Unusual Prohibition Signs That Stand Out
Safety signs and symbols are a normal part of our everyday lives. They are here to protect and inform people around us, particularly in environments with danger hazards. However, depending on the situation, some businesses have to create their own, unique prohibition signs that may come across as unusual to others. In this article, we will explore the world of safety signage.
Safety signs are designed to clearly communicate a certain restriction, a warning, or a certain behaviour that should be avoided in that particular area. There are different categories of these signs, including warning, emergency, mandatory, fire, and, of course, prohibition signs. Businesses typically must use ISO 7010 safety signs – these are the signs that comply with the ISO safety standard, following standardised shapes and colours. It helps the viewers recognise the sign at a glance and understand its message easier, similarly to how the types of traffic signs and signals are instantly recognised by drivers.
Categories of ISO 7010 safety signs
Here is a brief explanation of what each category of safety signs is used for:
• Prohibition signs: Indicate actions or behaviours that are prohibited in that place. They typically feature a white background, a black pictogram, and a red circle around it with a crossing in the middle. For example, we commonly see such safety prohibition signs as “No Smoking” indoors or “No Mobile Phones” at passport control in the airport.
• Warning signs: Another common type of signage to see, used to inform people of potential dangers or hazards in that particular area. According to the ISO standard, warning signs must have a yellow background with a black pictogram. For instance, a tsunami hazard sign might be a common sighting in areas that experience tsunamis regularly.
• Emergency signs: Typically a green square with a white pictogram in the middle, emergency signs are used to indicate emergency places or availability of safety equipment. “Emergency exit” is one of the most commonly seen safety signs, however, “Drinking water” or “First aid” are also very common.
• Fire signs: As the name suggests, fire signs are all about the guidance you need in case of fire hazard. They are typically square red signs with white pictograms. This may include “Fire extinguisher” or “Fire blanket” signs.
• Mandatory signs: Characterised by a round blue circle with a white pictogram, mandatory signs indicate a required action or behaviour in a certain place. For instance, in a laboratory, you are likely to see a “Wear laboratory coat” sign, while in a construction site you will certainly notice a “Wear head protection” mandatory sign.
When it comes to prohibition signage for businesses, sometimes unique signs must be developed to address highly specific situations or hazards. This is particularly common in such industries as manufacturing or construction, since different sites may involve different safety hazards. As long as the ISO standards are followed, there is no issue developing a new sign for that particular situation.
Here are some examples of unusual hazard prohibition signs that you may be surprised to come across:
• “No pushing into water” – While it may sound pretty obvious, this sign is used to prevent horseplay or dangerous behaviour, usually used around pool areas or water parks.
• “Not for people in the state of intoxication” – Aims to stop individuals who had one too many drinks from engaging in activities that could cause danger to themselves or those around them.
• “Use of smart glasses prohibited” – Although it may sound futuristic, smart glasses are increasingly common now, and they have the ability to record or film. This sign could be seen in corporate offices or governmental buildings where sensitive information is shared.
• “No leaning against” – This sign does not aim to stop people from relaxing… It is used in such places as museum exhibits or construction sites, where leaning against an unstable structure could cause you danger.
• “No access for persons with metallic implants” – A very specific but useful sign for those that have metallic implants. This is typically noticed in areas with MRI machines or powerful magnetic equipment, which could cause health risks to these individuals.
• “Do not tie knots in rope” – Some may question why they would even tie a knot in a rope, but in such places as climbing gyms or industrial settings, you simply cannot risk someone doing it!
• “Do not wear gloves” – Again, not trying to control the fashion choices of your employees but suggesting that gloves may be unhygienic or dangerous in certain situations. For instance, in food preparation areas they could introduce dirt, while in manufacturing they could get caught in machinery.
• “Do not stare at light source” – This sign could be seen in places that operate lasers or UV lamps for industrial, medical, or scientific settings. It usually aims to protect workers from damaging their eyes from prolonged exposure.
As a business, it is your responsibility to protect your employees and customers from potential safety hazards. If you have a slightly unusual or highly specific hazard on hand, though, you may have to develop a unique sign for it, just like the ones we discussed.
