Safety Signs

Safety Signs help businesses communicate hazards, instructions, restrictions and emergency information clearly to employees, contractors, visitors and members of the public.

From warning people about a workplace hazard to identifying a fire exit, requiring PPE or restricting access to a dangerous area, the right safety sign provides important information at the point where people need it.

Safety Sheep supplies health and safety signs for construction sites, warehouses, factories, offices, schools, farms, healthcare premises, workshops and other UK workplaces, with a wide range of messages, sizes and materials available.

Shop Safety Signs by Type

Different safety signs communicate different types of information. Choosing the correct category makes the message easier to recognise and understand.

Hazard & Warning Signs

Hazard and Warning Signs alert people to hazards that could cause injury or harm.

Typical applications include electrical hazards, slippery surfaces, moving vehicles, fragile roofs, hazardous substances, overhead loads and other workplace dangers.

Warning signs are commonly recognised by their triangular shape with a yellow background and black symbol or text.

Mandatory Safety Signs

Mandatory Safety Signs communicate an action that people are required to take.

They can cover instructions such as keeping doors closed, following particular procedures or taking specified safety precautions.

Mandatory safety signage is commonly associated with a blue circular symbol containing a white pictogram.

PPE Signs

PPE Signs communicate requirements to wear personal protective equipment in designated areas.

Common examples include:

• Hard Hats Must Be Worn
• Safety Footwear Must Be Worn
• Eye Protection Must Be Worn
• Hearing Protection Must Be Worn
• High Visibility Clothing Must Be Worn
• Protective Gloves Must Be Worn
• Respiratory Protection Must Be Worn

PPE signage should reflect the protective equipment actually required for the task or area.

Prohibition Signs

Prohibition Signs tell people what they must not do.

Typical examples include:

• No Smoking
• No Entry
• No Unauthorised Access
• No Pedestrians
• No Vehicles
• Do Not Touch

They are generally recognised by a red circular border and diagonal bar with a black pictogram on a white background.

Fire Safety Signs

Fire Safety Signs communicate information relating to fire precautions, emergency escape and firefighting equipment.

The wider category includes fire exit signs, fire action notices, fire door signs, extinguisher identification signs and assembly point signs.

Use the appropriate specialist sign for the information that needs to be communicated.

First Aid Signs

First Aid Signs help people identify first aid equipment, facilities and emergency assistance.

These can include:

• First Aid
• First Aid Kit
• First Aid Room
• Eye Wash
• Emergency Shower
• Defibrillator / AED
• First Aiders

Clear identification can help people locate appropriate facilities quickly when they are needed.

Construction Safety Signs

Construction Safety Signs communicate hazards, access restrictions, PPE requirements and other safety information around building and construction projects.

Sites can contain changing hazards, vehicle movements, excavations, work at height and restricted work areas.

The appropriate signage should therefore reflect the actual site and change as the project develops.

No Entry & Access Restriction Signs

Access-control signage can help identify areas that employees, visitors, contractors, pedestrians or vehicles shouldn't enter.

Messages include:

• No Entry
• Keep Out
• No Access
• No Unauthorised Access
• No Pedestrians
• No Vehicles

Choose the wording that accurately describes the restriction rather than treating all access-control signs as interchangeable.

CCTV & Security Signs

CCTV and security signage can help communicate surveillance, security measures and access arrangements around commercial and private premises.

CCTV signage can also form part of the information provided to people where surveillance systems process personal data.

Choose wording appropriate to the particular security arrangements rather than relying on a generic notice for every application.

What Are Health and Safety Signs?

Health and safety signs communicate information intended to help people avoid hazards, follow safety instructions and respond appropriately to workplace arrangements.

They can communicate:

• Warnings – something could cause harm.
• Prohibitions – something must not be done.
• Mandatory actions – an instruction must be followed.
• Safe conditions – information such as escape routes or first aid.
• Fire safety information – information relating to fire equipment or emergency arrangements.

Colours, shapes and graphical symbols help people recognise these different messages quickly.

When Are Safety Signs Required?

UK businesses don't simply need to cover their premises with as many safety signs as possible.

Safety signage should be based on the actual hazards and arrangements of the workplace.

Under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, safety signs are required where a significant risk to health and safety remains after other appropriate measures have been taken and where signage can help communicate that risk.

That principle is important.

A warning sign doesn't remove a hazard.

A PPE sign doesn't provide protective equipment.

A No Entry sign doesn't physically prevent access.

Safety signage should support appropriate risk-control measures rather than replace them.

Safety Signs & Risk Assessments

Start with the workplace risk assessment rather than a catalogue of signs.

Consider:

• What hazards are present?
• Who could be affected?
• What controls are already in place?
• What residual risks remain?
• What information does somebody need before reaching the hazard?
• Are visitors or contractors unfamiliar with the workplace?
• Is a prohibition or mandatory instruction required?
• Is emergency information clearly identified?

The answers can help determine what safety information needs to be communicated and where.

Safety Sign Colours & Meanings

Recognised safety-sign colours help people understand the type of message quickly.

Red Safety Signs

Red is commonly associated with prohibition and is also used in connection with firefighting equipment.

A prohibition sign generally uses a red circle and diagonal bar.

Yellow Safety Signs

Yellow is associated with warnings.

Warning signs generally use a yellow triangle with a black border and black pictogram.

Blue Safety Signs

Blue is associated with mandatory actions.

These signs tell people about an action or behaviour that is required.

Green Safety Signs

Green is associated with safe conditions and emergency information.

Typical applications include emergency exits, first aid facilities and evacuation information.

Colour isn't decoration. It forms part of the visual language that helps distinguish one type of safety message from another.

Safety Signs & BS EN ISO 7010

BS EN ISO 7010 provides standardised graphical symbols used on safety signs.

Recognised pictograms help make safety information consistent and easier to understand, particularly where a workplace is used by employees, contractors, visitors or people with different first languages.

However, ISO 7010 is a standard rather than UK legislation itself.

The need for a particular sign should be determined by the workplace risk and applicable requirements.

Where recognised graphical symbols apply, using consistent standardised designs can improve clarity.

Choosing the Right Safety Sign

Before buying a safety sign, establish exactly what you need people to understand.

Ask:

1. Is there a hazard to warn about?
2. Is an activity prohibited?
3. Is an action mandatory?
4. Is PPE required?
5. Is access restricted?
6. Does emergency information need identifying?
7. Does firefighting equipment need identifying?
8. Who will see the sign?
9. From how far away must it be visible?
10. Will it be installed indoors or outdoors?

This will help narrow the choice to the correct safety-sign category.

Where Should Safety Signs Be Positioned?

Position signs where people receive the information before they encounter the hazard or reach the point where they need to act.

Examples include:

• Entrances
• Doors
• Gates
• Workplace boundaries
• Machinery areas
• Vehicle routes
• Pedestrian routes
• Chemical stores
• Plant rooms
• Construction fencing
• Fire equipment locations
• First aid points
• Emergency escape routes

Think about the direction people approach from and anything that could obstruct their view.

Choosing the Right Sign Size

Sign size should reflect viewing distance and the environment.

A safety sign on an office door viewed from close range can usually be smaller than one positioned at a construction-site entrance or large industrial yard.

Consider:

• Viewing distance
• Mounting height
• Approach direction
• Lighting
• Surrounding visual clutter
• Whether people approach on foot or in vehicles

The sign needs to be understandable early enough for somebody to respond appropriately.

Choosing Safety Sign Materials

The best material depends on the environment and intended period of use.

Factors to consider include:

• Indoor or outdoor use
• Weather exposure
• UV exposure
• Temperature
• Moisture
• Mounting surface
• Expected lifespan
• Whether the sign needs to be relocated

Temporary construction signage can have different material requirements from permanent factory or office signage.

Choose the material for the application rather than simply choosing the lowest-cost option.

Safety Signs for Construction Sites

Construction sites can require many types of signage because risks and site arrangements change as work progresses.

Potential requirements include:

• PPE signs
• Hazard warnings
• No Entry and Keep Out signs
• Vehicle and pedestrian signs
• Fire safety signs
• First aid signs
• Site entrance information
• Multi-message safety boards

There isn't one universal pack of signs that makes every construction project compliant.

Select signs according to the project's actual hazards and arrangements and review them as the site changes.

Safety Signs for Warehouses

Warehouses can combine pedestrians, forklifts, loading operations, storage, machinery and visiting drivers in one environment.

Safety signage can help communicate:

• Vehicle hazards
• Pedestrian routes
• PPE requirements
• Restricted areas
• Loading instructions
• Fire precautions
• First aid locations
• Emergency escape information

Position signs at decision points rather than after somebody has already entered the hazardous area.

Safety Signs for Factories & Workshops

Manufacturing environments can contain machinery, electrical equipment, noise, chemicals and moving vehicles.

Depending on the risks, signage might include warning, mandatory, prohibition, PPE, fire and emergency signs.

Use specific messages wherever possible.

A sign saying Eye Protection Must Be Worn provides a clearer instruction than a vague general safety notice where eye protection is the actual requirement.

Safety Signs for Offices & Commercial Premises

Lower-risk workplaces can still require appropriate safety information.

Common examples include:

• Fire exit signs
• Fire action notices
• Fire door signs
• First aid signs
• No Smoking signs
• Restricted-access signs
• Emergency information

The number and type of signs should reflect the premises rather than assumptions about what every office requires.

Avoid Too Many Safety Signs

More signs don't automatically create a safer workplace.

Too much signage can create visual clutter and make important instructions less noticeable.

Prioritise the messages people genuinely need at each location.

Where several related general instructions apply at the same entrance, an appropriate multi-message sign or site safety board may sometimes communicate them more effectively than a large cluster of separate notices.

Specific hazards elsewhere should still be signed at the appropriate location.

Check Safety Signs Regularly

Safety signage should remain:

• Visible
• Legible
• Clean
• Securely fixed
• Undamaged
• Relevant
• Correctly positioned

Review signage when workplace arrangements change.

New machinery, altered pedestrian routes, relocated fire equipment, construction phases or changes in access can all mean existing signs need to be moved, replaced or removed.

Outdated signs can create confusion and undermine other safety information.

Made in Britain Safety Signs

Safety Sheep supplies Made in Britain Safety Signs for businesses, contractors and organisations across the UK.

Explore safety signage for construction sites, warehouses, factories, offices, schools, farms, workshops and commercial premises, with different sizes and materials available for a wide range of applications.

Whether you need an individual replacement sign, multiple signs for a workplace or bulk quantities across several sites, choose signage that accurately communicates the hazards, instructions and arrangements relevant to your premises.

Think Safety. Think Sheep.