Every workplace has hazards, from a wet floor in a shop to moving forklifts in a warehouse. South African health and safety law expects employers to identify those hazards and make sure people know about them. Safety signs are one of the simplest, cheapest ways to do that – they work around the clock and speak to visitors, contractors and staff alike.
The five kinds of safety sign
Workplace safety signs in South Africa follow SANS 1186, which uses the same colours and shapes as international standards:
- Prohibition – a red circle with a diagonal bar: no smoking, no entry, no open flames.
- Mandatory – a blue circle: wear hard hats, safety boots, eye or ear protection.
- Warning – a yellow triangle: electrical hazard, forklifts, slippery floor, hot surfaces.
- Emergency and safe condition – green: emergency exits, first aid, assembly points.
- Fire equipment – red: fire extinguishers, hose reels, fire alarms.
Signs most businesses need
- Emergency exit and escape-route signs, including glow-in-the-dark signs that stay visible in a power failure.
- Fire equipment signs above every extinguisher and hose reel.
- First aid box and assembly point signs.
- No smoking signs where required.
- PPE signs at the entrance to workshops, plants and sites.
- Warning signs at specific hazards – electrical boards, chemicals, machinery and vehicle routes.
Getting it right
- Do a walk-through – list every hazard and every route a person would take in an emergency.
- Place signs at eye level where people will see them before they reach the hazard.
- Choose the right material – ABS or vinyl indoors, aluminium or Chromadek outdoors, photoluminescent for escape routes.
- Keep them clean and current – replace faded or damaged signs and update them when the layout changes.
Signs do not replace training or safe equipment, but they remind people at the moment it matters. See our safety signs, safety & fire equipment and custom signs.
Need signs for your road, site or workplace? Request a quote, upload your list or call 067 741 0422. Road Signage Africa has supplied and installed road signs, road markings and safety equipment since 2002.
