In a world governed by Health & Safety regulations it has never been so important to ensure you have the correct signage. Signage is the main way of communicating Health & Safety information to make sure that people understand the risks around them.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that between 1st April 2015 – 31st March 2016 144 workers in the UK were killed while in the workplace. This shocking statistic highlights how having the correct signage is crucial in advising people of risks that cannot be controlled or avoided to help prevent accidents.
In November last year the HSE released their annual report about work related injuries and illness, they found the following statistics:
3 million people suffer from a work related illness
Over 621,000 work related injuries
2,515 people died
Despite these alarming figures there has been a downward trend of fatal work related injuries. This is partly due to the safety signs directive being adopted by all European Union member states in 1992. The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals Regulations) act then adopted these changes in 1996 which required employers to display safety signs to highlight risks that cannot be controlled or avoided.
The Safety Signs and Signals Regulations has had a huge impact in keeping workers and members of the public safe. Since its introduction there has been a 50% reduction in the number of fatal injuries.
As well as this impact on fatalities there is also a link between the introduction of safety signage and a decrease in the number of reported accidents. Keeping people safe begins with alerting them to hazards and dangers around them with easy to understand signage.
We offer a huge range of signs suitable for all situations and environments. Our experienced sales team are on hand to offer expert advice to ensure your signage is fully compliant with current ISO 7010 legislation. Call us now on 01737 774077 or send an email with your enquiry.
It is crucial for employers to display up to date compliant signage. Consequences for the use of non compliant signage range from hefty fines up to prison sentences. More importantly however is injury or loss of life that could occur as a result of incorrect or missing signage.
We have recently celebrated 8 years of working in partnership with RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) as their recommended signage supplier. We are proud to work alongside them and promote their vital work in keeping people safe through accident prevention. Find out more information about this here.
We often get asked by our customers ‘How do I know how many signs my building needs?’Although there is no hard and fast answer to this, customers must make sure that their building signage is compliant with current the current health and safety legislation.
The number of signs required by a business is dependent on certain factors such as the size of the building, the use of the building and the number of employees and visitors If your building is a commercial premise then you are legally required to undertake a fire risk assessment to allow you to identify any hazards or risks in the building. You can undertake the assessment yourself (if you have expertise or the time to investigate the legal requirements) or you can appoint a fire safety officer. This assessment will allow you to identify fire hazards, identify people who are at risk, devise an emergency plan and evaluate and reduce risks. The fire risk assessment will help you in determining how many signs you require for your building.
How big is the building?
This may be an obvious factor, the larger the building the more signs may be required. How many entrance and exit points does your building have? This will determine how many fire exit signs will be required for example there needs to be a fire exit sign above every doorway where there is more than one exit point. There also needs to be a fire door sign for every fire door in the building.
How complicated is the internal design of the building? This will determine if you require wayfinding signage to help employees and visitors navigate their way around your building.
How is the building used?
The use of your building will also have an impact on the type of signage you require. Certain businesses will have more hazards associated with them for example in a factory environment. There is likely to be heavy machinery which will require hazard signs to highlight risks such as noise and fast moving parts. You will also require mandatory signs to advise what kind of personal protective equipment (PPE) is to be worn such as eye protection.
Is your building open to the general public? If so increased safety signage may be required to highlight risk and dangers to visitors. Increased way-finding signage may be required to safely and efficiently guide visitor traffic through the building.
Who will use the building?
You must also consider the needs of employees and visitors who enter your building. As part of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) there must now be reasonable adjustments to buildings to assist disabled persons. This will range from braille and tactile signage to disabled refuge points. Age is another consideration. Schools will need age appropriate and easy to understand signage, we supply primary and secondary school signs in a range of colours. Likewise consideration must be given to older generations and people suffering from dementia. We offering a range of 3D pictorial signs which use bold colours and strong images to produce highly recognisable door signs.
So how can you make sure you have the appropriate number of signs?
There are a number of methods you can use to ensure your building has the correct signage. Make sure you include signage in all aspects of your company risk assessments. Wherever a risk has been identified, ask yourself if a sign could help reduce risk, or significantly raise awareness of that risk.
Using building plans and drawings of your premises can provide a systematic method of determining the signage you require; similarly an audit of all the possible routes of access and working spaces can identify problem areas. Our previous post on the top 10 most common safety signs will give you a starting point.
For complete peace of mind we are able to offer a site survey service. We can give expert advice on your buildings specific signage needs to ensure that you are compliant with the latest legislation.
For more information please contact us on 01737 774077 or send us an email.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 explosive, flammable, oxidising, corrosive, acute toxicity, hazardous to the environment, health 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.
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.
Well the New Year is here, and it’s time to burn off that extra mince pie, so what better way to do that than by giving your premises a safety once over this week. So here is a timely reminder of why you should give your facilities a safety sign MOT.
Time for a safety signs MOT?
As the New Year comes upon us our thoughts often turn to personal improvements we intend to make over the coming year, but one much over looked resolution is the implementation of a regular safety sign audit.
Julian Rowlandson, Director at Stocksigns explains: “If you own a car it is most probable that you obtain and MOT and carry out a routine service to keep your vehicle fully functional and compliant. But few companies, despite their legal obligations to do so, regularly revisit their fire and other mandatory signage. How often does one hear of tragedy caused by fire exit routes not being clear and available for use? Often these oversights maybe associated with changes within business operations and a failure to update signs and safe routes of escape to embrace these operational changes.”
Failing to update your signage as your business changes, could lead to extensive fines or have more serious consequences including prison sentences, personal injuries or even loss of life. These simple inexpensive precautions could help protect your business, staff and visitors.
Read our “Safety Signs Audit” article to learn how to walk your premises and carry our a safety sign audit (you may even burn some calories too)
To accompany our post about understanding fire exit signs we have put together this short tutorial on fire exit signs their meanings and where to position them.
For larger projects or new builds you may wish to organise a site survey. If you would like further advice please call our Sales Team on 01737 774072 or send us an email.
One of the most common mistakes we see with the positioning of fire exit signs is the sign above a doorway. The sign that should be used in most instances should be the arrow up, indicating progress forward from here (indicating direction of travel), and in the case of above a door means, progress forward and through from here.
However we commonly see the incorrect fire exit sign with down arrow. While this wrong sign is unlikely to cause too much confusion as to which way someone should go it is technically incorrect. The down arrow fire exit sign means progress down from here, and technically would only be positioned above a door if there was a change of level downwards immediately after the door way.
Fire Exit Signs form one of the most important parts of your emergency escape plan, they are used to correctly mark the most efficient escape routes. Careful positioning of the relevant fire exit signs, will assist evacuation in times of emergency. Every building will have it’s own unique layout and seeking advice from experts is always advantages when planning your escape routes. However there are certain common building layouts, that occur time and again and knowing which fire exit signs to place where can save lives.
In this post we cover some of the most common examples
Where should fire door signs be fitted on a door?
Fire door signs should be fitted on doors that are relatively close to eye level, so make sure that they’re as visible as possible. Most signs are fitted at around 1.5m in height, which is most visible for most people.
What height should fire exit signs be?
Fire Exit Signs inshould installed at a suitable height and in a position appropriate to the line of sight, taking account of any obstacles and in a visible location. When mounting the signs, the general requirements are:
Signs mounted above doors should be between 2.0m – 2.5m above the floor.
Signs mounted on walls should be mounted between 1.7m and 2.0m above the floor
Do fire doors need signs on both sides?
It’s a requirement for fire doors to feature a ‘’Fire Door Keep Shut’’ sign on both sides of a single door. If using double doors, both doors require signs on both sides.
Fire Exit Signs On Stairs
Option 1: progress down to the right as viewed from in front of the sign. Sign sited on wall of half landing.
Option 2: progress down from here as viewed from in front of the sign. Sign can be suspended from the ceiling or could be mounted on the wall above the stair head.
Fire Exit Signs in Corridors and Building final Exits
Option 1: progress forward and through from here as viewed from in front of the sign positioned above door.
Option 2: progress to the left/right from here. Suspended at change of direction.
Option 3: progress forward and through from here as viewed from in front of the sign. Positioned above the door. Note: Outside the final exit (labelled 3) if the door can be obstructed a ‘Fire Exit Keep Clear‘ sign is needed on the outside of the door. This could be enhanced with the use of bollards or yellow hatching. If the door is the last door before exiting the building you may have a sign that reads ‘fire exit’ without the need for an arrow.
Fire Exit Signs Above doors
Option 1: progress forward and through from here as viewed from in front of the sign. Positioned above the door.
A common mistake here is to have a fire exit sign with the arrow pointing down, which means progress down from here, and technically would only be positioned above a door if there was a change of level downwards immediately after the door way.
Option 2: progress down to the left from here as viewed from in front of the sign. Positioned on the landing.
If you are still unsure of of where to position your fire exit signs please give us a call on 01737 77 40 72 to speak to one of our advisors or to arrange a site survey.
Fire action notices can contain several texts which are in common use but may not be appropriate for all circumstances but there are certain messages that should be included. There are four significant areas that need to be addressed.
1. Raising the Alarm.
This should advise of the most appropriate method of action whether this be by operating the nearest fire alarm call point, calling 999, verbally or by any other alarm procedure used in there evacuation procedure.
2. Fire Brigade.
The fire brigade is often called automatically through the alarm system, however it may be necessary to call the fire brigade manually. Your Fire Action notice may also give additional information which you would be required to pass on to the operator, such as telephone number and exact location details.
3. Assembly Point
A blank space is provided for details of the nearest assembly point. An assembly point is usually a static safe area marked with the appropriate signage. For premises that have no clear area to use as a regular assembly point mobile extendable fire assembly point signs can be used to guide occupants to the designated safe area.
4. Additional Instruction
It is customary to include further instructions such as “do not stop to collect personal belongings” or “ do not return to the building for any reason until authorised to do so”.
More specific information can be included for example there can be precise instructions in buildings which have lifts, or for houses that have multiple occupancy.
Where should you display your fire action notices?
Best practice suggests fire action notices should be displayed next to every fire alarm call point and next to the final fire exits. This gives the relevant information at a glance to the person raising the alarm and any further action that maybe required.
There are two distinct styles of fire action notice, one the traditional blue and red sign with written instructions and the other incorporating graphic symbols in line with BS EN ISO 7010. Both of which meet current legislation however the graphic symbol version is growing in popularity due to the effectiveness of relaying information quickly through symbols which would be critical in an evacuation situation.
Please read our post “Where to Position Fire Signs” for more information and advice on where to display fire safety signs for maximum visibility.
The summer months and the holiday season are the ideal time to carry out a signage audit. Your business premises may be quieter, as staff jet off on their well earned breaks, often leaving car parks and buildings temporarily easier to access. Use this time and the increased access to assess your company signage, making sure signs are present, in good condition and correct to the latest legislation.
Also the summer can be a time when there maybe a need to increase security to your grounds or buildings. Building sites and disused quarries can seem attractive places to play, potentially with tragic consequences, so ensuring your boundary safety signs are all in place becomes critical.
Taking Stock of your Safety Signs
Take time to walk around your premises, it may take a couple of trips round if you have a large or complicated building layout. Note all your existing fire 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? This photograph illustrates a common example. The fire alarm call points in this hotel were relocated during a refit. Unfortunately the sign has not been updated and the fire action notice now marks just a redundant blanking plate. On the flip side, you guessed it, the alarm call points were relocated but they have failed to install the correct fire equipment signage to mark its new location. 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 ISO 7010 versions, the advice is not to mix signage from different legislative standards. Best practice recommends, if changes or additions are needed, updating to the most recent standard.This photo shows a BS 5499 fire exit sign directly mounted next to a sign with symbols from the EEC directive 92/58, which could lead to confusion.
Care of your safety Signs
Safety signs over time can become dirty or damaged and 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 can be easily read, and cleaned where needed. If they are illegible and beyond cleaning replace where necessary.
For more information about safety signs or any other signage query please contact our sales team at sales@stocksigns.co.uk
Julian from Stocksigns claims that sign-makers must diversify their revenue streams at Traffex.
Insurance website confused.com have recently published the results of a road signs survey to test the nation’s understanding of road safety signs.
The research should some startling results;
An astonishing 93 per cent failed to recognise the traffic signs for “no vehicles except bikes being pushed”.
Meanwhile 83 per cent were unclear on the meaning of the common “Urban Clearway” sign, and 67 per cent were bamboozled by the “no waiting” sign.
Top five confusing road signs
Confused.com polled 2,000 people on which road signs they found the most confusing and the following five were voted the most perplexing.
With the wintry weather set to continue for a few weeks yet, it’s time to take extra safety precautions. The councils do their best to grit and salt our roads, to protect road users as best they can. But what happens at the travellers’ destinations? Many road users are on their way to work and schools, where they encounter private roads, driveways and car parks, all outside the councils jurisdiction. It is here in these close to home places where most accidents occur and quite often these are the same places that do not get the safety treatment they deserve.
Don’t let your premises, car park or pathways add to this winter’s accident statistics. Clear car parks and pathways of ice and snow, and regularly grit with salt to stop them re-freezing. When clearing snow ensure you have the right tools. A Snow pusher is lightweight and has a bi-directional blade making clearing of large areas quick and efficient. Products such as Ice Melt will clear icy patches quickly, with no damage to carpets, floors or plants.
Once staff and visitors are inside your premises the hazard doesn’t stop, floors in receptions, entry points and non carpeted corridors become slippery even with relatively low footfall levels. Make sure these trouble spots are regularly mopped, adequate door matting is available and a suitable “slippery surface sign” is used to warn people of the potential dangers.
Winter Hazard Zones Check List
Grit all car parks.
Ensure all external paths are cleared and regularly gritted.
Areas with high footfall such as entrances and smoking shelters, need extra attention.
Hall ways, entrance lobbies and receptions will become wet and slippery, ensure areas are mopped regularly and “slips, trips and falls signs” are displayed.
Stocksigns has created a Pinterest page to help bring together some of the links to the industries best safety signs and general signage resources.
As we both publish our own signage information, and find the latest innovations and technologies within the industry, we will aggregate them together in our new page. Be sure to visit regularly or add it to your favourites to keep all your signage resources in one place. Also please send any signage information and resources that you would lik to be added to the page. You can contact me directly on jgodden@stocksigns.co.uk
Over the centuries Braille has had an enormous effect on the lives of millions of people across 120 countries worldwide. It is not a language but a code by which all languages may be written and read. The ability to read and write in Braille opens the door to literacy, intellectual freedom, equal opportunity, and personal security. It is an extremely important gateway to opportunity for the UK’s blind or partially sighted people, enabling them to be more independent.
Tactual from Stocksigns
The Stocksigns Braille signs range – Tactual – fully comply with Technical Bulletin 24 of the joint Mobility Unit. The JMU is a service provided by the RNIB and the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Tactual signs may be manufactured to suit individual needs including a range of text options, panel colours and layouts. We can advise you on your own legal obligations and ensure that your workplace is complying with the appropriate regulations. Braille can be incorporated into your corporate signage to extend the audience range and the reach of your signs. It can be included in information and tourist interpretation boards to extend their accessibility and contact points, such as emergency assistance points, with Braille offer help to vulnerable members of the public.
Stocksigns only supply Braille signs that we manufacture ourselves. As a result not only can we be sure that they are of the highest quality but also that we have the technology and expertise to manufacture any custom made sign with Braille to our own specification. We manufacture both Braille Safety signs and Braille Information signs in standard designs, as well as being able to add Braille to custom-made signs.
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.
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.
Over the next few months we will see a further step in the adoption of a new standard for safety signs as BS ISO 7010 is soon to become BS EN ISO 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. The new designs have now been phased in and all our signs follow The Health & Safety (Safety Signs & Signals) Regulations 1966 and conform to BS ISO 7010 where applicable.
How does ISO 7010 effect my safety signs?
You may have noticed some design changes to the symbols whereas others will look virtually unchanged. Whilst the new symbols will be replacing the old designs, some Health and Safety guidance recommends that the two different types of signage, BS 5499 and EN ISO 7010 should not be mixed in the workplace, so you may want to change your current signage to comply, although for the present both designs will still meet your safety obligations. When looking to purchase new signage, ensure they meet with the new EN ISO 7010 standards.
What size signs should I use? – Viewing Distances For Signs
We are often asked by customers what size sign they should be using, particularly with regard to safety signs. The truth is there is no hard and fast rule for size of sign and viewing distances. Currently there is no legislation covering this aspect of safety signs and symbols, and common sense has to be used to make a judgement. The viewing distance for signs is dependant on many factors.
Ambient Light Conditions
Obstructions
Height of the sign
The colours of the sign design
The style and size of the fonts used
However to help in choosing the right signs and make more of an informed decision, the following illustrations will serve as a guide. If you would still like some assistance call our sales team on 01737 77 40 72, or alternatively a site survey of your premises by one of our team, can give you peace of mind, ensuring you have the right signs for your building.
We have been working hard to bring you the widest range of high quality signage products in 2012. The Catalogue has over 30,000 standard signs for you to choose from and a custom section that aims to provide inspiration for choosing signs from proven designs created for others and steer you to design your own should you wish. This year we have extended our capabilities and product range even further to include LED signs.
What’s new in this years sign catalogue?
Our recent acquisition of Messagemaker Display ltd has enabled us to bring to you a brand new range of programmable LED signs available off the shelf. The new range includes static and programmable display systems in a range of sizes and text colours. These easy to use signs add high impact to your advertising or information messages.
To compliment our 3D pictorial signs we have created some pictorial stickers for displaying on cupboards and drawers. These signs can aid recognition and help dementia sufferers and those with learning difficulties.
We are continually looking for ways to make the catalogue as easy as possible to use. This year we have introduced many more photographs so you can see exactly how best to display and locate your signs. Listening to our customers has led us to re-arrange some of the pages to help you find the right signs more quickly.
How to get the best out of your signs catalogue
Our many years in the signage industry has allowed us to develop an easy ordering system to help you decipher the complicated world of safety signs and general signage. The catalogue itself is divided into two main sections. The first section covers our standard signs, which is made up of all the various safety signs, traffic signs and information signs available off the shelf. The second section displays some of our products and capabilities for creating custom-made signs. This section is merely intended to be a guide, to give you a small insight into what we can create for you, and by no means includes everything, so if you don’t see what you want, please contact our sales team.
Safety Signs and Standard Information Signs Section
Our standards signs section is packed with over 30,000 safety signs and general information signs so, to make choosing your signs a little less overwhelming, we have lots of hints and information to help you make an informed decision. We show many of our signs in working situations so you can best see how the safety message can be applied. We have included as many facts and figures as we can to educate and promote safety awareness. We always include the necessary legislation covering the safety issue, so you can be sure you will be meeting your legislative obligations. Our easy reference price grids make ordering simple and our “have you seen” cross references make sure you won’t miss anything you might need.
Custom-made Signs Section
Our custom made signs section has been designed to educate and inspire. We give you hints and tips on how best to choose your signage products in terms of size, design and materials. We point out the potential pitfalls and provide solutions for getting the optimum results from your signs. We highlight the benefits of different styles of product. Each of our product sections has some general information to help you decide if you are looking at the right products for your needs. Also for each product section we have tried to include as many photographs as possible, not only to give you some idea of the depth of our ranges but also to inspire you. Lastly, where we can squeeze them in, we have included customer testimonials to promote our service, so you don’t have to just take our word for it, you are in experienced and safe hands choosing Stocksigns.
Our safety signs catalogue is designed to give you the best choice of products backed by relevant information but don’t feel you have to go it alone, our Sales Team are always ready to guide you and help you get the best from your signs.
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.
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.
Roger Bibbings, RoSPA’s Occupational Safety Adviser talks about how, during these times of austerity, now is not the time to cut back, but instead invest in health and safety. Safety Signs can be a key part of this.
Safety signs are a cost effective way of enhance your safety policy. They can be used to warn of inherent dangers, they can be used to promote safety awareness and used as training aids in safety training. A site survey from Stocksigns can help ensure your premises meet current legislation and best practice.
http://youtu.be/oDBG5OPlPmk
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.
No-one wants to go overboard about safety in schools, any more than they do about every day living elsewhere. And, of course, schools take the matter of safety for everybody involved – not only pupils, but also staff and visitors, who are equally important – very seriously.
However, it is worth reviewing not just the provision of, say, signage, but also how well it is understood. Stocksigns has a long tradition of innovation in school signage, (for example created new designs for laboratory safety signs some 15 years ago) and our latest schools catalogue has been developed to be particularly user-friendly throughout the school environment.
One such way is the use of friendly fonts and graphics which more easily grabs the attention of the pupils so that they more closely identify with the message. This helps comprehension.
Sign design for a large number of safety signs is more formally required by legislation and/or relevant British Standards. This is necessary to ensure consistency across all possible premises in which they might be used, for example fire exit signs and emergency escape signs.
Outside these sensible constraints, however, some imagination can be brought to bear, which reflects on a school’s individual ethos and style. So, a sign can be chosen from the Stocksigns catalogue or designed by the school, whether or not using our custom signage design expertise and experience, to produce something unique for your school.
Then not only will you have the assurance that you comply with the statutory requirements, you can have a signage system which is a little bit special to your school. You can enlist the creative spirit of the pupils (or even staff) which will give an even greater sense of achievement. For ideas, why not let us send you, if you don’t have one already please request a copy of “The Sign Catalogue“.
Making Provision for the Disabled – It’s not just about the law or wheelchairs.
Since the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) all service providers, whatever their size have had to make reasonable adjustments to the physical features of their premises to overcome any physical barriers to access.
One key element – and a relatively low-cost one at that – is disability signage. Below we set out the background to the legislation (and the need) and show how reviewing one’s signs can have a big impact on fulfilling the legal, practical, and moral obligations of our fellow citizens.
Disability Discrimination Act 1995
“why bother it doesn’t effect me…does it?”
It does effect any business that provides a service, whether it’s free or paid for. Prior to 1st October, part 2 of the DDA only applied to companies that had more than 15 employees. However, since 1st October, ALL employers must comply with the DDA’s provision on employment and occupation. There are approximately 8.6 million people with disabilities in the UK. Their estimated annual purchasing power is between £40 and £50 billion.
“What are ‘reasonable’ adjustments?” – they must be specific to the building and the type of service being provided. Provisions should not just be restricted to improving wheelchair access, only 5% of those with disabilities are in wheelchairs.
There are 600,000 wheelchair users
2.5-3 million visually impaired
1.5-6 million reading difficulties
8 million deaf or hard of hearing
15 million mental health difficulties
1 in 3 people over 55 have Arthritis
(source: Department for Inclusive Environments University of Reading)
BS 8300:2001
The British Standard gives dimensions and details of the physical requirements needed in order to comply with the DDA as well as signage requirements.
Disability Rights Commission
The DRC not only provides help for disabled people, but also produced a Code of Practice and various guides for service providers.
If you are a service provider or an employer, you need to:
assess the problem, or better still
have an access audit done
contact local access groups
produce an access plan
Once you know which physical features may make it difficult for disabled people to use your services then the law gives you a choice.
you can alter the feature
you can remove the feature
you can find a way of avoiding it
you can provide the service in another way
The DRC strongly recommends the ”inclusive” approach. Removal or alteration of a feature is the most likely option to ensure that disabled people receive the services in the same way as other customers.
What areas should be considered when making reasonable adjustments
“Signs should form part of an integrated communication scheme that gives clear directions, information and instructions for use of a building” – BS 8300:2001. Signage that complies with the DDA is based on the guidelines shown in the Sign Design Guide and developed by the Joint Mobility Unit.
Important things to consider when buying DDA signage
Text in upper case
Upper and lower case text provides a recognisable “footprint” even if the text can’t be read.
Letter Heights
Viewing Distance
Type of sign
“x” height in mm
Long Distance
External Fascias
200mm
External location
90 – 120mm
External Directions
90mm
House numbers
90mm
Medium Range
Location & Direction
60mm
Identification signs
40mm
Close Range
Room Identification
35mm
Directories
15mm
Wall mounted information
15mm
Good Contrast
Black and white provides the most obvious contrast but can cause halation for some people due to the extreme contrast and glare.
So we are looking for:-
Clear text in upper and lower case
preferably white text on a darker background
letter heights based on BS 8300 or “Sign Design Guide”
good contrast between text and background
a white border to emphasise the sign
a matt finish to avoid glare
Position of signs
Consistency of sign height and position throughout the building is important. Signs should be placed between 1400mm and 1700mm for visually impaired persons when standing. For wheelchair users signs should be placed between 1000mm and 1100mm above floor level. Signs associated with control panels, e.g. lifts or door entry systems should be located between 900mm x 1200mm, to meet the needs of both wheelchair users and people standing.
Designated Car parking
Parking bays and floor graphics – one space for each disabled employee plus 2% of available spaces.
Clear signs from the building to the assembly areas
Compliance with the DDA is not about avoiding being sued or fined but about caring for staff and improving your service for everyone.
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