The document discusses safety signs in construction. It notes that there are four main types of safety signs required by law - prohibition, mandatory, warning, and safe condition signs. Each sign type has a designated shape and color to draw attention and communicate risks in a standardized way. The document provides examples and descriptions of common signs within each category to raise awareness of hazards and proper safety protocols.

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Health & Safety in construction
Safety signs

2. Graham Twiby 2
Safety signs and the law
• The Health and Safety (Safety Signs
and Signals) Regulations require
employers to provide safety signs to
raise awareness of risks to health and
safety.
– There are four types of safety signs in
general use.
– Each has a designated shape and colour.
– They make sure that information is given
in a standard format with minimum use of
words.

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Safety signs
Remember the general duty of employees:
– cooperate with your employer by
observing signs;
– comply with the law and your employer’s
safe systems of work;
– make proper and correct use of safety
equipment;
– don’t tamper with, deface, or remove
safety signs.

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Safety Signs
Contents
Introduction to safety signs.
Prohibition signs
Mandatory signs
Warning signs
Fire signs.
Information signs.

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Introduction to Safety
Signs
Red Prohibition sign
Danger alarm
Dangerous behaviour;
stop; shut down;
emergency cut-out
device; evacuate;
be careful; take
precaution; examine,
Yellow or
Amber
Warning sign Be careful;
take precautions;
examine.

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Introduction to Safety Signs
Blue Mandatory sign Specific behaviour
or action e.g. wear
personal protective
equipment.
Green Emergency escape
First-aid sign; no
danger
Doors; exits; escape
routes; equipment
and facilities; return
to normal.
Red Fire signs Fire equipment and
alarm points etc.

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Four types of safety sign
• PROHIBITION SIGNS
• These mean stop/must not do.
• The sign is circular with a
white background, black
pictogram and red border and
crossbar.
– All writing is white on a red
background.
– Look at these examples –
can you identify them?

8. Graham Twiby 8
Four types of safety sign
• WARNING SIGNS
• These mean there is a risk of
danger.
– The sign is triangular
with a yellow
background, black
pictogram and black
border.
– All writing is black on a
yellow background.
– Look at these examples
– can you identify them?

9. Graham Twiby 9
Four types of safety sign
• MANDATORY SIGNS
• These mean that it must
be obeyed.
– These signs feature
a blue circle with
white pictogram.
– Any text must be
white on a blue
background.
– Look at these
examples – can you
identify them?

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Four types of safety sign
• SAFE CONDITION
SIGNS
• These mean safe place
or safe way to go.
– These signs are a green
rectangle or square with a
white pictogram and text.
– Look at these examples –
can you identify them?

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Prohibition Signs
• Do not drink.
• Do not extinguish with water.
• Do not touch.

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Prohibition Signs
• No access for unauthorised
persons.
• No naked flame.
• No access for pedestrians.

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Prohibition Signs
• No access for industrial
vehicles.
• No smoking.

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Mandatory Signs
• Safety boots must be worn.
• Ear protection must be worn.
• Eye protection must be worn.

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Mandatory Signs
• Face protection must be worn.
• General mandatory sign, to be
accompanied where necessary
by another sign.
• Pedestrians must use this route.

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Mandatory Signs
• Respiratory equipment must be
worn.
• Safety gloves must be worn.
• Safety harness must be worn.

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Mandatory Signs
• Safety helmets must be
worn.
• Safety overalls must be
worn.

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Warning Signs
• Biological risk.
• Corrosive materials.
• Danger :- electricity.

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Warning Signs
• Drop.
• Explosive materials.
• Flammable materials or high
temperature.

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Warning Signs
• General danger.
• Harmful or irritant material.
• Industrial vehicle.

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Warning Signs
• Laser beam.
• Low temperature.
• Strong magnetic field.

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Warning Signs
• Non-ionising radiation.
• Obstacles.
• Overhead load.

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Warning Signs
• Oxidant materials.
• Toxic materials.
• Radioactive materials.

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Fire Signs
• Emergency fire telephone.
• Fire extinguisher.
• Fire hose reel.

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Fire Signs
• Ladder.
• This way signs for
fire.

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Information Signs
• Emergency exit.
• Route signs.

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Information Signs
• Emergency exit
• Route signs

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Information Signs
• This way signs for
emergency exits and
escape routes.

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Information Signs
• First aid post.
• Emergency telephone for
first aid or escape.

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Information Signs
• Eyewash.
• Stretcher.
• Safety shower.

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Safety signs - summary
• There are four types of safety signs in
general use:
– prohibition;
– mandatory;
– warning;
– safe condition.
• Each have a designated shape and colour.
• If you are unsure about anything, always
ASK.

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End of Presentation