Safety signage is an ubiquitous feature of public spaces and workplaces across the country. Wherever you go in the world of business, you’re sure to encounter signage reminding people to wash their hands, wear protective clothing or note the locations of fire escapes and extinguishers.

While some business owners may be tempted to skimp on safety signage for their own premises, its importance should be clearly understood – and there are many advantages to doing more than the legal bare minimum.

Types of safety signs

Safety signage can come in a variety of forms to fill any of numerous functions. Some common categories of safety signs include:

• Mandatory signs: This type of sign communicates to visitors or staff that some behaviour or protective gear is required on the premises (such as wearing a hard hat on a building site).
• Prohibition signs: Essentially the opposite of a mandatory sign – it’s a ‘must not do’ communication. Common examples include ‘no smoking’ signs, or ‘no entry’. 
• Warning signs: These signs communicate the presence of a hazard – perhaps dangerous machinery or chemicals. These are usually yellow and black with an iconographic representation of the type of hazard.
• Safe condition signs: This type of sign is designed to give information about an action the person may need to take for their own safety. Common uses for these include marking the locations of fire exits, first aid kids, assembly points, and other things people may need to find to escape or resolve an emergency situation. 
• Fire equipment signs: These signs are usually red-and-white, and mark the locations of fire extinguishers, alarm panels, blankets, and other fire-fighting aids. 

These are the ‘classic’ categories of safety signage, although in recent times they have of course been joined by the increasingly familiar sight of coronavirus safety signs and stickers as businesses everywhere scramble to get them in place. 

These pandemic safety signs can help to encourage social distancing and educate customers, visitors and staff about the measures being taken by the business to combat the spread of the virus.

Why invest in safety signage?

First and foremost, health and safety signage is in many cases a legal requirement. The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 give clear instructions about which types of signs your business must have, and the rules for the design of each type.

For example, safe condition signs such as those marking a fire exit have to be green with white text by law. This ensures consistency and clarity in an emergency – a panicking person will probably know what ‘type’ of sign they’re looking for when seeking a fire exit.

However, safety signage needn’t be all about legal box ticking, and depending on the business or the industry there may be benefits to going over and above the minimum requirements with these signs.

In any case, there are not yet (as of the time of writing, although this may change) any legal requirements as such for safety signs relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, although government advice and guidance has been published.  

Installing coronavirus safety signage can make a big difference to customer and employee confidence alike. In a time when nobody wants to visit any business premises if they can possibly avoid it, appropriate signage can do a lot to reassure customers that their safety is being taken very seriously. 

An apparent lack of safety standards can have a detrimental effect on employee motivation and productivity – whether their main concern is Covid-19, or any other workplace hazard. Investing in safety signage for your premises can help staff members and visitors understand that you care about their wellbeing and want to ensure that they stay as safe as possible while carrying out their duties.

Another benefit of additional safety signage can be stated very simply: it can help reduce workplace accidents. No business wants the potential liability or suggestions of negligence that a bad accident can bring – not to mention the legal costs and damage to their reputation. 

Accidents involving customers and members of the public, on the other hand, can be even worse for a company’s reputation – but this type of disastrous PR storm can often be avoided with some forethought into appropriate safety signage and other precautions.

What makes a good safety sign?

A badly designed or poorly implemented safety sign could be illegal as well as ineffective – so it’s important to get it right.

A good safety sign should be:

• Compliant with regulations. Many types of safety signs are subject to legislation concerning their design, colour, placement, and the use of iconography. This ensures a consistent visual language across many different situations and means that an individual in an emergency will always know to look for a red-and-white sign if they need a fire extinguisher.
• Clear and readable. Especially for signs which may not be subject to regulations per se, and there can be more freedom in the design (as in the case of coronavirus safety signage), clarity should be the foremost priority. For best results, eye-catching colours and unambiguous lettering should be used to ensure the message is received loud and clear.
• Safety signage should be up-to-date. If you’ve moved the location of your fire extinguishers or changed the official assembly point for an evacuation, you should alter your signage to match. The same goes for changes in health and safety legislation – if your signage is no longer in line with the letter of the modern law, it’s time to get it replaced.
• Signs should also be kept in a good state of repair. If a sign has become damaged or dirty to the point that it is no longer useful, it should be repaired or removed in favour of a newer version. 

Whether safety signage is needed to help communicate with the public during a pandemic – or a more routine factor of daily work – its value is consistent in that it can help prevent accidents and improve the confidence of customers and staff members alike.

In a way, social distancing signs and other coronavirus notices fulfil a similar function to ‘classic’ safety signs denoting workplace hazards or instructing children not to play on an escalator. Whatever the danger, safety should always be the primary concern – and good signage is one of the most powerful ways to secure it

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When it comes to designing your business signs and fascia, there are so many things to take into consideration. Not only are they there to give your property a name, but they also have to let everyone know what it is you do or sell, and how you wish to appear to the world. That’s a lot to ask for one sign. 

Along with what your signage communicates, it also has to look good. Effectives signs and fascia tend to boldly stand out, gaining as much attention as possible in the brief passing glance of people walking or driving by.

What are 3D letter signs?

This is pretty self explanatory: 3D signs are 2D signs that have been made three dimensional. Any 2D sign can be 3D with a bit of design ingenuity, and there are two main ways in which this can be achieved:

Built-up letters

This is when the words and/or logo are literally made into a 3D shape with sides and varying depth. A good example of these are the signs we did a while ago for Subway. This is the style which first comes to mind when most people think of 3D letter signs.

Built-up letters work particularly well when created as a lightbox, effectively being lit from within; alternatives include lighting to the side, at the front, or from behind the whole shape. When used in conjunction with the correct materials, the colours and finish can also play an important part in creating a unique overall effect that is sure to catch people’s attention. 

Every part of the built-up 3D letter sign design is up to you. This can be a highly effective way to use your branding colours, or to emphasise other aspects of your business branding.

You could also go for a retro feel with the use of neon and open-fronted 3D letters. This sounds more complicated than it is: tube neon lighting inside an open box in the shape of your letters. While neon lighting has been out of favour for a while – due to the lack of colour variances and lower inherent quality than LED lighting – in the right instances, it can be perfect for your business signage.

Flat cut letters

These beautifully effective signs are particularly popular at the moment. They consist of the letters being individually cut out and then mounted a distance from the actual wall, to create a floating effect. As an added bonus, you can also add some lights behind to create a dramatic halo effect.

One installation with flat cut letters that we are particularly proud of was for Lost Society in Battersea. By combining the gold 3D letter sign with another huge white-lit illuminated fascia, and a pastiche of traditional art-deco pub signage, we created a sign that was both classy and eye-catching.

Another benefit to using flat cut 3D letter signs is that separate parts of the sign do not have to be connected. You could have your name as large cut out letters in a bold sans serif font, then smaller serif working underneath to display a slogan or supporting information.

This ability to play with depth and shadow patterns not only creates a stunning visual effect, but also makes the sign look more complex and more expensive (especially if made with metal) – making it stand out from any flat, out-of-the-box signs that may be nearby.

Benefits of 3D letter signs

• Can be lit up in a variety of ways that add to the impact of the overall sign. You no longer have to light a sign from above or below, but can now do it from within or from behind with energy efficient and eco-friendly LED lights. This is particularly effective at night or from a distance, where it creates a physical presence in the area. This not only means that more people can see your branding for longer periods of the day, but also increases the chance of customers being able to locate your store.
• Lighting can be used to create different visual effects with your 3D lettering, making your sign stand out against your competitors. For example, you can pick and choose what to light up (e.g. the logo) – a great way to reinforce a well-known logo (think of the golden arches of a certain fast food chain), or to create intrigue around one that isn’t.
• They can be made up of pretty much anything, from metal to wood to acrylic. This is especially good for lightbox signs, which can also be finished to different effects, depending on the end result that you are aiming for.
• If you choose not to light your 3D letter sign, 3D shaping can help attract attention from different angles. With a glossy coating it can even reflect light back, given the right circumstances.

Examples of 3D letter signs

It’s not just above your shop where 3D letter signs work – they also go well on monolith signs. This is especially true when trying to stand out against other businesses, or when placed next to a roadside as a standalone sign. When you need to stand out with a single glance, 3D signs simply attract more attention.

You can also use 3D letter signs inside your workspace. Flat cut letters can look great above a reception desk, while built-up letters  make your brand name look fantastic in larger spaces such as interior workshops or car-rooms. 

3D letter signs can also work well as freestanding signs, especially for larger businesses with vast properties. An excellent example of this is the work we did for Curious Brewery, where one of the signs was placed at ground level. This worked as it was bold enough, with built-up and internally illuminated acrylic letters accented by a red underline, allowing it to stand out without having to be elevated.

The post How 3D Sign posts letters Help You Stand Out From The Crowd appeared first on Ela Creative Designs.

There are 5 types of health and safety signs, and they all mean different things. How do you know which type of sign is which? Well, they send their message through shape and colour. Once you know what you are looking for, you can quickly understand the exact meaning of the sign.

Health and safety signs are everywhere. At work. In public buildings. On construction sites, in offices, in warehouses, in hospitals, in all kinds of settings. We see health and safety signs daily. Are you at work now? Look around you, can you spot any health and safety signs? Can’t spot one, think about a no-entry sign or a warning sign, can you remember the shape and the colour?

Don’t worry if you don’t know what each type of health and safety sign looks like, or means, just yet. By the end of this post, you will be able to understand each type of health and safety sign when you see one!

There are 5 health and safety signs, and they all mean different things.

The 5 types of health and safety signs are:

• Prohibition Signs
• Mandatory Signs
• Warning Signs
• Safe Condition Signs
• Fire Equipment Signs

Every type of health and safety looks different. Through shape and colour combinations, they can send their message through just a picture or icon. Once you know what you are looking for, you can quickly understand the exact meaning of the sign (even without reading the words).

Here are the 5 health and safety signs and their meanings.

Prohibition Signs

Prohibitions signs are there to tell you not to do something. They are a danger sign, telling you that it is not safe to proceed. And what colour makes you think of danger? Red of course! These signs have a red circle with a red diagonal line through it. The pictogram is black on a white background.

An easy way to remember the shape of prohibition signs is that is a circle, like a full stop. And the sign literally means, stop.

Colour: Red

Shape: Circle

Meaning: Do not, Never, Stop, No

Examples:

• No unauthorised persons
• No entry
• No smoking
• Do not operate
• No parking

Mandatory Signs

Mandatory signs are there to tell you to do something. Consider these the opposite of prohibition signs. These signs are round in shape. The pictogram is white on a blue background. The circle usually has a white border.

Instead of being round for full stop (like prohibition signs), you can remember that mandatory signs are round for ‘Obey’. Because that is what you must do, obey them.

Colour: Blue

Shape: Circle

Meaning: Do this, You must, Obey

Examples:

• Wear a face mask
• Ear protection must be worn
• Keep fire door closed
• Keep clear
• Pedestrians only

Warning Signs

Warning signs are there to warn you of dangers. Unlike the two previous signs, they don’t tell you not to do something, or to do something. They simply aim to make you aware of a danger, so you can protect yourself.

These signs are triangular in shape. The pictogram is black on a yellow background, the triangle has a black border.

Colour: Yellow

Shape: Triangle

Meaning: Warning, Be careful, Be aware

Examples:

• Caution hot water
• Danger 440 volts
• Mind the step
• Fragile roof
• Caution slippery floor

Safe Condition Signs

Safe condition signs can usually be followed to safety. And what colour better represents safety than green? That’s right, they are green!

These signs are rectangular or square in share. The pictogram is white on a green background, and will often have a white border.

Colour: Green

Shape: Rectangle

Meaning: Follow, This way, Escape route, First aid

Examples:

• Fire exit
• Push bar to open
• Assembly point
• First aid box
• Emergency stop

Fire Equipment Signs

Fire equipment/fighting signs show you where fire equipment is. What colour do we think of for fire? Red. But we already used red, with the prohibition sign. Well, fire equipment signs are also red, but a different shape.

These signs are square or rectangular in shape. The pictogram is white on a red background, and will often have a white border.

Colour: Red

Shape: Square

Meaning: Here is the fire equipment, Fire extinguishers, Fire alarm

Examples:

• Fire extinguisher
• Fire alarm call point
• Fire alarm control panel
• Gas shut off valve
• For fire use only

  This article was written by Emma at HASpod. Emma has over 10 years experience in health and safety and BSc (Hons) Construction Management.

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