signage is being displayed properly. If you are not sure whether you are completely covered legally get a site survey done to give you peace of mind. While it isn’t yet a requirement to change all your existing safety signs to the new ISO7010 versions make sure any missing or damaged signs are replaced with the new updated symbols.

Care of your safety Signs

Safety signs over time can become dirty or damaged several environmental factors can effect your signs. Signs in areas of high traffic can become dirty quickly. Make sure all signs are clean and clear and be easily read, cleaning where needed. If they are illegible and beyond cleaning replace where necessary.

Signage Clutter

Have you got too many safety signs? are the messages you are giving out confusing? If it is a high hazard area consider replacing a number of your signs with single multi message signs. Having your safety information in one place will not only look smarter but will help reduce sign blindness- where people are so used to seeing the same signs day in day out they in fact cease to register seeing the signs at all.

For more information about safety signs or any other signage query please contact our sales team sales@stocksigns.co.uk.

There has been much talk recently about signs pollution, the proliferation of signs all over our town and countryside, from high street to motorway, from factory to farm. Which not only can blight our landscape or built environment, but also cause confusion by virtue of the sign’s own cluttering promiscuity.

Does this apply to health and safety signs?

Not so, in our view. First, the very purpose of properly located and appropriate safety signage is to protect staff and visitors on your premises, when all other means to mitigate a risk has been considered an actioned. In this case “familiarity does NOT breed contempt – rather the continual and consistent viability of such safety aids increases awareness and comprehension of the potential dangers and the means of avoiding or evading them. This is not just a negative “do not” approach as is evident from essential use of fire and emergency exit signs in their various forms.

Secondly, the key to effective health and safety signage starts with the comprehensive assessment of the risks in a workplace and, where these can not be avoided, the selection of the most appropriate signs – which in many cases, separate safety messages can be incorporated in one multi-purpose sign, so quite legitimately saving space and money.

Safety Signs Training

A further crucial ingredient is the general level of safety awareness that is developed within your organisation, and in particular, the education and training of staff with respect to safety signs. Here, there are a number of aides, such as pocket guides (for example, these can be included in an induction pack) and the Health and Safety Law Poster that are in any event a legal requirement to display.

In all these areas Stocksigns can help, although ultimately, of course the responsibility lies with you. Our advice, a combination of physical surveys and the wide range of signs on offer, will eliminate the over-use of signs, but protect the organisation, and its employees and visitors, which after all, is the whole point.

Hazard safety signs play an essential role in the management of your safety, warning your staff and visitors of any potential dangers on the premises.

Hazard signs have a yellow triangle with a black pictogram or symbol on a yellow background with a black border. The yellow part has to be at least 50% of the area of the sign. Many of the hazard symbols currently used have been updated to bring them in line with the new ISO 7010 legislation.

Each sign is categorised as the above depending on the severity of the risk. For example, signs with the word “Danger” are used where the risk is deemed to be higher than those signs using the word caution.

(more…)

Over the next few months we will see the adoption of a new standard for safety signs as ISO 7010 is soon to become Pr EN 7010. The change will see safety signs in the workplace move away from being an “International standard” (essentially a recommendation on best practice), to a European norm (meaning the contents of the standard must be written into UK and EU law). ISO 7010 has been developed to provide consistency in design across the EU. We will be phasing in the new designs throughout 2011 and you may notice some design changes to the symbols whereas others will look virtually unchanged. Whilst the new symbols will be replacing the old designs, both designs will still meet your safety obligations.

ISO 7010 – An Overview.

In the late seventies, as the European Community was coming into being, it was recognised that with a large migratory workforce within the EU countries, there would be a real problem communicating health and safety issues.

It was decided to create an international standard based on pictograms. This lead to the publishing, in 1984, of the first health and safety standard; ISO 3864-Safety Colours and Safety Signs, which is still current today and is the basis for both ISO 7010 and BS 5499.

Because ISO 3864 was not grounded in law, it did not become established across the EU. So, in 1992, a European Directive based on ISO 3864 was passed, which made it a legal requirement for member states to write the requirements into their countries health and safety legislation, this was EC Directive 92/58/EEC.
In the UK this took the form of the “Health & Safety (Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.

The Directive was a bit vague regarding the symbols to be used and soon a variety of different symbols had developed across Europe, the “Euro” fire exit symbol being a good example.

The situation regarding these symbols now needed to be rectified.

Here in Britain, this lead to the revision of the previous standard and in 2002, BS5499:2002 Graphical Symbols and Signs, was issued.

The need for correct pictograms across Europe was now evident and so the International Standards Organisation were compelled to update their own standards and so, using BS 5499 as a basis, they split ISO 3864 into two parts:

ISO 3864:2002 – covering shape and colours, as before.
ISO 7010:2003 – covering pictograms.

As previously seen in the Eighties, for these changes to have any impact, it would be necessary to write this standard into law, which is the process we are in the middle of now.

Making ISO 7010 into an EN, means that the status of the standard will change from being a recommendation of best practice, to a European Norm, requiring that the contents of the Standard are written, without change, into all EU countries laws.

This means that there will be a legal requirement for the same sign to be used in every country for the same requirement.
It will mean that a fire exit sign in England will be the same as it would be in France, Spain, Germany or anywhere at all within the EU.

ISO 7010 – A Brief History – milestone timeline

Late seventies – large migratory workforce in the EEC
1978 – BS 5499 – Fire Safety Signs, Notices and Graphic Symbols
1992 – EC Directive 92/58/EEC
1996 – “The Health & Safety (Signs and Signals) Regulations
2002 – BS 5499:2002 – Graphical Symbols and Signs
2003 – ISO 3864:2002 and ISO 7010:2003

our new 2011 catalogue is has been completely updated to include the NEW ISO 7010 safety symbols

Safety signs are placed around shops and businesses, typically warning staff, customers and passersby that there is a hazard or safety issue. The safety signs over time can become dull and dirty from various elements that accumulate on them, this can obscure the valuable workplace safety message but also can make your premises look unkempt. These signs are often made of a hard rigid plastic, vinyl or aluminium, allowing you to easily clean your safety signs with inexpensive ingredients. For added protection and increased longevity email our sales team about having your safety signs made with “POF” protective overlay film.

Things You’ll Need to clean your safety signs:

  • Bucket
    Water
    Mild soap
    Vinegar
    Cleaning rag
    Nylon brush

Instructions for Cleaning your safety signs

1. Fill a bucket with about 2 litres warm water and 2 tbsp. of a mild detergent such as washing up liquid or laundry detergent. For a disinfectant quality, add an optional 1/2 cup of white vinegar.

2. Dip a soft cleaning rag into the cleaner and wipe it over your safety signs.

3. Very gently swish a nylon scrub brush into the cleaner if needed when heavier residue is present, again wiping over the sign until all grime is removed.

4. Wipe down the sign again with a clean, damp rag and allow to air dry.

Safety signs and symbols are important safety communicating tools, they help to indicate various hazards that present in plant site or workplace. At the same time, they warn workers to always keep watching out for those hazards by giving required information and safety instructions.

Safety signs and symbols do not only inform the presence of hazards, but also help create workers’ safety awareness. It is very important in reducing accidents in the workplace more obviously in maufacturing, heavy industry and on construction sites but also important in office based environments too.

To get the most out of health and safety signs and symbols, you should choose the right ones for each work location on your premises. Each work area needs different workplace health and safety signs and symbols. This is because each work area has different types of hazards. A risk assesment of each activity or designated area will help identify hazards. Appropriate actions for ensuring safety can then be drawn up and selecting the appropriate safety signs can then be selected. Where possible safety signs shown be changed (at least their location) to keep the safety message fresh and to avoid “sign blindness”.

Safety Signs and Symbols Standards

Safety signs and symbols consist of messages, words and pictorial symbol with variety of sizes, shapes and colours. All the shapes and colours are standardised. Each shape has different meaning and each colour reflects specific meaning.

Using standardised health and safety signs and symbols will make them understandable and overcome language barriers and the new ISO 7010 standard is the first step towards a global harmonization of safety symbols. More indepth infomation can be found at Safety Signs, Symbols and Colour Codes – a simple guide

Safety Signs – Shapes

The shapes of workplace health and safety signs are triangles, circles and squares or rectangles.

i. Triangles: indicates caution (potential hazards) or warning (definite hazards), for example toxic gas and electric shock.

ii. Circles: mandatory or recommended actions and are normally used to depict an action you must do, for example wearing eye goggles and safety hard hats.

iii. Squares or rectangles: shows information, i.e. general information and emergency information (first aid, fire fighting).

iv. A Circle with a 45° diagonal slash across the middle from the upper left to the lower right: points out forbidden or prohibited actions.

Safety Signs – Colours

The colours used in workplace safety signs and symbols are red, yellow, blue and green.

i. Red signs: designates areas for emergency devices like fire fighting equipment, or to emphasise unsafe or forbidden actions.

ii. Yellow: notifies workers to take caution and be alerted of hazards, reducing necessary risks.

iii. Blue: shows a particular action or behavior, for example instruction to wear personal protective equipment.

iv. Green: designates the location of emergency measures or equipment like first aid kits, evacuation routes, fire exits, escape ladders, or fire assembly points.

Safety Signs – Pocket Guides

Simple pocket guide with at a glance guide to the different colours and symbols used in safety signs make excellent reference material for workplace safety training and can be issued as part of new employee induction training.

A substantial body of research shows that using a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving is a significant distraction, and substantially increases the risk of the driver crashing.

Safety Signs and Training for Drivers

Stocksigns offer a range of transport safety signs and driving resources to help protect your staff and fleet. As a working partner of RoSPA we are proud to offer access to RoSPA Fleet Training and consultancy as well as a host of traffic signs.

For more details on Driver Development courses, Advanced Driver Training and Driver Risk Assessment tools such as “Driver Profiler” please call us on 01737764764 for more information.

Prohibition Mobile Phone Safety Signs

The issue of drivers using mobile phones just won’t go away, government and police schemes to raise awareness of the dangers of mobile phones has failed to eradicate the problem. We have a range of safety posters and signs to help you look after your staff and fleet including prohibition signs, traffic signs, information signs and hazard signs. Visit our signs shop or order a catalogue to learn more.

Drivers who use a mobile phone, whether hand-held or hands-free:

  • Are much less aware of what’s happening on the road around them.
  • Fail to see road signs.
  • Fail to maintain proper lane position and proper speed.
  • Are more likely to ‘tailgate’ the vehicle in front.
  • React more slowly and take longer to brake.
  • Are more likely to enter unsafe gaps in traffic.
  • Feel more stressed and frustrated.

They are also four times more likely to crash, injuring or killing themselves and/or other people – RoSPA

The use of symbols and graphical images is a simple safety system used to convey safety messages at a glance. Colours and symbols appropriately used can provide information and warnings of hazards which are essential to safety at work, and in some instances may be independent of language.

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 require employers to provide and maintain safety signs where there is significant risk to health and safety that has not been avoided or controlled by other means (e.g. safe systems of work) provided that the use of a sign can help reduce the risk. They also require, where necessary, the use of road traffic signs in workplaces to regulate road traffic. Employers must also ensure that all employees receive appropriate information, instruction and training regarding safety signs.  Although most signs are self-explanatory, some employees (particularly young or new workers) may be unfamiliar with the signs used.

What is a safety sign?

A safety and/or health sign is defined as information or instruction about health and safety at work on a signboard, a colour, an illuminated sign or acoustic signal, a verbal communication or hand signal.

A signboard is a combination of shape, colour and symbol or pictogram made visible by adequate lighting and which may have supplementary text.

What are the 4 types of safety signs?

There are four different types of safety signs:

  • Prohibition / Danger Alarm Signs
  • Mandatory Signs
  • Warning Signs
  • And Emergency

Each of these signs has its own colour with different variety of signs.

Safety sign colours

What do Red safety signs mean?

When a sign is Red, it’s usually a prohibitory sign that aims to grab people’s attention for a dangerous situation nearby, such as preventing people from smoking in an area containing flammable materials.

What do Yellow or Amber safety signs mean?

Similarly to traffic lights, yellow or amber signs send a warning to viewers, which is an indication to take precautions in the environment their in. This includes being in an area with dangerous chemicals, high voltage electrical equipment or even to be careful of the step on the street.

What do Blue safety signs mean?

Blue safety signs are mandatory signs which instruct people to undertake an action before proceeding. This could be wearing protective clothing,  keeping a fire door shutt, making sure premises are tidy and applying hand sanitiser.

What do Green safety signs mean?

Green safety signs are informative for the reader to signal safety, directing them to areas such as exit routes, first aid stations and assembly points.

What are combination safety signs?

Under ISO 7010 legislation safety signs can be combined to give multiple messages.

Combination sign

This sign gives a hazard warning (yellow) that the site is dangerous. It gives a prohibition instruction (red) that there must be no unauthorised entry and a mandatory instruction (blue) that a course of action must be taken – visitors report to site office.

These multi message signs are ideal for construction sites or garage forecourts where a combination of messages can be delivered in one place in potentially dangerous environments.

When are barrier tapes used?

Barrier tape can be used where the marking of dangerous locations is deemed necessary (e.g. highlighting the edge of a raised platform or area or restricted heights). They can be used internally or externally to help alert people of a hazard or danger.

We supply a range of different tapes such as reflective hazard warning tapes, self-adhesive photoluminescent tape, graphic barricade tape and pipeline identification tape. Please call a member of a sales team on 01737 774072 to discuss your tape requirements.

black and yellow hazard barrier tape

 

ISO 7010

Large elements of the British Standard BS5499 symbols have been changed since the introduction of ISO 7010. The basic principles of understanding safety symbols have remained the same i.e. colour and shape of out line symbol but some of the icons/symbols have changed.

For more advice contact our sales team on 01737 774072 or send us an email.

RED

Meaning or Purpose

Prohibition/Danger alarm

Instruction and Information

Dangerous behaviour; stop; shutdown; emergency cut-out devices; evacuate

Features

Round shape; black pictogram on white background; red edging and diagonal line; red part to be at least 35% of the area of the sign

An Example 

1440 Strictly No admittance safety sign

YELLOW

Meaning or Purpose

Warning

Instruction and Information

Be careful; take precautions; examine

Features

Triangular in shape ; black pictogram on yellow background with black edging; yellow part to be at least 50% of the area of the sign

An Example 

2813 - warning overhead cables

BLUE

Meaning or Purpose

Mandatory

Instruction and Information

Specific behaviour or action e.g. wear personal protective equipment

Features

Round shape; white pictogram on blue background; blue part to be at least 50% of the area of the sign

An Example 

mandatory-hard-hat-area

GREEN

Meaning or Purpose

Emergency escape or First Aid

Instruction and Information

Doors; exits; escape routes equipment and facilities Return to normal

Features

Rectangular or square shape; white pictogram on green background; green part to be at least 50% of the area of the sign

An Example 

Fire Exit sign with left arrow

RED (fire fighting signs)

Meaning or Purpose

Fire fighting equipment

Instruction and Information

Identification & location

Features

Rectangular or square shape; white pictogram on red background; red part to be at least 50% of the area of the sign

An Example 

Fire alarm call point landscape layout sign