Fire safety signs

Fire safety signs are essential for keeping those in a non-domestic building safe, ensuring that staff and visitors know what to do and where to go in the case of a fire. At RES Fire Protection Engineers, we have a range of signs that suit current fire safety regulations and offer installation as well as guidance, advice and training.  

By having good quality fire safety signs that are in accordance with fire safety regulations, you can help reduce this figure and keep your staff and visitors safe. Our fire safety sign range includes fire exit signs, fire action signs, mandatory signs, emergency plan and procedure signs, warning signs, fire equipment signs, fire assembly point signs and fire extinguisher signs.  

Types of fire safety signs

Mandatory signs

These fire safety signs are blue and circular in shape with a white pictogram that must be obeyed in accordance with UK fire safety law. Mandatory fire safety signs advise all people within a building on actions that must be followed to prevent fire or accidents, such as wearing a hard hat in a workshop. These signs should be displayed near entry points to a building, and on fire doors that must be kept shut, kept locked shut or automatic doors that are held open and must be kept clear.

Fire action notices indicate actions that building occupants must do in the event of a fire. These signs take the form of white text on a blue background, although they are not always in a circular format. The blue and white colours used on the signs emphasise their mandatory nature. A general-purpose mandatory sign is a white exclamation mark on a blue circle, which is most commonly positioned next to a fire action notice.

Safe condition signs  

This type of fire safety sign takes a green rectangular form with a white pictogram and text located centrally. It indicates the nearest fire and emergency exits and escape routes, as well as first aid kits and other necessary safety equipment. These signs must always comply with Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, current British Standards for fire safety signage and the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act.  

Fire fighting signs

Red fire fighting signs indicate where safety equipment is located to tackle a fire, such as fire extinguishers. Fire fighting signs can also signal fire alarm activation points. They are often red and rectangular in shape with white writing and a pictogram.   

Warning signs

These fire safety signs are triangular in shape, yellow in colour, and act as a warning to building occupants that there are dangers nearby that are a great risk in the event of a fire – such as the placement of a combustible liquid or radioactive material. These signs are required by the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and in specific cases by the Dangerous Substances (Notification and Marking of Sites) Regulations 1990.

Prohibition signs

Prohibition signs are circular red signs with crossbars running through them, indicating that certain actions are prohibited due to their dangerous nature. For instance, in the case of a fire risk, a sign may indicate that smoking is prohibited in certain areas. All companies should make employees aware of prohibition signs and how they relate to their duties within an organisation.

Supplementary signs

Directional arrow signs in green, red and yellow colours are supplementary signs that point out safety exits or fire safety equipment.  

Fire safety signs with RES

RES offer an extensive range of JALITE fire safety signs and fire safety signage solutions that are designed to conform to British and international standards.

Why choose JALITE AAA photoluminescent signs and products?
Legislation states that all safety signs require illumination and must remain illuminated under a power loss. This requirement can be met by using JALITE AAA photoluminescent signs.

RES are an Authorised Distributor of the JALITE range of photoluminescent safety products which now include fire safety signs, health and safety signs, safety wayguidance systems and even photoluminescent paint.

View JALITE Online Catalogue

We are proud to be an authorised distributor of Jalite signs and provide safety signs for the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

Fire exit signs are not required if the fire escape route is very obvious, for instance, if the main door is the sole entrance and exit out of a small shop. Fire exit signs are necessary and required by law for more complex and larger buildings. You need to consider how easily your staff and building occupants can make their way out of the building if a fire were to start. Consider that some visitors for example may not be familiar with the building layout, making fire exit signs crucial for their safety. Directional signs can lead people to their nearest fire escape route.

Fire exit signs with RES

RES offer an extensive range of JALITE fire safety signs and fire safety signage solutions that are designed to conform to British and international standards.

We are proud to be an authorised distributor of Jalite signs and provide safety signs for the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

RES also offers fire risk assessment services, with well-trained officers, technicians and engineers, as well as a number of specialist consultants who are all qualified as a competent person. We provide practical and cost-effective fire risk assessment services for our clients to keep their business and staff safe and protected.

Read more about our Fire Safety Signage 

Mandatory signs

These are circular blue signs with a white pictogram that must be obeyed in accordance with the law. These safety signs give indications on actions that must be followed, such as wearing a hard hat in a workshop. These signs should be displayed near entry points to a site and near fire doors that must be kept shut.

Fire action notices indicate actions that must be carried out in the event of a fire by building occupants. These are typically displayed as white text on a blue background. These are typically not in a circular format, but the blue and white colours used reflect the mandatory nature of the signs. A general mandatory sign is a white exclamation mark on a blue circle, which is often used alongside a fire action notice.

Safe condition signs  

These are displayed in the form of green rectangular signs with a white pictogram and text centrally positioned, indicating fire exits, escape routes, an emergency exits, first aid kits and equipment. Such signs should comply with fire risk assessment and in some cases the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974.

Fire fighting signs

These red signs indicate where fire safety equipment such as extinguishers can be located. They can also indicate fire alarm activation points. The signs take the form of a red rectangle with white writing and a pictogram.

Warning signs

These take the form of triangular yellow signs, which warn those in the building of potential nearby dangers, such as a combustible liquid or a workshop where radioactive materials are used. These signs are required by the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and in specific cases by the Dangerous Substances (Notification and Marking of Sites) Regulations 1990.

Prohibition signs

These signs take the form of a circular red shape with crossbars running through them, prohibiting actions that could be dangerous. For example, a sign may indicate when smoking is not permitted due to a fire risk. These signs should also be a part of employee training to reduce the potential risk of a fire.

Supplementary signs

These are typically directional arrow signs in green, red and yellow colours, pointing out safety exits or fire safety equipment.

We are proud to be an authorised distributor of Jalite signs and provide safety signs for the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

Fire exit signs are a crucial part of general fire safety within any premises, helping to ensure that all staff and visitors are able to be quickly and effectively directed to safety in the event of an emergency.

Regulations associated with fire exit signs state that it is an employer’s duty to make sure that there are adequate signs displayed where there could be a potential risk to an employee’s health and safety. There are several regulations in line with legislation that you must follow to display fire exit signs correctly.

Fire exit signs and the law

UK Building Regulation requirements state that fire exit signs should be placed on every fire escape door, escape window or other escape route from a fire. All fire exit signs should conform to BS 5499 Pt 4:2000 and Health & Safety 1996 Safety Signs & Signals Regulations. Wherever there is a potential fire risk to the health and safety of employees and staff, customers or general visitors within your building, fire exit signs must be displayed. If you have a fire risk assessment and it declares there is no significant risk, a fire exit sign may not be required. However, in most cases within a large building with a complex layout, all fire exit routes must be clearly signposted and marked, so that all people within the building can easily locate a safe exit if a fire were to happen.

The Building Regulations Act 1991 states that every exit or doorway that provides a means of escape in the event of a fire should display a fire exit sign that conforms to British Standard 5499 and the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals Regulations) Act 1996.

Why use fire exit signs?

If you own a commercial building, safety and fire exit signs are vital to ensure the safety of your customers, visitors, clients and employees. Your signs should also conform to legislation which states that all safety signs require illumination and must remain illuminated in the event of a power cut. This requirement can be met by using JALITE AAA photoluminescent signs. It is very important that signs meet this requirement to ensure the safety of people within the building.

Fire exit signs must be clearly visible at all times, in the event of either a power failure or a room that has filled with smoke, decreasing visibility. If your building requires emergency lighting, your fire exit signs should be illuminated, too. You can do this in the following ways:

• External lamps
• Internal lamps
• Self Illuminating fire exit signs

We are proud to be an authorised distributor of Jalite signs and provide safety Fire Exit Signs for the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

Read more about our Fire Safety Signage 

RES are now members of the The Fire Protection Association (FPA) which is the UK’s national fire safety organisation.

This further demonstrates our commitment  to working towards protecting people, property, business and the environment.

Since the FPA’s formation in 1946 they have attained an unrivalled reputation for quality of work and expertise in all aspects of fire including research, consultancy, training, membership, publications, risk surveying and auditing. The FPA’s products and services are designed to assist fire, security and safety professionals achieve and maintain the very highest standards of fire safety management.