The duties placed on employers to provide signage will have generally stemmed from the Fire Precautions Act 1971. However, licensing and other regulations have required adequate signage for many years.

Consequently, in this country and across Europe there have been many varying standards and regulations regarding the provision of signs. The acknowledged need for greater standardisation in all countries of the European Union has resulted in the preparation of a new directive aimed at providing safety signs which can be generally understood regardless of language spoken.

The European Union implemented the Safety Signs Directive on 24th June 1992. This directive is now being enforced in the United Kingdom through the Health & Safety (Signs and Signals) Regulations of 1996.

These Regulations apply to all safety signs commissioned after the 1st April 1996. However safety signage installed and approved by the appropriate authority prior to this date are covered by a transitional provision within the new regulations to allow their continued use up until 24th December 1998. After this date all fire safety signs not compliant with these regulations must be replaced or supplemented in order to conform.

The new signage requirements incorporate simple, yet visually descriptive pictograms or series of pictograms with specific colour coding, to enable speedy identification.

This type of sign, already a common sight throughout the United Kingdom, indicates that the majority of signs implemented by this directive will be familiar. Due to this fact signs complying with BS 5499: Part 1, 1990 has been deemed suitable to satisfy the requirements, so long as they continue to fulfil their purpose effectively.

he minimum requirement specified for new fire safety signs is that they contain an appropriate pictogram. Signs solely using text are no longer permissible. Similarly directional arrows are no longer acceptable on their own, and must also be accompanied by a pictogram.

The new regulations not only stipulate that safety signs are installed and maintained, but also require the employer to provide satisfactory training as to the meaning, use, and location, of fire safety signs.

Although these regulations have now been in force for many years, our experience indicates that not all premises meet the requirements, particularly in unseen or infrequently used areas, back of house etc, which, arguably are the most important areas due to unfamiliarity.

Whilst a level of responsibility has always been placed on building owners / users, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 has effectively enhanced this onerous and specifically places a duty for compliance on a 'responsible person'.

Fire safety signage plays an important role in an overall fire strategy for a premise and will have varying degrees of reliance, signage should always be considered as part of the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) due to its influence on numerous areas, including fire prevention, means of escape, means of warning, first aid fire fighting, Fire Service access and facilities to name a few.

Details of signs for specific purposes, and how such signs should be displayed are contained in Health & Safety (Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. Further guidance on safety signs is given in a convenient booklet available from the Fire Protection Association, entitled 'Guide to Fire Safety Signs'. Reference must also be made to BS 5499.

Lawrence Webster Forrest Ltd
Legion House, Lower Road, Kenley, Surrey, CR8 5NH

Tel - 020 8668 8663
Fax - 020 8668 8583
Email - fire@lwf.co.uk

Means of Escape have designed a guide to aid organisations safety sign requirements, for further information click here

To speak to a consultant or purchase safety signs which conform to legislation contact:

JALITE
T: 01268 242300
E: sales@jalite.com

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