Safety signs are an important part of good health and safety management as well as a legal requirement in all workplaces. This guide explains the system of safety signs that must be used in Irish workplaces.
Safety signs
Basic Principles of the System of Safety Signs
- The objective of the system of safety signs is to draw attention rapidly and unambiguously to objects and situations capable of causing specific hazards.
- A system of safety signs must never be used as a substitute for necessary protective measures.
- The system of safety signs may only be used to give information related to safety.
- The effectiveness of the system of safety signs is dependent in particular on the provision of full and constantly repeated information to all persons likely to benefit therefrom.
What is a safety sign?
A safety or health sign is a sign referring to a specific object, activity or situation and providing information or instructions about safety, health, or both, at work by means of a signboard, a colour, an illuminated sign, an acoustic signal, a verbal communication or a hand signal.
What is a signboard?
A signboard is a sign which provides specific information or instructions by a combination of a geometric shape, colours and a symbol or pictogram, without written words, which is rendered visible by lighting of sufficient intensity.
What is a supplementary signboard?
A supplementary signboard is a sign used together with one of the signs covered by the definition of signboard (above) and which gives supplementary information, including, where appropriate, information in writing.
The Design of Safety Signs
All safety signs used in a workplace must comply with these design principles.
Colour-coding System
The system for signboards is based on traffic light colours:
- Red for prohibition
- Yellow for caution
- Green for positive action
A fourth colour, blue, is used for mandatory signs and to convey information.
Geometric Shapes
The shapes of the signboards are standardised:
- Discs for prohibitions and instruction
- Triangles for warnings
- Squares and rectangles for emergency and informative signs
Geometric Shape, Meaning, Colour and Intrinsic Features of Safety Signboards
The instructions in the table below apply to all signs incorporating a symbol/pictogram.
| Geometric Shape |
Meaning or Purpose |
Safety Colour |
Intrinsic Features |
|
|
Prohibition |
Red |
Round shape with a black symbol/pictogram on a white background with red edging and a diagonal bar. The safety colour red must cover at least 35% of the surface of the sign. |
|
|
Mandatory |
Blue |
Round shape with a white symbol/pictogram on a blue background. The safety colour blue must cover at least 50% of the surface of the sign. |
|
|
Hazard Warning |
Yellow or Amber |
Triangular shape with a black symbol/pictogram on a yellow background with black edging. The safety colour yellow must cover at least 50% of the surface of the sign. |
|
|
Emergency escape |
Green |
Rectangular or square shape with a white symbol/pictogram on a green background. The safety colour green must cover at least 50% of the surface of the sign. |
|
|
Fire-fighting Equipment |
Red |
Rectangular or square shape with a white symbol/pictogram on a red background. The safety colour red must cover at least 50% of the surface of the sign. |
|
|
Supplementary |
No |
Black wording on a white background or safety colour with wording in a contrasting colour. |
Colour, Meaning and Information on Safety Signs
The instructions in the table below apply to all signs incorporating a safety colour.
| Colour |
Meaning or Purpose |
Instructions and information |
|
Red |
Prohibition sign |
Dangerous behaviour (e.g. a ‘No Smoking’ or ‘No Entry’ sign). |
|
Danger alarm |
Stop; shutdown; emergency cut-out devices; evacuate (e.g. the emergency stop button on equipment). |
|
|
Fire-fighting equipment |
Identification and location |
|
|
Yellow or amber |
Warning |
Be careful, take precautions, examine (e.g. chemical hazard, electrical shock risk). |
|
Blue |
Mandatory |
Specific behaviour or action required (e.g. ‘Fire Door Keep Shut’). |
|
Green |
Emergency escape, first aid |
Doors, exits, escape routes, equipment, and facilities |
|
No danger |
Return to normal |
Combinations of shapes and colours and their meaning for signboards
The table below shows how a shape is combined with a safety colour to form a signboard.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Red |
Prohibition |
Fire-fighting equipment |
|
|
Yellow or amber |
Caution, possible danger |
||
|
Blue |
Mandatory |
Instruction or information |
|
|
Green |
Emergency escape, first aid; no danger |
Categories of Safety Signs & Examples
Prohibition Sign
A prohibition sign is a signboard or supplementary signboard prohibiting behaviour likely to incur harm or cause danger.
| Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
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|
|
|
|
Warning Sign
A warning sign is a signboard or supplementary signboard giving warning of a hazard or risk.
| Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
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|
|
|
|
Mandatory Sign
A mandatory sign is a signboard or supplementary signboard requiring specific behaviour.
| Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
|
|
|
|
|
Emergency Escape or First-aid Sign
An emergency escape or first-aid sign is a signboard or supplementary signboard giving information on emergency exits or first-aid or rescue facilities.
| Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
Signboard |
Supplementary Signboard |
|
|
|
|
|
Fire-fighting Sign
A fire-fighting signboard sign is a signboard or supplementary signboard giving information on the identification and location of fire-fighting equipment.