Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996
These regulations require employers to provide specific Safety Signs whenever there is a risk that has not been avoided or controlled by other means, e.g. by engineering controls and safe systems of work.
There are specific requirements for the shape, colour and pattern of Safety Signs.
Any sign must contain a symbol or pictogram and be of a specified colour which clearly defines its meaning.
Supplementary text may also be used to aid understanding, but text-only signs are not permitted.
Existing Fire Safety Signs containing symbols complying with BS 5499:Part 1:1990 Fire Safety Signs, notices and graphic symbols, although different in detail to those specified in the Regulations, follow the same basic pattern and are therefore considered to comply with the Regulations.
