Types of fire and emergency signs

Taking workplace safety seriously has meant an explosion in the number and types of safety signs we see around us every day, warning us of everything from serious fire risks to more mundane tripping hazards and everything in between.

It may feel like everything has a sign for it, but often signs have useful information that can make your life a lot easier or even save it. So, how do you filter out the noise and tell exactly what a sign means without having to think too much about it?

Let's take a look at some of the main types of signs and how to spot them.

Common types of signs 

Danger signs

Let's start off with the most serious first, because if you see anything like this then it's very important you pay attention. Danger signs are black, white and red, and come in several variants, some of which warn you about a specific danger and others that warn generally about the danger of death.

Common versions of this sign include fire risk, drowning, high voltage, unstable ground and other such hazards which are a general risk in the area you're about to enter. What is common to all of them is the red oval with DANGER written inside on a black and white background, then underneath will be a warning about the type of danger or an instruction to follow, such as 'KEEP OUT' or 'DO NOT ENTER'. These signs must be obeyed because they are used when death is a substantial risk.

Warning signs

Though slightly less serious than danger signs, warning signs nonetheless exist to let you know about serious hazards that could harm you in the vicinity, and death is always a possibility. Easily spotted thanks to their distinctive yellow and black colouring, the sign always features an image of the hazard inside a triangle and a specific warning about the threat below.

Common versions of this sign include 'DEEP WATER', 'WET FLOOR' and 'FALLING ROCKS'. These words will be backed up by an image of the hazard in the warning triangle, often depicting a little figure suffering an accident.

Instructions

The third type of sign is the instruction sign, and while these may not warn about specific dangers, you should still follow their guidance to avoid hazards occurring in future. These are present all around building sites and even in some public places. There are two types of this kind of sign, instruction signs and prohibition signs; the first telling you what you should do and the second telling you what you can't do. These are both important for different reasons, and both are distinctive for their rectangular shape and white background with black lettering.

Instruction signs give you rules to follow for your own safety, which can prevent hazards from occurring before they happen. Signs like 'FOOT PROTECTION MUST BE WORN' encourage you to wear steel toe boots in case falling objects hurt your feet. 'HIGH VISIBILITY VEST AREA' encourages you to wear reflective clothing to make you more visible to traffic, while 'BLIND INTERSECTION SOUND HORN' tells you to sound your horn before a corner to warn pedestrians you're approaching.

Prohibition signs are slightly different, and tell you things that you shouldn't do. These are a little more forceful and offer commands. Signs like 'NO SMOKING' prevent you from lighting a cigarette near inflammable material; 'NO RUNNING' stops you from going too quickly through a hazardous area, while 'CYCLES PROHIBITED' stops you from riding bicycles in certain areas.

Information signs

The final type of sign we'll cover is less urgent than the others but no less important, providing information about the measures in place around the site to mitigate danger, such as medical and fire fighting facilities. While these don't warn you about imminent danger, it's very important to remember what these look like and where they are in case there is an accident or problem that might be helped by using them.

Fire-related signs are red, rectangular, and point the way to fire fighting apparatus of various kinds. This might be a fire extinguisher, a fire hydrant, a fire hose, a sand bucket or a fire blanket, so you'll know where to go if a fire breaks out. Similarly, rectangular green signs indicate medical facilities, which tends to cover things like eye washing stations, first aid kits, defibrillators and emergency phones. Both types of sign will have a small logo depicting the apparatus it refers to, as well as a short description of what it is. It's a good idea to remember these because quick action could save lives in an emergency.

If you're looking for safety signs for your premises, take a look at our range at Jaybro today.