1.  Purpose and Scope

Warning signs and safety instructions have become a part of everyday life in recent times, and no more so than in the workplace.

A boom in the number of safety signs and notices has coincided with a far more vigilant attitude to health and safety and workplace accidents.

Employers are legally required to display some signs while others are put in place to help reduce the likelihood of an accident or emergency being caused.

Almost every job will require some knowledge of the basic safety signs while certain professions may even require dedicated training to ensure full compliance with the law.

2.  Policy Statement

Where it is appropriate, Otley Town Council have a legal duty to display safety signs to warn staff, elected members and others of hazards that may be present in our premises.

We do this by:

  • Nominating senior staff members to consider and identify where we need to use safety signs.
  • Identifying and implementing procedures for the purchase and installation of signs.
  • Ensuring that signage is adequate for its purpose and it is maintained and checked.
  • Ensuring that assessments of our requirements are made by competent, trained person.
  • Ensuring that workplace signs are adhered to.
  • Providing and recording relevant training.

The personnel responsible for the above measures are identified within the Responsibility Table of our Health and Safety Policy.

3.  Legal Requirements  

Otley Town Council has a responsibility under The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 which were brought in as part of a drive to standardise the rules across the European Union.

The regulations cover a whole range of different ways of communicating safety messages – such as alarms, illuminated signals, spoken instructions are all involved so it’s not just about traditional signs.

4.  What are workplace safety signs?

Workplace safety signs are simply markings placed by employers that identify Specific Risks, Hazards or other safety-related issues.

Signs are used to warn staff, elected embers and other people using Council facilities about dangerous substances like acid, or to point out safety features such as fire exits. They can also give general information or specific instructions about equipment that must be worn in designated areas.

The Town Council has a legal responsibility to display certain signs to highlight hazards and reduce risks.

Posters that describe how to complete tasks safely might also be displayed while all employers are legally bound to display the Health and Safety Executive’s Health and Safety Law poster.

4.1       Required Signage

  • Health and Safety “What You Need to Know” Law Poster

The H&S Law Poster details the employee’s rights under Health and Safety Law. It is on display in on the staff notice board inside the Core offices and Public Toilets.

  • Fire Instructions detailing the action to take in event of an evacuation are posted in work areas throughout the premises.
  • First Aid signs are displayed in key locations throughout the premises stating where first aid boxes are located and who the site first aiders are.
  • General Health and Safety Information.

5.  Safety Signage

Regulations specify the colour and shape of signs for particular applications. 

  • Red for prohibition
  • Yellow for caution
  • Green for positive action
  • Blue for mandatory actions

Prohibition Sign

This is prohibiting particular action that may increase danger e.g. smoking in a store where there are flammable liquids or no access for unauthorised persons. Prohibition signs are round with a black pictogram on a white background with red edging and diagonal line.

Warning Sign

This sign gives warning of a hazard e.g. electricity. The warning sign is triangular and has a black pictogram on a yellow background with black edging.

Mandatory Sign

These signs are used when something must be done e.g. keeping fire doors closed. The sign is round with white pictogram on a blue background.

Emergency Escape or First Aid Sign

These signs give information on “safe conditions” e.g. emergency exits, first aid facilities. These signs are rectangular or square shape with a white pictogram on a green background.

6.  Implementation

To protect the health, safety and welfare of our staff, elected members and others from the hazards and risks present in our workplace we need to use safety signs as a way of warning people that those hazards exist.  We will:

  1. Identify where on our premises hazards exist that need to be marked with warning signs.
  2. Identify signs already in place and any additional signs that may be required.
  3. Consider, as part of our assessment, issues such as:
    1. Where prohibition signs should be used.
    2. Where signs should be used as a caution.
    3. Where signs should be used to require positive action.
    4. Where signs are required to indicate a mandatory action.
    5. Whether signs are made, coloured and displayed according to legal requirements.
    6. Replacement of damaged signs – now and in the future.
  4. Involve staff and elected members in developing these arrangements and systems.
  5. Keep a written record of assessments and decisions made.
  6. Make sure that staff and elected members understand the procedures and arrangements. Consider whether they need any training.
  7. Implement the procedure and ensure that it is followed in practice.
  8. Monitor and review the operation of this procedure and the provision of signs from time to time.

7.  Review of the Policy

The policy will be reviewed by Otley Town Council 12 months from the date of implementation.

The policy will also be reviewed to identify any areas requiring improvement following an incident.

Approved by HR Committee on 11th October 2021