Usage
Currently the law for the installation of fire signage is clearly laid out in the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. In the main this relates to Means of Escape, Fire Action Notices and Fire ID signage. These regulations endorse the relevant parts of British Standard BS 5499 (Safety Signs) to which all of our engineers are trained.

Escape route must be obvious:
• At least one possible route or doorway leading to an escape route should be visible from any place within every room or enclosure. Where the route is not obvious or confusion could occur, the route should be indicated by a sign.
• Persons escaping along any designated escape route should always have an escape route sign in sight whenever a door or choice of direction has to be made.
• If a doorway or sign is obscured, a second sign should be added. In some cases it may be appropriate to use a suspended sign. Remove the confusion
• If there is a choice of possible escape routes, the escape route signage system should indicate the shortest travel distance.
• All changes of directions in corridors, stairways and open spaces should be clearly marked with intermediate signs. Each door or junction should be similarly marked.
• Doors which could be confused as an escape route should be clearly marked as to their use e.g. storeroom.
• Final Exit signs – the ones leading directly to a place of safety - should not have an arrow on them. We recommend that the running man on them should also be in the direction the person must go to reach the assembly point. …and every designated escape route should lead to a place of safety!

When is a Fire Exit an exit?
• An Exit is a doorway or other suitable opening that leads directly to any place of safety. However, Fire Exit and Exit for emergency use only signs should only be positioned by exits that are provided specifically as an alternative means of escape in the event of an evacuation.

Installation:
• Where possible, signs should be sited at the same height throughout the escape route.
• To avoid confusion, BS 5499-4:2000 recommends that "all signs within an escape route should be of a similar style, design, size and format". Do not mix European and British Standard signs.

Some of the Signs available:

NorthEast Security Systems take responsibility for every stage of your Fire Safety and Escape Route Signage, including site surveys, design and installation. We can offer a wide range of signs to ensure your safety requirements are met.