Fire Safety Signs

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places responsibility of fire safety on employers to ensure that a fire risk assessment has been conducted to establish fire risks and that appropriate actions are taken to reduce them. Failure to comply could lead to severe legal penalties.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, any non-automatic fire fighting equipment should be positioned and signed in accordance with BS EN ISO 7010:2012 to ensure maximum levels of comprehension.

Positioning a fire safety sign at a height between 1.7m-2m from the floor helps staff and visitors locate and identify essential fire equipment in the event of it being hidden by furnishings in the room.

BS ISO 16069 is the British Standard relating to the planning, design and marking for Safety Way Guidance Systems.

In addition to the requirements for installing fire exit signs at 1.7m-2m from the ground, this standard recommends that additional intermediate and low level marking may also be required. Position at a maximum height of 400mm from the floor for low level marking.

Subject to a full risk assessment, additional escape guidance should be provided through the use of continuous guidance lines and safety signs to ensure there is an uninterrupted safety sign system to aid an efficient and safe evacuation from a building. Fire fighting equipement, hazards along an escape route, boundaries, stairs and ramps should also be identified.