Fire safety signage
Escape route, fire action, equipment and safety signs that are consistent, easy to understand and in the right places, supplied and fitted by our engineers.
What the regulations ask for
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 require employers to provide safety signs wherever a risk can’t be avoided or controlled in another way. For fire safety, that usually means signs showing the escape routes and fire exits, signs identifying firefighting equipment, and notices telling people what to do if there’s a fire.
Your fire risk assessment should identify where signs are needed. Signs don’t replace other precautions, but in an emergency, clear signs are what people follow.
Signs we supply and fit
- Fire exit and escape route signs, with the running figure and direction arrows
- Fire action notices, so everyone knows what to do and where to assemble
- Fire extinguisher, fire alarm call point and fire blanket identification signs
- Fire door signs, such as “Fire door keep shut”
- Prohibition, warning and mandatory safety signs for other workplace risks
Signs follow the current ISO 7010 symbols. Mixing old and new styles of sign in the same building can confuse people, so if your signs are a mixture, we’ll suggest what to replace first.
Getting signs right
- Visible from where people are. An escape sign is no use if it’s hidden behind a door or above a suspended ceiling.
- A continuous route. From anywhere in the building, someone should be able to see the next sign until they reach a final exit.
- Consistent. The same style and symbols throughout, so nobody has to stop and interpret them.
- Kept up to date. Signs need changing when layouts, exits or equipment move.
Buying signs yourself
If you already know what you need and would rather fit signs yourself, our online shop, The Safety Shop, sells fire and safety signs. Shop safety signs
Common questions
Do we need fire exit signs?
If your building has escape routes that aren’t obvious, yes. The need for signs should come from your fire risk assessment. In very small, simple premises where the way out is obvious, fewer signs may be needed.
Do signs need to glow in the dark?
Escape route signs need to be visible if the lights fail. That can be done with emergency lighting or, in some places, with photoluminescent signs that glow after the lights go out. Which is right depends on your building.
Can you fit signs at the same time as another service?
Yes. Signs are often fitted during an extinguisher service or another visit, which saves a separate trip.
Need help with fire safety signage?
Tell us what’s due, and we’ll take it from there.