United Kingdom legislation
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 specify the safety signs within Great Britain, Northern Ireland has a similar law. It was issued as a transposition of the European directive 92/58/EEC and replaced The Safety Signs Regulations 1980. They consist of "traditional safety signs", such as prohibitory and warning signs, hand signals, spoken and acoustic signals and hazard marking.
Application.
The regulations applies to the occupational health and safety within the territorial borders of Great Britain, also on offshore installations. It does not apply to the marking of dangerous goods and substances itself, only its storage or pipes, nor the regulation of road, rail, inland waterway, sea or air traffic, nor to signs used aboard of sea-going ships. For internal road traffic, traffic signs should be used.
The Regulations do not require the usage of safety signs and signals for third parties. However, it neither prohibits the usage for this purpose.
The Regulations require safety signage to be uniform and, as far as appropriate, without words, in order to be easily and fast understandable, without knowing the language.
Safety signs should only be used, if other measures of avoiding hazards failed. Also, if there is no risk, no safety signage should be used. Employees should regularly be instructed about the meaning of safety signs and signals. Employers are obligated to maintain the safety signage.
Relationship between the Regulations and BS EN ISO 7010.
Minor differences between the prescribed signs and the installed signs are allowed, as long as the convey the same message. The Health and Safety Executive specifically allows the usage of BS EN ISO 7010 safety signs.
Structure.
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 consists of 8 articles and 3 schedules.
Schedule 1.
Part I.
As required in Annex I of the European directive 92/58/EEC, Schedule 1, Part I of the Reguations lays down a basic safety colour concept:
Part II.
Schedule 1, Part II defines five types of signboards, as shown below. They are also covered by BS 5378, Part 1 and 3 from 1980 and 1982, which have been superseded by BS EN ISO 7010. Safety signs must contain only symbols, not text. However, supplementary text plates may be used. For fire exits, the running man symbol should be used. Fire safety signs in use before the Regulations were in place could be used until 24 December 1998.
Part III.
This part, "Minimum requirements governing signs on containers and pipes", defines the marking for the transport or storage of dangerous material by pipes and in containers, originally within the scope of the European directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, which are both replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, the CLP Regulation. For marking, the warning signs of Part II should be used.
Part IV.
The "Minimum requirements for the identification and location of fire-fighting equipment" specifies, that, additionally to the Fire-fighting signs of Part II, the equipment for fire-fighting and its location has to be marked red.
Part V.
In this part, the "Minimum requirements governing signs used for osbstacles and dangerous locations, and for marking traffic routes", requires hazardous places to be marked with either black and yellow or red and white markings. It also states that ways used for traffic have to be marked with either white or yellow stripes.
Part VI.
Part VI, "Minimum requirements for illuminated signs", requires illuminated signs to be single-coloured or to contain a symbol. If the latter is the case, it should comply with Part II. If a flashing light and a sound are used together, they have to be synchronized.
Part VII.
This part, the "Minimum requirements for acoustic signals", requires acoustic signals to be understandable and not harmful. If the acoustic signal is an fire alarm, it has to be continuing.
Part VIII.
The "Minimum requirements for verbal communication" defines the use of language for safety purposes. It also defines coded words:
Part IX.
Hand signals should only be given by one instructor. Other hand signals are also allowed, as specified in Schedule 2.
References.
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