Fire safety signage gives building occupants the information they need to safely evacuate your building in the event of a fire alarm or emergency. For this reason, it is crucial that fire safety signage is unambiguously clear, prominently located, and easy to understand. Good quality fire safety signage can reduce panic and confusion during an emergency, facilitate an efficient evacuation, and possibly save lives.
There are also legal obligations surrounding fire safety signage, which we will explore in this article:
What are the laws governing fire safety signage in the UK?
The requirements for fire safety signage are contained in two main pieces of legislation. These are:
- The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996: this law establishes a framework for appropriate safety signs to alert users to various health and safety risks, including fire dangers. The law standardised the design requirements of safety signage to include clear symbols and a consistent format for immediate recognition.
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: the Fire Safety Order created a responsibility framework for fire safety, delegating legal duties to a ‘responsible person’ to ensure that the appropriate fire safety measures are implemented in a specific building. This includes signage around emergency exits, evacuation points, and other key areas.
So, where do you need fire safety signage?
Under UK law, there are several areas in any commercial or public building that require properly placed fire safety signage. For example:
- Fire exit routes: you should clearly signpost all escape routes leading to fire exits, placing directional signs along corridors and stairways to indicate the nearest and safest fire exit. Fire exit signs typically feature a green background with a white figure running towards an emergency exit, signified by an arrow pointing in the appropriate direction. Fire exit routes also often require so-called ‘mandatory signs’, which are blue circular signs indicating a required action, such as “keep fire door shut”.
- Fire extinguishers and equipment: fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and firefighting equipment must be clearly marked by the appropriate signs. Internationally-recognised equipment-specific symbols should be included (e.g. symbols for foam extinguishers, sprinklers, fire alarms, hose reels etc) to indicate the presence of the equipment. Fire equipment signs commonly have a red background with the symbols superimposed in white.
- Hazard indicators: signs should highlight areas that contain an active fire risk, such as flammable material storage rooms, or the presence of heat generating machinery. There are two types of hazard sign. ‘Prohibition signs’ have a white background with a red circular band that crosses out an image to indicate a prohibited activity, such as the instantly recognisable ‘non-smoking sign’. ‘Warning signs’, on the other hand, are yellow triangles that indicate the presence of a fire hazard. These include symbols and are often accompanied by text – such as “danger! flammable materials”.
- Evacuation points: signage should identify designated assembly points outside the building for fire evacuations (e.g. a car park or outdoors staff eating area) for occupants to muster after a fire alarm is sounded.
What next?
Don’t leave fire safety to chance. It’s important to take proactive steps to safeguard your business, customers, and the people within it. If you are unsure whether your current fire safety signage meets UK legal requirements, please get in touch with Image Technique today to discuss your needs and discover how we can support your organisation.
Image source: Canva