Fire Safety Signs

Fire safety signs are crucial since they help people know what action to take in a fire emergency. You might have probably been in one of these situations before and know how one may lose their wits. Fire safety signs are here to make things bearable or manageable during such times.

When you hear the terms fire safety signs, what comes to mind is probably fire exit signs or extinguishers because that is what you come across one too many times. It is, however, crucial to know that there are numerous fire signage categories. Read on to discover things about fire safety signs.

What Are Fire Safety Signs?

Fire safety signs are used to educate and instruct people about safety or warn about a hazard. They can be in various colours, including yellow, red, blue and green. In addition to that, they may have both words and images or either.

Fire safety signs should be adhered to; therefore, do not disregard any that you come across. Failure to which, there may be consequences you will face.

If you plan to have them on your business premises, there will be a need to consider the signs’ purpose, fire fighting equipment at your disposal and the premises’ layout.

What Are the Regulations on Fire Safety Signs?

There are two main pieces of fire safety legislation governing fire safety signs which are The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.

What Are the Different Types of Fire Safety Signs?

Fire Action Notice Signs

These signs help occupants know what to do when there is a fire. They are designed to give various instructions that entail the location of the assembly point and how to raise the alarm. Fire action notice signs should be placed next to every manual call point.

Emergency Exit Signs

These are pictorial representations showing the closest location to the emergency exit in times of fire outbreaks.

Fire Door Keep Shut

This is a sign that may have an exclamation mark or symbols in white, whereas the rest of it is blue. Its primary purpose is to remind building users to shut fire doors to hinder a fire from spreading. They are, however, small, but the impact when they are followed is greatly felt.

Fire Exit Signs

These are rectangular signs that are green in colour with a white symbol or text on them. They are safety condition signs that show exit routes to use in a fire or any other emergency.

Fire Assembly Point

This is a sign that shows where occupants in a building should meet in a fire or emergency.

In Case Of Fire, Use Stairs Sign

Whenever there are hazards in a building and safety stair signs placed, you should know that they are there to inform and instruct.

Fire Assembly Point Signs

This is a vital sign that shows where people should gather following an evacuation due to a fire.

Fire Exit Doors Signs

These are signs that indicate the path or the direction to take in the event of a fire.

Fire Equipment Signs

If you want to know where the fire equipment is, these signs will direct you to where they are situated. They include fire hoses, extinguishers and fire activation areas. However, if the layout of the premises is small, it may not be required since the chances it will be visible to everyone are high.

Fire Extinguisher Sign

It is red with white writing and symbols. The latter includes an extinguisher and a fire. It is a type of fire equipment sign directing people to hoses and extinguishers. Also, it can either be circular or rectangular.

Fire Alarm Call Point Sign

This sign is supposed to be put next to all call points in a building. Fire alarm call point signs entail white or luminous PVC and are available in various sizes and designs. It is designed to aid you in locating the fire alarms.

Fire Hose Reel Sign

This fire equipment sign is red with white symbols or text. It is either circular or rectangular and is used to show where the fire equipment is located in a building.

Fire Blanket Sign

This type of information sign indicates where the fire blanket is in times of fire emergencies. It portrays someone holding a blanket and is red with white symbols and writing.

In Case Of Fire, Do Not Use Lift Sign

This is a type of warning sign that shows using a lift in a fire situation is prohibited.

Warning Signs

These are signs that highlight certain fire risks in a building or premises.

Prohibition Signs

These are signs that warn against things that should not be done, for example, lighting a match stick in a company that deals with gases like butane.

Why Are Fire Safety Signs Important?

Fire safety signs are crucial in protecting employees and the public, that is, clients or people residing in the area. As a business owner, you would not want any danger posed to the employees. Their well-being should be a top priority. Fire safety signs are used to communicate crucial visual information. Besides that, it is a legal requirement; thus, companies ought to comply; after all, it is an essential basic regulatory compliance.

What Are Fire Safety Signs Rules?

The fire action notice is mandatory on all premises since they will provide the way to go if there is a fire. They usually have spaces required to be filled up entailing the exit to be used, the fire and rescue service phone number, where the assembly point is not to forget more specific company instructions.

Fire action signs are numerous, meaning you have the option of choosing that which suits your premises best. You are recommended to place this sign next to the fire alarm call-point and at every final exit door.

Fire exit signs, on the other hand, are not essential for small commercial enterprises. Note that they are not a requirement since where the exit door is, is only common sense.

However, in complex buildings, they are crucial because it is almost like a maze in there! New occupants will struggle to find their way around the place and may end up losing their lives in the process.

How Are Fire Extinguishers Labelled?

You should have the correct safety signage to identify fire extinguishers. That way, people can tell where they are during fire emergencies. In addition to that, its sign should be placed next to all the extinguishers. You should know that different types of fire extinguishers also have symbols displaying the different classes of fire that they can put out.

Thus, ensure that when you find yourself in such a situation, pay heed to those symbols. Using a fire extinguisher to put out a fire in a fire class other than what it is meant for could be deadly. Ensure you know the fire extinguisher colours and the instructions to avoid putting yourself and others at risk.

What Are The Different Classes Of Fire?

Before fighting a fire, it is essential first to know the materials involved. Six categories of fire classes entail class A, B, C, D and F. Class A usually include solid or organic materials like textiles and wood. Class B is for flammable liquids, which include petroleum oil. Class C, on the other hand, is for flammable gases such as butane and methane. Class D involves combustible metals, such as lithium, whereas F is a fire class for cooking oils and fats.

Note: that there is class E, which entails electrical fires involving live equipment and electrical sources.

Why Are Fire Exit Signs Green?

The fire exit sign has a green colour and a white one, and together they denote a safe condition. This, therefore, makes victims feel at ease, especially if they were visiting and didn’t know where to find the exit and there was a fire.

Moreover, they always have a pictorial representation of a man walking and an arrow. Note that all the fire exit signs are not similar since some have the words ‘fire exit’ in lower case letters. The latter is, however, a set requirement.

What Do Blue Fire Safety Signs Mean?

Blue fire safety signs signify compulsory actions that need to be taken. It would help if you followed such to the letter since it ascertains your safety and your colleagues too.

Therefore you can imagine what would happen in an event whereby you choose to disregard them. Please do not put other people at risk. It is also a requirement for it to be blue.

Note: that these blue signs are usually circular and have either a text or a symbol on them.

What Do Red Fire Safety Signs Mean?

Red often signifies danger, and this usually goes without saying. Besides that, they also show where the fire equipment is not to forget supplementary information. These prohibition signs are circular and have a red border, white background and a black image.

Conclusion

The above points show some of the things you didn’t know about the fire safety signs guide. If you are planning to start your enterprise, ensure that you keep such things in mind. This is because they are legal requirements; therefore, you need to comply.

Ensure that you follow or obey the message being communicated if you find yourself in a fire situation. It is vital in situations that can cause so much panic.