Colours Of Safety Signs & Their Hidden Meaning

By Author: Joseph Mahony
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A safe workspace is an employer’s responsibility but gaining a sound knowledge of safety signs hanged around, in every corner of an office, is in employees’ control. Designed with a series of symbols, colours and shapes, each communicates a message comprehensible only to them who have a basic idea about it. Albeit such message bearing symbols can never substitute training, offered for worker safety, they certainly do serve as a constant reminder of do’s and don’ts. For workers new to a process, it’s a saviour, warning them of the potential hazard ahead.
So let’s just move over to the very basics and identify the four different types of safety signs, their meaning and the colours they arrive in.
Safety Sign Colours & What They Stand For
The chances of confusing yourself over a plethora of safety symbols are nothing uncommon. Therefore, categorised below are four typical colours. Each stands for something and has a specified purpose. The upcoming section discusses it to enrich your knowledge.

Red
Red stands for ‘danger’ or ‘prohibition’ and silently communicates ...
... viewers to ‘stop’ or ‘evacuate. Used for dyeing round shaped signboards, it typically colours the edges of a safety signboard and at other times the backdrop. However, don’t stay under the impression that it almost always pairs up well with round signboards. At times, primarily in rectangular labels having curved edges, such as those depicting ‘Fire Point’ and ‘Fire Extinguisher’, it dyes the background, for a change. In short, the colour occupies 35% of the surface area of a safety signboard and usually has ‘no access’ or ‘do not enter’ imprinted on it.

Blue
Representing ‘mandatory’, this colour paints a round signboard and teams up well with white pictograms. It typically conveys a specific action, such as ‘put on your safety glasses’, ‘don’t forget to use safety harness’ and ‘wash hands before entering’ etc. Akin to red, it covers a particular percentage of surface area, usually 50%.

Yellow
Speaking of yellow, it represents warning. Witnessed primarily in triangular signboards, it pairs up with black edges and pictograms to complete the look and deliver the message. Employers utilise them to create awareness among workers about either a hazard in close proximity or to be careful and even suggests to take precautions. One can spot them carrying common phrases like ‘warning electricity’, ‘general warning’ or ‘biological hazard’. As a beholder, it is our responsibility to follow them sincerely and keep out of danger.

Green
Last but not least is green and just like traffic lights, it approves to exits during an emergency, points out escape routes and shows the way to necessary equipment and facilities. It is found dyeing either square or rectangular shaped signboards, having a curvy edge and completes only when white pictograms accompany it. Akin to others, it carries key messages such as ‘assembly point’, ‘emergency exit’, ‘first aid kit’ and similar such things.

Now that you have gained an insight into the chief characteristics of each colour; henceforth, you can identify the concealed meaning carried by each. It’s advisable to spread the knowledge around and create sufficient awareness. However, if you are an employer of an organisation, try to invest in them but avoid clustering them in one place. Such an act often confuse workers, leaving then inattentive to crucial ones deserving the greatest attention.

Author Bio:
The author believes safety is all about being aware of one’s surroundings. The presence of signage help people identify places to avoid and things to do during an emergency. She appreciates businesses like Safety Sign Store for helping out employers fulfil their duties and responsibilities as authoritative figures. Her write-ups, containing informative pieces, aims to educate the public around.