Introduction to Sign Safety

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legislation applicable to signs

 

 

  

 

 

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 

 

 

These regulations bring into force the EC Safety Signs Directive (92/58 EEC) on the provision and use of safety signs at work. The purpose of the directive is to encourage the standardisation of safety signs throughout the member states of the European Union, so that safety signs, wherever they are seen, have the same meaning. 

The regulations cover various means of communicating health and safety information. These include the use of traditional sign boards, such as those detailed above, as well as illuminated signs, hand and acoustic signals (e.g. fire alarms), spoken communication and marking of pipework containing dangerous substances.

The regulations require employers to provide specific safety signs whenever there is a risk that has not been avoided or controlled by other means e.g. by engineering controls or safe systems of work. Where a safety sign would not help to reduce that risk, or where the risk is not significant, there is no need to provide a sign.

The regulations apply to all places and activities where people are employed, but exclude signs and labels used in connection with the supply of substances, products and equipment or the transport of dangerous goods.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which came into force on 1st October 2006, applies to the vast majority of premises and workplaces in the UK. There are few exceptions (reference should be made to the legislative text for specific details on exclusions).

The legislation firmly places the responsibility for compliance on a ‘Responsible Person’. The responsible person must carry out a Fire Risk Assessment, produce a policy, develop procedures (particularly for evacuation), provide staff training and carry out Fire Drills. The responsible person must provide clear Means of Escape, Signs, Notices, Emergency Lighting, Fire Detection & Alarm and appropriate Fire Fighting Equipment.

 

JacTone offer a comprehensive range of Fire and Safety Signs, enabling full and complete compliance with the appropriate legislation.

 

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Standards relating to safety signs

 

 

Design & Manufacture 

•   BS 5378, Parts 1-3 : Safety Signs and Colours

•   BS 5499, Various Parts

 

Selection and Installation

•   BS 5499, Part 4 – Safety signs, including fire safety signs. Code of practice for escape route signing.

•   BS ISO 16069 - Graphical symbols. Safety signs. Safety way guidance systems (SWGS).

 

Subject to a risk assessment and in addition to the guidelines in BS5499, this standard includes recommendations for the use of high level, intermediate and low location signs and markings, to ensure there is an uninterrupted safety sign system to aid an efficient and safe evacuation from a building.           

•   BS 5499-10:2006 Safety signs, including fire safety signs. Code of practice for the use of safety signs,

including fire safety signs

BS 5499-10:2006 provides guidance on how to select, install, position and maintain safety signs conforming to BS 5499-1 and BS 5499-5 (excluding escape route signs – See part 4) to present specific safety information.  It also satisfies the requirements of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and existing fire safety legislation.

 

This code of practice reflects best practice and shows how to use safety signs in a standardized manner to ensure consistent application throughout a particular environment or an entire organisation.