Send the right message with health and safety signs

You won’t want to be without safety signs. Occupational health and safety regulations and standards, which apply across Europe, require them as standard. Health and safety signs are instantly recognisable and understood in the workplace, providing directions when operating equipment, working in danger zones or entering high-traffic areas. With many options to choose from, which safety signs do you require for your company?

Categories and classifications of health and safety signs

Do you know all the safety signs that exist? Fortunately, you don't need to, as they are clearly classified into categories and topic areas. Depending on which area you require health and safety symbols for, there are many options available.

Category E: Emergency signs

These green safety signs are square in shape, with the symbol and/ or lettering in signal white. Emergency signs provide directions to locate important places, such as first aid facilities, emergency exits, and escape routes. These health and safety signs must light up when it’s dark, which is why they’re permanently illuminated, even when operations are running smoothly. If the general lighting system does fail, emergency signs can stay alight due to them being charged.

Category P: Prohibition signs

Signal red in colour, prohibition signs are used as danger signs and exist to tell people what not to do. These health and safety signs are round in shape, with diagonal strikethrough lines running through the centre.

Category W: Warning signs

In workshops on walls, and on machinery, triangular health and safety warning signs use black pictograms to highlight potential hazards and attract attention with a bright signal yellow colour. In short, they encourage people to pay more attention to their surroundings and to take appropriate action to protect themselves from harm or danger.

Category M: Mandatory signs

Round mandatory signs help to prevent workplace accidents. The rules outlined in these health and safety signs must be obeyed. Mandatory signs are often used in areas where personal protective equipment and clothing is required, showing the rules of conduct workers are expected to follow.

Category F: Fire protection signs

Red health and safety signs with white pictograms. When a fire breaks out, square-shaped fire protection signs provide directions on where to find the nearest fire alarms, escape ladders, and extinguishers. Like emergency health and safety signs, fire protection signs stay alight at all times and are made to glow in the dark.

Keeping health and safety signs at close range

When affixing your safety signage, you must ensure they are not too far away from the people who need to see them. This is especially true of safety signs that show escape routes. Our purchasing guide shows you appropriate recognition ranges for your safety signs.

Self adhesive health and safety signs are a great option. Surfaces, however, must be thoroughly cleaned and free of any grease residue and dirt before applying any self-adhesive film to them.

Should you have any other questions about this, get in touch with our customer service team.

Health & safety signs