Fire Safety Signs Requirements

In addition to the requirements for signs and their maintenance in the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997/Fire Safety Order 2005, further requirements on signs are set out in the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.

A 'fire safety sign' is a sign (including an illuminated sign or an acoustic signal) which:

provides information on escape routes and emergency exits in case of fire;
provides information on the identification or location of fire-fighting equipment; or
gives warning in the case of fire.

The employer must, where determined by his/her Fire Risk Assessment as necessary to comply with the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 or any other relevant fire or health and safety legislation:

provide and maintain, or ensure there is provided and maintained, any appropriate fire safety signs;
ensure that fire safety signs meet special requirements as regards shape, colour and location;
ensure that fire safety signs meet general requirements as regards size, permanence and other characteristics;
ensure that employees fully understand the meaning of fire safety signs and are trained in the measures to be taken in connection with them.

Emergency Exit / Route Signs

These signs are used to show the location of emergency exits and the emergency routes for reaching the exits. The signs must:

be rectangular or square in shape;
show a white pictogram (which may include an arrow) on a green background;
not show only a directional arrow (except for any 'This Way' signs which may be used to supplement emergency escape signs);
have at least 50% of their area green (thus the white of the pictogram and any words included must take up no more than half the area);
must not bear text only,but must include a pictogram of a running man;
be located in all places as determined by the employer's Fire Risk Assessment
be adequately illuminated (including by emergency lighting ) where necessary).

Signs(link to signage info page) containing symbols or pictograms which conform to BS 5499 (Fire Safety Signs, Notices and Graphic Symbols) will satisfy the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 provided they continue to fulfil their purpose effectively.

Fire Fighting Equipment Signs

These signs are used to show the location of fire fighting equipment in the workplace, such as hoses, extinguishers, ladders and emergency telephones. If an item of equipment is out of sight, they are also used to point to its location. The signs must:

be rectangular or square in shape;
show a white pictogram (which may include and arrow) on a red background;
have at least 50% of their area red (thus the white of the pictogram must take up no more than half the area).

For help with signage type, size and location (link to signage help page)

For help with Emergency Lighting provision (link to emergency lighting info help pdf)

Buy Fire Safety Signs (link to E-commerce Signs page)

Buy Emergency Lights (link to E-commerce Emergency Lighting)

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Maintenance & Support

Fire Safety Signs Requirements