Fire Safety Signs Guide

Health and safety regulations require every workplace to have relevant fire signs. The legislation instructs that everyone be aware of fire alarm locations, emergency tools, fire exit plans and have easy access to them. However, a fire sign cannot substitute for a piece of equipment but instead serve as a risk indicator and must be perceived as helpful. With a UK survey reporting an average of 510,000 fire incidents each year, it is clear how essential fire safety signs regulation can be for your workplace.

What are fire safety signs?

Fire safety signs provide health and safety information on fire and emergency exit plans, fire-fighting equipment locations, and fire safety warnings. Fire safety signs and symbols come in various colours like red, yellow, green, or blue. It may also contain photos, text, or a combination of both. It is vital to observe fire safety signs in work and public spaces since ignoring them may have dire consequences.

Why are fire safety signs important?

Fire safety signs are crucial for guiding people to safety, particularly during fire incidents. It is a legal requirement for all workplaces to have fire safety signs. The 2005 regulatory reform order instructs every workplace to have adequate safety signs to direct people to emergency routes, exits and fire-fighting tools. Fire safety signs primarily offer a guide and instruction to employees concerning health and safety risks. If you are a business owner or responsible for managing multi-occupancy property, you have to provide safety signs on the property.

Fire Safety Sign Rules

The Health and Safety Regulations 1996 provides guidelines on each sign and how to display them. The fire safety signs UK regulations offer the following directions.

Fire safety signs should be well-lit
Doors and exit routes should be labelled.
Escape route directional signs should show the fastest safety route.
Fire safety signs and meanings must be clear and easy to understand
Escape routes signs should show exit routes all the way.
Teach your employees about the various workplace fire extinguishers.
Picture-form fire safety signs should come with supplementary text.
All final exit signs should have no arrows. However, ensure to stick to a standard sign, either British or European, but never mix the two.
It is advised that all picture-form safety signs should have supplementary text.

Equipment Signs

Equipment signs may seem obvious, yet the type and position of your signs play a significant visibility role for your employees. Fire safety signs and notices offer staff vital information during crucial moments and potentially save lives and property.

Emergency Exit Signs

Emergency exit signs are diagrams in industrial or public facilities such as buildings, boats, or aircraft indicating the nearest exit location of any emergency requiring immediate evacuation. Additionally, the most relevant codes may require safety signs to remain always illuminated.

Fire Action Notice Sign

Action notice signs are designed to direct building occupants on steps to take during a fire incident. The fire action notice sign offers direction, including the nearest assembly point and how to raise fire safety alarms.