Owning a business comes with a lot of responsibilities.
Your priority should be the safety of your employees and the company’s assets. It is undoubtedly the right thing to do, the law just asserts it.
More often than not, we take the presence of fire safety signs for granted. While on a typical day we may not really pay attention to them, in a real emergency situation, these fire department signage can be the difference between life and death. Hence signage is a critical element of fire safety for any business. LED Craft Inc presents a detailed guide on the different categories of fire signage, and what each sign depicts.
Importance of fire safety signage
Everyone working or living in a building must be aware of the nearest fire exit to them, what are the other escape routes and where they can find fire fighting equipment. The occupants of your business premises will be guided with fire department signs in the event of a fire. As a result, efficient signage will be the only way to prevent employees and visitors from serious harm.
Is fire safety signage necessary by law?
As a business owner in the USA, you are probably aware that you have to comply with regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). They have created a Hazard Communication Document that determines the regulatory signage required for your facility. This includes all warning signs, notices as well as fire safety signage.
These signs can be customized with digital signage, but failing to include them altogether will lead to trouble. Therefore, business must make use of the flexibility that comes with LED fire department signs and place them in parts of the business premises.
Categories of fire department signage
Fire safety signs come in several categories, each covering a different aspect of fire safety. Each category has signs in different colors, shapes, and sizes, as per the regulatory requirements. Text only signs are not allowed but text must be accompanied with a symbol or pictogram.
Prohibition signs
These are used to highlight actions that must not be performed in a certain area as it may increase the risk of fire. Displayed in a red circle, these signs indicate actions that could ignite a fire when flammable liquids or gases are present.
Mandatory fire signs
Mandatory fire signs are blue colored and depict actions that must be performed to improve fire safety. For example, a fire door sign means the door has to be kept closed at all times so as to reduce the spread of fire or smoke during an emergency.
Warning signs
Yellow triangular signs are warning signs that highlight a specific fire hazard that is possible in the area. From flammable materials to liquids, gases or electrical equipment, anything could be a hazard. Prohibition signs and warning signs are usually found in the same juncture.
Fire exit and safe conditions signs
Fire assembly points, exits, escape routes, first-aid equipment, and safe conditions are often green and rectangular. Green is a color associated with ‘go’ in traffic lights and as a result communicated a safe route of travel if a fire occurs. Businesses must display these fire department signs clearly and appropriately for the benefit of their employees and visitors.
Fire equipment signs
The location of fire equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets and hoses are supposed to be located close to the equipment and should be highlighted in red and white colors. Depending on the layout of your building. this may not be required if the equipment itself is highly visible.
How do I ensure that my workplace has the required fire safety signs?
Businesses can carry out a fire risk assessment at their workplace from a team of professionals to ensure the following:
- Fire hazards are sufficiently highlighted
- Control measures such as fire safety signs are in place
- Escape routes are clearly pointed out
- Robust fire safety strategy
The role of digital signage in fire safety
Small LED displays can be incorporated in several parts of the building to assist with emergency procedures such as evacuating in the event of a fire. The unmatchable benefit that LED fire department signage provides is that they can be customized to display any message required. So, whether it is a prohibition sign, warning sign, mandatory sign or fire exit sign, indoor and outdoor digital signage can serve the purpose. Escape routes can also be incorporated to assist occupants to safety as fast as possible. Therefore, businesses can largely benefit from digital signage investments, whether it is for marketing their own products, promoting new launches, creating awareness, or ensuring safety of employees and customers both!
