Health and safety signage

SignageHealth and Safety Advice for Stonemasons

Stonemasonry Department 2011

The use of signage in the Construction Industry is governed by the Health and Safety

(Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. 

The regulations state that employers

must provide safety signs whenever

there is a risk that has not been

avoided or controlled by other

means.

The regulations also specify

requirements for the shape colour and

patterns of safety signs. 

Legislation

Safety signs can be readily identified by their colour. The colour will indicate the

meaning and purpose of the sign as well as the instruction or information it is

conveying: 

Prohibition

Warning or Hazard

MandatoryFire Fighting

Safe Environment

Identifying Signs

Prohibition

Purpose: Prohibition or Danger Alarm

Description: Round shape, black pictogram on white

background; red edging and diagonal line; red part to be at least

35% of the area of the sign. 

Prohibition

Warning or Hazard

Purpose: Warning or Hazard

Description: Triangular shape, black pictogram on yellow

background with black edging; yellow part to be at least 50% of

the area of the sign. 

Warning or Hazard

MandatoryPurpose: Mandatory (Must Do)

Description: Round shape, white pictogram on blue

background; blue part to be at least 50% of the area of the sign. 

Mandatory

Fire Fighting

Purpose: Fire Fighting Equipment

Description: Rectangular or square shape, white pictogram on

red background; red part to be at least 50% of the area of the

sign. 

Fire Fighting

Safe Environment

Purpose: Emergency escape, first aid, no danger

Description: Rectangular or square shape, white pictogram on

green background; green part to be at least 50% of the area of

the sign. 

Safe Environment

1. Can you think of one sign from each classification that you have seen in your

workplace?

2. Visit the following website and sketch two signs from each classification in your

notebook

http://www.warningsignsdirect.co.uk/index.php

3. Visit the workshop and take note of all the signs you see and identify what they

mean 

Activities

Developed by The Stonemasonry DepartmentCity of Glasgow College

2011