There are five different types of safety signs such as:- Prohibition Signs, Mandatory Signs, Warning Signs, Safe Condition Signs, And Fire Equipment Signs.
What Is Safety Signs?
Safety signs carry crucial information and are designed to indicate the prohibited actions or items, mandatory actions or required to wear personal protective equipment, warn of hazards, emergency assembly points or marking exit routes, and identify the location of fire or safety equipment.
Safety signs can be seen everywhere: in public places, on construction sites, in hospitals, in offices, in warehouses, on public roads, etc. We see safety signs daily. The purpose and types of safety signs must be understood & followed by everyone.
What Are The 5 Types of Safety Signs?
There are 5-types of safety signs, and they carry crucial information related to health and safety.
- Prohibition Signs
- Mandatory Signs
- Warning Signs
- Safe Condition Signs
- Fire Equipment Signs
All types of safety signs look different through shape and color combinations. They can send messages through pictures or icons. You can easily understand (Even without reading) the exact meaning of safety signs through images & icons of safety signs.
Here are the 5-types of safety signs with their meanings.
Prohibition Signs
Prohibition signs stop you from doing something dangerous. Prohibition signs are the danger signs telling you that it is not safe to do. Do you know what color makes you think of danger? The Red, of course! Prohibition signs have a red circle with a diagonal bar through the circle shape, and the pictogram is black on a white background.
The easiest way to recognize the shape of prohibition signs is that it’s a circle, the same as the full stop, which means stop.
Color: Red
Shape: Circle
Meaning: Stop, Do not, Never, No
Example:
- Do not operate
- No authorized entry
- No smoking
- No parking
- Don’t drink & entry
- Do not use a mobile phone while driving
Mandatory Signs
Mandatory signs are there to tell you to do something that can protect you from danger. You can consider these the opposite of prohibition signs. The shape of the mandatory signs is round, and the pictogram is white on a blue background. The circle would have a white border.
Color: Blue
Shape: Circle
Meaning: You must do this, Obey, PPE must be worn, You must be trained
Example:
- Wear your seat belt.
- Hearing protection must be worn in this area.
- Pedestrian only.
- Keep the fire door closed.
- Follow the speed limit.
- Crane must be operated by trained personnel only.
Warning Signs
The purpose of warning signs is to warn you about dangers. These signs are unlike the previous two (prohibition & mandatory signs). They don’t tell you not to do something or to do something. They usually aim to make you aware of the dangerous thing or event so that you can protect yourself before being harmed.
The shape of these safety signs is triangular. The pictogram is black on a yellow background, and the triangle has a black border.
Color: Yellow
Shape: Triangle
Meaning: Caution, Be careful, be aware.
Example:
- Caution falling object.
- Danger high voltage.
- Slippery surface.
- Mind your step.
- Hot surface.
- Head bump.
- Danger open hole.
Safe Condition Signs
Safe condition signs indicate that you must be followed to safety, such as fire exit, assembly point, emergency exit, etc. And this is widely known that green is the perfect color for safety. So the color of safe condition signs is GREEN.
The shapes of safe condition signs are rectangular or square. The pictogram is white on a green background with an often white border.
Color: Green
Shape: Rectangle
Meaning: Escape route, First aid location, Assembly, or Muster point.
Example:
- Assembly point.
- First aid box.
- Fire exit.
- Emergency stop.
- Pedestrian walkway.
Fire Equipment Signs
Fire equipment signs show the location of fire firefighting/equipment’s location. What color would be for fire? The Red, of course! But already, we have used this color for prohibition signs. Well, fire equipment signs are also RED, but in a different shape.
The shapes of fire equipment signs are rectangular or square, And the pictogram is white on a red background with a white border.
Color: Red
Shape: Square / Rectangular
Meaning: Here is the fire equipment, Fire extinguisher, Fire alarm
Example:
- Fire alarm call point.
- Fire hose.
- Fire extinguishers.
- Fire hydrant.
- This is for fire use only.
- Fire alarm control panel.
- Fire bucket.
Conclusion
There are 5-different types of safety signs, and all of them have been explained in this article, which must be understood and followed. Each type of safety sign has a different shape and meaning. This is essential for everyone to use the correct safety signs as per standard & job requirements. Proper use of safety signs can protect you from many hazards in the workplace.
Q1. What Is Safety Signs?
Ans. Safety signs carry crucial information and are designed to indicate the prohibited actions or items, mandatory actions or required to wear personal protective equipment, warn of hazards, emergency assembly points or marking exit routes, and identify the location of fire or safety equipment.
Q2. What Are The Types Of Safety Signs?
Ans. There are 5-types of safety signs, and they carry crucial information related to health and safety.
1. Prohibition Signs
2. Mandatory Signs
3. Warning Signs
4. Safe Condition Signs
5. Fire Equipment Signs
Q3. What Are The Shape And Color Of Prohibition Signs?
Ans. Prohibition signs have a red circle with a diagonal bar through the circle shape, and the pictogram is black on a white background.
Q4. What Are The Shape And Color Of Fire Equipment Signs?
Ans. The color of fire equipment signs is RED. The shapes of fire equipment signs are rectangular or square, And the pictogram is white on a red background with a white border.
Q5. What Are The Shape And Color Of Mandatory Signs?
Ans. The color of mandatory signs is BLUE. The shape of the mandatory signs is round, and the pictogram is white on a blue background. The circle would have a white border.
Q6. What Are The Shape And Color Of Warning Signs?
Ans. The color of warning signs is YELLOW. The shape of these safety signs is triangular. The pictogram is black on a yellow background, and the triangle has a black border.
Q7. What Are The Shape And Color Of Safe Condition Signs?
Ans. The color of safe condition signs is GREEN. The shapes of safe condition signs are rectangular or square. The pictogram is white on a green background with an often white border.