What are your basic expectations from any public building you enter? Of course, you expect it to be safe because this is a space for interaction with many other people you might see for the first and only time in your life. That is why safety in public buildings is taken so seriously. Business owners do not want to be held accountable for potential injuries or even deaths of their visitors.
For that purpose, people have been using various safety measures and tools, including safety signs. These are door and wall plaques that aim to make a public space safer for everyone inside. Let us delve deeper into the topic of fire safety signs — Bsign is your best source of both information and items on that topic. So, let us get down to business.
When Safety Became a Concern
Humanity has been using door signs for quite a while. Initially, they were put on houses to identify them in a residential area and help post office workers navigate and do their job efficiently. It is a curious fact that signs with pictograms appeared before simple house numbers that are used today more commonly but that is the topic for another conversation.
The first-ever safety sign is believed to have appeared in 1696. This sign informed coachmen that they should reverse park. Back then, local authorities did not impose any acts or regulations regarding the obligatory use of safety signs but it was a common practice to put warning places in public spaces. These days, we have a lot of strict rules shaping the security system layout in public environments. Let us take a closer look at some basic concepts.
Basic Fire Safety Signs Regulations
Before we start exploring this part of the topic, it should be noted that each country, and even local authorities, might have its requirements for the appearance, placement, and information included in fire safety signs. However, they have some common features, and here are they for your consideration:
- Fire action sign: This tool is used to instruct visitors and employees on what they should do in case of fire. These signs are obligatory for public spaces because they help to prevent a potentially dangerous fire when it is not as strong and severe.
- Directional signs: It is also necessary to use plates with arrows that point to directions of evacuation points. They help not only during a fire but also in case of other emergencies. Besides, they simplify navigation not only to visitors but to professional emergency responders.
- Fire extinguisher signs: Obviously, these plaques help to locate fire extinguishers and other equipment to fight fire quickly and efficiently.
- Warning signs: It is necessary to warn your visitors and employees that certain actions are forbidden in a public space because they might lead to potentially dangerous situations.
Recommendations to Make a Sign Effective
- Clarity of symbols: Pictures and pictograms should be distinguishable and clear to be visible from a distance;
- Proper placement: Fire safety signs must be available at entry and exit points to ensure proper efficiency;
Good maintenance: A serviceable sign is maintained properly. Opt for reliable materials and clean your plaques regularly to eliminate conditions that might damage them.
Featured Photo by Frans van Heerden
