Water Safety Signage

Water Safety Signage – Everything You Need to Know

Whether you run a bustling dockside or offer paddle-boat rides and fishing ventures along a river, you need water safety signage and gear. Even if your business is not directly water-related, it can still pose a risk when you operate close to a lake, river or sea.

The World Health Organisation found that drowning causes approximately 7% of all unintentional injury fatalities around the world every year. On average, this is about 236,000 deaths annually.

Data shows that UK workplaces recorded 33 drowning deaths and 69 non-fatal water incidents between 2016 and 2022. These accidents account for roughly 3% of all workplace-related deaths. Putting the correct safety measures in place helps to prevent drowning events and fatalities.

ISO-Compliant Water Safety Signage

Seton’s water safety signs comply with the ISO 7010 standard. Developed by the International Organisation of Standards (ISO), this standard ensures that all people around the world can recognise and understand your safety messages.

That is why our water safety signage features a white graphic on a green background. This makes it highly visible to inform and prevent confusion when an emergency occurs.

Take Seton’s lifebuoy sign, for example. As it is made from environmentally friendly, rigid plastic, you can recycle the board without hassle. Also, this makes it strong and weather-resistant for long-lasting durability in indoor and outdoor facilities. Thanks to the clear pictogram and text, your employees and customers will know exactly where to find a lifebuoy.

Water Safety Signage Helps Prevent Drowning

The HSE emphasises the necessity of water safety measures when people work over or near water. Employers must take preventive steps to stop people falling into water and also have the emergency gear to rescue someone should an incident occur.

The most immediate danger that a person faces when they fall into water is drowning. Contributing factors include:

• Shock caused by cold water.


• Being weighed down by wet clothes.


• Injuries from striking an object while falling in or when submerged in water.


• Exhaustion or hypothermia when rescues take too long.

A thorough risk assessment pinpoints the water safety risks. When doing this evaluation, it is important to consider the water safety warning signs needed in a location.

Seton’s clear and visible water safety signage immediately grabs one’s attention. You can combine different signs to suit your unique environment.

For example, a seaside business offering on-water leisure activities will need several safety devices. Choose different signs to clearly mark the location of preventive and rescue equipment. Choose this lifejacket sign to show people where they can find this emergency gear in a flash.

This highly visible and recognisable sign comes in vinyl or rigid plastic. Both materials resist damage and handle all weather types. You can even customise the size to suit your specific setup.

Remember, life jackets are not a one-size-fits-all item. You also need ones for children and infants. Our child’s lifejacket sign and infant’s lifejacket sign pinpoint the location of water safety devices for little ones.

The HSE identified lifejackets as essential water safety gear, which makes them a must-have in places on or near water. These life preservers support unconscious people in the water by turning them face-up to prevent drowning.

They also keep people afloat should they fall in. Other water safety equipment includes rescue boats and lifeboats.

Rescue Boats and Lifeboats

Depending on the nature of your business, you may need a rescue boat in addition to your buoys and lifejackets. Your on-site vessel must match the water conditions. These include currents, rapids and overflows. Employers must also train those operating this boat and the supplementary rescue staff manning it.

As with our other water safety signs, Seton’s rescue boat sign is a visible attention grabber. It is available in three different sizes, so you can choose the ideal one for your facility. You can also choose between permanent and non adhesive, which means that you can move this sign wherever you need it in a flexible business.

Remember, a rescue boat and a lifeboat are not the same. The first is a vessel used by trained rescue staff to go out and save those in distress in or on water. A lifeboat is an on-board safety vessel that people deploy on the water and use for refuge and safety while awaiting rescue.

This means that you will need a lifeboat sign if you have ships or boats venturing out. Here, you will find all your water safety signage, from a lifebuoy with smoke and light sign to a lifebuoy with line sign, under a single roof.