Everything You Need to Know About Five Types of Health & Safety Signs

Summary There are five main types of safety and health signs, each with its own meaning. How can you figure out what kind of symbol it is? They convey their message via shape and colour. Once you understand what you're searching for, you can rapidly decipher the sign's message. Introduction Health and safety signs are present everywhere, from construction sites and public places to hospitals and warehouses. In fact, we humans see and interact with health and safety signs all the time. Don't you believe us? Okay, where are you right now? At Work? Just have a look around you; there must be a safety sign somewhere around you. For example, think about the no-entry sign you spotted when crossing the road or the danger sign hanging from the iron walls of a railway overpass. Do you remember what colour it was and what shape it was? If not, here we are to help you understand everything about the health and safety signs. To start with, there are the following five types of health and safety signs that are in use: ·         Warning signs ·         Prohibition signs ·         Mandatory signs ·         Fire emergency signs ·         Safe condition signs Identifying the different types of safety signs is relatively easy, as they all look different from each other. These signs can easily deliver the message through pictures, icons, colour, and shape. And once you get a hold of them, you can also easily identify them even without reading the words. For instance, a danger or caution sign uses a particular type of colour palette, which makes it easily identifiable. However, in this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about the five types of safety and hazard signs. Prohibition Signs These signs help you identify things you should strictly avoid, like smoking or littering. For instance, if you spot a danger sign, that means it is not safe to proceed there. And if you think about it, what colour can represent a danger? Well, of course, red! Therefore, prohibition signs must have a circle with a diagonal line indicating caution. The colour must be bright red. The pictogram in the background is black and white indicating a human figure. Shape: Circular Colour: Red What It Means: Never, Prohibition, Stop, Do not Example: ·         No entry ·         No smoking ·         No parking ·         Do not cross ·         Unauthorized person prohibited Warning Signs These are simple signs to indicate potential danger. Unlike a prohibition sign, a warning sign does not ask you to stop or prohibit you from the action. Instead, it just warns you and makes you aware of the potential danger in a certain location so that you can save yourself from possible harm. A warning sign shows a bright yellow triangle with black borders. The pictogram is black in colour and shows an image of a person falling. Shape: Triangular Colour: Yellow What It Means: Warning, Be careful, Be aware Examples: ·         Danger 440 volts ·         Mind the steps ·         Caution hot water ·         Slippery floor ·         Fragile roof Safe Condition Sign Safe condition indicators are typically followed for safety. And what colour conveys safety more than green? They are, indeed, green! The share of these signs is rectangular or square. The symbol is usually white on a green backdrop with a white border. And remember, the purpose of a safe condition sign is quite different from a danger or caution sign. Shape: Rectangle Colour: Green Meaning: First Aid, Escape Route, Follow, This Way Examples: ·         Fire exit ·         Assembly point ·         First aid box ·         Emergency stop ·         Push the bar to open Fire Emergency Signs Fire equipment/fighting indicators indicate the location of fire equipment. What colour comes to mind when we think about fire? Red. However, we had previously utilised red with the restriction sign. On the other hand, fire equipment signs are red but in a different form. These signs are rectangular or square in form. The symbol is usually white on a red backdrop with a white border. Hence, keep this point in mind while looking for a danger sign or a fire equipment sign. Shape: Square Colour: Red Meaning: Fire alarm, fire extinguishers, here is the fire equipment Examples: ·         For fire use only ·         Fire extinguisher ·         Gas shut off value ·         Fire alarm call point ·         Fire alarm control panel Author Bio Here the author provides useful information regarding different types of health and safety signs. He has been working as a professional analyst in a leading sign manufacturing company based in the UK and is considered a veteran among his peers. So, if you are looking to purchase health and safety signs, spare a moment to read this article.