Mandatory Safety Sign Symbols and Their Meaning

What is a mandatory sign?

Sometimes an instruction needs to be put across in the clearest way possible to avoid risks, and because of this there are many different Health & safety symbols to choose from. The issues arise when it comes to understanding the sign you need, with a lot of meanings behind them. This can cause confusion as to what is needed as part of the workplace regulations. Warning signage can be overwhelming, which is why we have prepared this guide about mandatory signs to make things simpler to understand.

Mandatory signs provide instruction to both staff and visitors who are accessing your premises as to what is needed to remain safe. From the moment somebody enters your premises, it is important to have compulsory safety signs in place to avoid the need for face to face instruction as to what is expected. The standard Mandatory sign colour is blue, so they are easily distinguishable from other types of signs. The contrasting colours allow for easy visibility in areas where instruction is needed.

When do I use a Mandatory sign?

Mandatory safety signs are used to show actions or behaviours that are to be implemented within a workplace or area of public access to comply with relevant health and safety regulations. Consider them the ‘must do’ of safety signs.

Mandatory signs, or Blue safety signs as they are often commonly known, are recognisable by a white pictogram surrounded by a blue background. These signs are to inform employees and visitors that actions must be taken to remain safe, this can include the need to utilise Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or taking precautions to keep you safe in a potentially dangerous environment. They should be mounted in easily visible places for all to see clearly.

What safety signage do you need to have in your workplace?

With so much to consider, it’s important you have the correct signage required for the industry you are in. Of course, you won’t need every sign we stock, but it’s important to understand which ones are needed and which aren’t.

As an example, if in your business you utilise self-closing fire doors that are to be kept closed as per fire assessment regulations, then you must have a blue mandatory sign in place informing people to keep them closed.

If you work in a loud environment then you will need ear protection signage, and if you aren’t certain of which ear protection required then you can give our ‘How to Choose Your Hearing Protection’ guide a read to help you clarify what’s best for what you need.

In an area where clean hands and good hygiene are of the utmost importance, then Cleaning & Washroom Signs are required.

These are just examples, but it gives an insight into what situations require mandatory signage. Below are our most popular ISO compliant mandatory signs.

Wear eye protection

Wear face mask

Wear face shield

Wear foot protection

Wear hand protection

Wear head protection

Wear hearing protection

Wear high visibility clothing

Wear laboratory coat

Wear protective clothing

Wear respiratory protection

Wear safety harness

Wear hairnets

Sound horn

Wear seatbelt

Pedestrian route

Use litter bin

Wash your hands

General mandatory

Keep locked

Switch off after use

Use adjustable guard

Use guards

Read instruction manual/booklet

Lift correctly

Stack correctly

Keep off scaffolding

All Seton signs are compliant with BS EN ISO 7010 regulations to ensure that all signage we provide contains the latest symbols. This makes all of our signs present and consistent, making them clear and easy to understand for your staff and visitors.

As you can imagine, there is a safety sign for most purposes, and it’s important that you have the required signage in order to comply with regulations set out in your industry.

These compulsory signs are not only necessary for instruction on your premises, but they should also be used for the inside of vehicles. For example, informing people to remove keys from the ignition when not using the vehicle, and most importantly remind your drivers and their passengers that they must wear their seatbelt.

If you require a sign to prevent or decrease the risk of danger, we also provide and have a guide for the use of prohibition signs, or ‘no’ signs as they are more commonly known.

If you’re unable to find the sign that you are looking for, we offer a custom safety sign tool that allows you to create the exact sign you are looking for, with the text or message you want. For guidance on how to create your own custom signs using the Seton customisation tool, watch our helpful video on how to design and personalise your products online. Seton also offers a wide range of custom products, on signs, but also on many other categories.