Signs to a Safer World

What this session is for.

This session is intended to give a basic introduction to
Safety Signs, their meanings and how to interpret them.
Some people will also want to be able to design their own
signs and this course will explain how to approach creating
safety signs that can be understood by other people.

Health and Safety

Health and safety is intended to
bring about condition free from

risk of injury or threat to our

health and well-being.

Signs are a key tool to

communicate about risks and
actions needed.

Signs to a Safer World

What kinds of signs are there?

Road signs
Instructions
Information Signs
Guidance / Direction Signs
Temporary signs
Safety Signs

What are Safety Signs?

A Safety Sign is to provide information or
instruction by means of a combination of
shape, colour, symbol or pictogram, all
made visible and placed in clear view, and
they may be accompanied by sound or
other signals.

What do the colours mean?

The Safety Signs Regulations specify four
basic colours (plus black and white) to
provide information about the
circumstances. These are completely
standardised and no other colours should
be used.

What do the colours mean?

Red
Danger Prohibition Fire Emergency

Yellow
Warning Caution Take precautions

Green
Safe Escape Exit Equipment

Blue
Mandatory Things to do PPE

What do the Shapes mean?

The Safety Signs Regulations also specify
basic shapes to be used for signs. These are
sometimes included as pictograms within
a larger sign but in the main they form the
general shape of the sign. The shapes have
the following meanings.

What do the Shapes mean?

Round
Circle mandatory to do
Crossed out mandatory NOT to do

Triangular
Warning

Oblong
Information

What do the Pictograms

mean?
Pictograms are added to make it easier to
identify the issue without the need for
lengthy explanations. These are mainly
standardised by the regulations however
anything not covered can have a new
pictogram invented provided it is clear and
easy to interpret.

What do the Pictograms

mean?
What could these mean?

How big should signs be?

All signs are required to be sufficiently
large to be seen readily from where the
information is needed.
e.g. a fire exit direction sign may need to be large to be
seen from the opposite side of a hall.

Signs must be in the line of sight.

This is normally eye level for signs where people can get
close, and top of door height for signs intended to be
seen from a long way away.

What do these Signs mean?

You will now be given a question sheet to
fill in. Try to answer all of the questions.
Afterwards we will look at the correct
answers and other possibilities that could
have been used.

Quiz Question 1.
What do these signs mean?

Quiz Question 2.
Which colour should these signs be?
Pedestrians must walk this way
General hazard
Fire extinguisher this way
Fire exit do not obstruct
Not drinking water
Industrial vehicles may be present

Quiz Question 3.
Which shape should these signs be?
No access for industrial vehicles
Low temperatures
Emergency telephone for first aid
Emergency telephone for fire
Pedestrians must walk this way
Do not extinguish fire with water

Quiz Question 4.
Suggest meanings for the following pictograms

Quiz Question 5.
Draw a sign for each of these conditions
Danger from electricity
Do not touch (or Do not touch danger of entrapment)
Fire door keep closed
Fire exit this way

Quiz
For the answers to the quiz see the
separate handout.
Remember that there is often more than
one way to interpret a safety message in
making a sign so there are many right
answers possible. There are also many
incorrect signs in use.

Quiz - Answers
Circle Crossed out
Order - Prohibition
Red - Prohibition
Do not walk here.

Quiz - Answers
Circle - Order
Blue - Information
Use this protective
clothing
Safety Boots

Quiz - Answers
Oblong - Information
Green - Safe

First Aid Kit or

station is here.

Quiz - Answers
Triangle - Warning
Yellow - Warning
Danger of electric
shock

Quiz - Answers
Oblong - Information
Red - Fire
Fire fighting
equipment here
hose reel

Quiz - Answers
Oblong - Information
Green - Escape
Fire exit this way

Quiz - Answers
The sign means
1
2
3
4
5
6

Pedestrians must walk this way Blue

General hazard
Fire extinguisher this way
Red
Fire exit do not obstruct
Blue
Not drinking water
Industrial Vehicles may be present

What colour?

Yellow

Red crossed out

Yellow

Quiz - Answers
The sign means
1
2
3
4
5
6

What shape?

No access for Industrial Vehicles Circle crossed out

Low temperatures
Triangle
Emergency telephone for first aid
Rectangle
Emergency telephone for fire
Rectangle
Pedestrians must walk this way Circle
Do not extinguish fire with water
Circle crossed out

Quiz - Answers
Suggest meanings
Loads overhead

Drinking Water

Quiz - Answers
Suggest Signs for the meaning
Danger from Electricity

Quiz - Answers
Suggest Signs for the meaning
Do not Touch

or
Do not touch - Danger of
Entrapment

Quiz - Answers
Suggest Signs for the meaning
Fire Door - Keep Closed

Quiz - Answers
Suggest Signs for the meaning
Fire Exit This Way

Quiz - Answers
How did you do?
Do you feel that you can now identify and interpret signs?

Could you now devise (or identify) suitable signs for use?

Represented By:

Dr. Mohamed Elgohary

Associated Professor
Alexandria university
Faculty of engineering
Mechanical engineering Department.