HEALTH AND SAFETY SIGNS

Legislation and Guidance Looking for Legislation Advice?
Use of Symbols and Graphical Images
Prohibition
A red circular band with diagonal cross bar on a white background, the symbol within
the circle to be black denoting a safety sign that indicates that a certain behaviour is
prohibited.
Hazard
A yellow triangle with black border and symbol within the yellow area denoting a safety
sign that gives warning of a hazard.
Mandatory
A blue circle with white symbol denoting a sign that indicates that a specific course of
action must be taken.
Fire Equipment
A red rectangle or square with symbol in white denoting a safety sign that indicates the
location of fire fighting equipment.
Safe Condition
A green rectangle or square with symbol or text in white denoting a safety sign providing
information about safe conditions.
The Health & Safety (Safety Signs and Signals Regulations) 1996
As an employer you are required to conform fully with the provisions of these
regulations. Guidance is given here and throughout the catalogue in respect of:
• Risk assessment
• Use of pictorial symbols
• General health and safety signs
• Fire/emergency escape signs
• Positioning of signs
• Marking of hazardous storage areas and obstacles
• Dangerous locations
• Identification of pipelines
ISO 7010
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 a 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.
The Health and Safety Sign Association executive committee has agreed that all members will adopt
the graphical symbol designs published within ISO 7010.
Health and safety signs that conform to the BS 5499 series of Standards and have yet to be adopted
by the ISO standards will still be available.
As you can see from the examples below, some of the design changes are minor, whereas some have a more obvious difference.
BS 5499 to ISO 7010 BS 5499 to ISO 7010 BS 5499 to ISO 7010 BS 5499 to ISO 7010
2 Need help? Call our sales team today to find the sign to suit your requirements.