The Different Types of Fire Safety Signs
If you run or own a business, it’s vital that you have the appropriate fire commercial safety protocols in place.
In addition to fire fighting equipment such as extinguishers and sprinklers, as well as fire alarms to alert people to the presence of a blaze, fire safety signs play a fundamental role in fire safety.
Although they’re among the most critical health and safety signs you can install in your business, it can be challenging to know the differences between all of the fire safety signs and symbols.
At Millennium Fire Protection, we supply fire safety signs to customers across Harrow, Watford and Ealing and have put together a handy guide outlining everything you need to know about these products.
What information do fire safety signs give?
Fire signs cover all manner of serious fire safety areas, providing people on your premises with a variety of important information.
Some of the key fire safety signs and the information they provide are as follows.
Mandatory fire safety signs
Typically blue or white and circular or oblong in shape, mandatory fire signs provide people with a mandatory action that they must not ignore. In the context of a fire, they detail behaviour that should be observed to minimise the likelihood of a blaze or to prevent one from spreading. Perhaps the best example of this is the ‘fire door keep shut’ sign that informs people not to prop open fire doors.
Fire action notice signs
Fire action notice signs give your staff clear instructions on what should be done in the event of a fire. They will normally include information such as your organisation’s nearest fire assembly point, who should be contacted and evacuation routes. They will also inform people of things they must not do. These signs will usually be rectangular or square, and include a blue section (actions that should be taken) and a red section (actions that should not be taken).
Prohibition signs
You will probably be familiar with prohibition signs. They’re almost always red and white and include a ‘do not’ symbol (a red circle with a diagonal line through it). These signs inform people of behaviour which they must not do as they pose a fire risk — for example, ‘no smoking’.
In addition to these fire safety signs, there are also many that are colour coded. These include the following:
Red signs for fire safety
All fire signs that relate to fire safety equipment will be red. These signs will normally contain pictograms and text that are white. Fire extinguishers, hoses and fire alarm signs will all be red.
Blue signs for fire safety
Blue fire safety signs relate to health and safety information and normally combine white text that states mandatory precautions. As mentioned earlier, perhaps the most relevant of these that relate to fire safety is ‘fire door keep shut.’
Yellow signs for fire safety
Warning signs are among the most important types of fire safety signs. They are yellow in colour and triangular in shape and will alert people to the presence of a hazard or hazardous substance. They will include a black symbol, like an exclamation mark, and these signs should be present in areas where there is a significant fire risk.
Green signs for fire safety
Fire safety signs that are green will be associated with escaping a fire, due to green being the colour that represents movement and safety. All fire exit signs will be green, and may also need to be illuminated to ensure people can see their evacuation points if your business loses power.
If you require fire safety signage, Millennium Fire Protection is here to help. Our expert team can provide you with a free site survey to advise you on the most suitable options for your organisation, as well as a catalogue of options you can browse through. In addition to signs, we can also supply and install a whole host of other fire safety products including fire extinguishers, fire alarms and even fire training for your staff.