Ansi Z535.2-2002
Ansi Z535.2-2002
Ansi Z535.2-2002
2-2002
Revision of
ANSI Z535.2-1998
Secretariat:
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The information in this publication was considered technically sound by the consensus of
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Contents
Page
Foreword .......................................................................................................................... v
1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................1
2.2 Purpose.............................................................................................................2
3.1 Application.........................................................................................................2
3.2 Exceptions.........................................................................................................2
3.2.1 Federal, state or municipal regulations................................................2
3.2.2 Label or signs for products...................................................................2
4 Definitions ......................................................................................................................2
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6 Sign design/layout..........................................................................................................9
12 Illumination ...........................................................................................................12
13 References ...........................................................................................................13
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Figures
1 Safety alert symbol.........................................................................................................4
2 Format for the DANGER signal word panel—white letters on safety red
background, safety red exclamation mark .....................................................................5
3 Format for the WARNING signal word panel—black letters on safety orange
background, safety orange exclamation mark ...............................................................6
4 Format for the person injury CAUTION signal word panel—black letters on
safety yellow background, safety yellow exclamation mark...........................................6
5 Format for the property damage only CAUTION signal word panel—black
letters on safety yellow background...............................................................................7
6 Format for the NOTICE signal word panel—white italic letters on safety blue
background ....................................................................................................................7
7 Format of signal word panel used for safety instruction and safety equipment
location signs—white letters on safety green background.............................................8
Tables
1 Application of sign panel formats .................................................................................10
Annexes
A Guidelines for increasing recognition of safety sign components................................15
B Principles and guidelines for the design of environmental and facility safety signs ....17
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Foreword (Neither this foreword nor any of the informative annexes is a part of American National Standard
Z535.2-2002.)
This standard is one of five standards maintained and revised by the ANSI Z535 Committee. The five
standards are:
Z535.1 – Safety Color Code
Z535.2 – Environmental and Facility Safety Signs
Z535.3 – Criteria for Safety Symbols
Z535.4 – Product Safety Signs and Labels
Z535.5 – Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes (for Temporary Hazards)
This standard was formulated to provide a visual alerting system to aid in identifying potential hazards
known to exist in the environment. Together, ANSI Z535.1, Z535.2, and Z535.3 contain information
needed to specify formats, colors, and symbols for safety signs used in environmental and facility
applications. The ANSI Z535.4 and Z535.5 standards are harmonized with this standard to provide
appropriate hazard avoidance information for products that might be encountered in the environment
(ANSI Z535.4) or temporary changes to the environment (ANSI Z535.5). It is desirable that new signs,
symbols and colors for environmental and facility safety signs specified after the approval of this standard
comply with the standard.
The ANSI Z35 Committee on Safety Signs and ANSI Z53 Committee on Safety Colors were combined in
1979 to form the ANSI Z535 Committee on Safety Signs and Colors. The ANSI Z-535.4 Standard
addresses the design of safety signs and labels for application to products, and was first published in
1991. In this Standard, the format specified for the signal word panel was a simple rectangle. The
rectangle contained the Safety alert symbol, a signal word (Danger, Caution or Warning), and specific
safety colors were designated to be used with those signal words (Danger/ Safety Red; Warning/ Safety
Orange; Caution/ Safety Yellow.) This contrasted with the longstanding format of the black rectangle with
red oval and white letters used for danger signs. The initial impetus for the new ANSI Z535.4 - 1991
header format was that products often had limited space for a sign or label and omitting the older format
allowed bigger letters for the signal word. The ANSI Z535.2 - 1991 standard retained the longstanding
danger heading format and created a similar format (using a truncated diamond) for the new warning sign
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head. Each 1991 standard allowed the user to use the format of the other standard if desired.
The ANSI Z535.2 - 1998 standard showed the preferred format for environmental and safety signs to be
the simple header style of the ANSI Z535.4 standard for product safety signs and labels; both standards
included the older system. As of the 2002 standard, the older format is no longer included; the simple
header with larger letters and more referential color is set forth.
The ANSI Z535.2 – 1998 standard also stated a preference to use a white background for the message
panel, in order to increase contrast and viewing distance. Like the ANSI Z535.4 standard, the Z535.2 –
1998 standard also required the sign to give information of the consequences of not avoiding the hazard,
if the consequence is not obvious.
There are three annexes to this standard. This foreword and all of the Annexes are considered to be
informative and not an official part of this standard. In the vocabulary of writing standards, the word
“informative” is meant to convey that the information presented is for informational purposes only and is
not considered to be mandatory. The body of this standard is “normative”, meaning that this information
is considered to be mandatory.
This standard was processed and approved for submittal to ANSI by the Accredited Standards
Committee on Safety Signs and Colors, ANSI Z535. Committee approval of this standard does not
necessarily imply that all committee members voted for its approval. At the time it approved this standard,
the Z535 Committee had the following members:
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Subcommittee Z535.2 on Environmental and Facility Safety Signs, which developed the 2002 standard,
had the following members:
A. Clapp, Chairperson
C. Bernstiel, Secretary
J. Bandt
Q. Brackett
B. Brewster
J. Dagenhart
A. Dorris
R. Fisk
T. Hiu
B. Martin
D. Meeker
L. Mills
L. Moquet
G. Peckham
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S. White
M. Wogalter
D. Young
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1 Introduction
This standard covers requirements for environmental and facility safety signs that are to be used to
visually alert and inform observers of potential hazards in the environment or facility. See ANSI Z535.4-
2002 for the requirements for product safety signs and labels.
Sometimes the actions required to avoid the hazard or the consequences of not avoiding the hazard are
not obvious to the viewer from the context in which the sign is used. In such situations viewer training,
additional messages, or the use of safety symbols on the sign should be used to provide this information.
To achieve these objectives, it is most important to have an easily recognizable and highly conspicuous
hazard alerting system such as is presented in this document.
The diversity of culture and background in the American society increases the need to standardize a
visual alerting identification system for safety signage. The great need to eliminate accidents and
suffering among individuals who may be exposed to hazards requires the use of standard formats, sizes,
colors, shapes, and a firm understanding of the degree of hazard. This document contains the elements
that designate a separation between levels of hazard severity.
This standard sets forth a hazard alert system that uses different signal words and colors to distinguish
between levels of hazards. Use of this standard will allow observers of environmental and facility safety
signs to determine the type and degree of hazards and take appropriate actions to avoid injury.
To promote standardization and increase effectiveness, the formats used in this standard are intentionally
similar to those used in ANSI Z535.4-2002 Standard for Product Signs and Labels. While these standards
are similar in many respects, they each address different physical and visual requirements. As a result,
there are basic differences between environmental/facility safety signs and product safety signs.
Environmental and facility safety signs are usually larger and observed at longer distances; they
frequently contain lesser amounts of information for visual clarity at a distance. Product safety signs are
likely to contain more information within a smaller format, are usually observed at closer distances, and
must physically and visually integrate with a wide range of product size, shape and color characteristics.
The Z535 Committee on Safety Signs and Colors has recognized and affirmed the need for these two
standards.
The ultimate application of the visual alerting messages will be up to those responsible for affixing these
messages. This standard is intended to provide specifications for signs to convey a safety alert message
that is clearly and rapidly understood regardless of the viewers’ background. In certain areas of the
country where other languages are used, consideration should be given to providing messages in those
languages.
This standard establishes requirements for a uniform visual system of identification related to potential
hazards in the environment. It provides for the design, application and use of signs and placards
employing this visual alerting system.
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2.2 Purpose
The primary purpose of this standard is to provide an effective means of communicating information
concerning environmental hazards to the observer, so that injury resulting from the hazard(s) can be
avoided. To this end, this standard establishes a uniform and consistent visual layout intended to limit
proliferation of safety sign designs and achieve a national system to promote recognition and avoidance
of hazards. In addition, communication of other important information for the safety and well-being of the
observer is also included. To do this effectively, it is necessary to minimize the number of layouts and
design formats while providing flexibility to meet individual consumer needs and situations.
This standard covers safety signs used at fixed locations in the environment such as industrial facilities,
as well as larger, movable signs that may be used on a temporary basis. For the requirements of
accident prevention tags, safety alerting tapes, etc., used with temporary hazards, see ANSI Z535.5-2002
Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes (for Temporary Hazards).
There are a number of existing American National Standards which are recognized for particular
industries or specific uses. Compliance with these standards may be considered for such particular
industry or use. It is not the intent of this ANSI Z535.2 standard to replace existing standards or
regulations, which are uniquely applicable to a specific industry or use. It is the intent to encourage
adoption of this standard in subsequent revisions of other standards and regulations.
This standard is issued with the objective of minimizing the proliferation of non-standard hazard alerting
devices and achieving application of a national uniform system for the recognition of hazards in the
environment. Where portions of other standards and regulations can be modified to reflect the concepts
of this standard, such modifications should be made.
This standard provides guidance for industries, commercial establishments, property owners, employers,
and others who have a desire to alert persons to potential personal injury hazards or property damage
hazards inherent in the environment or facility under their control.
3.2 Exceptions
Should any of the requirements of this standard conflict with federal, state, or municipal regulations, such
conflict shall not invalidate other sections of this standard.
These requirements do not include labels or signs for products, containers of chemicals and chemical
mixtures and hazardous substances1, in-plant vehicular movement and wayfinding signs (except as
2
defined in section 5.8), public streets and highways , railroads, air transport, marine operations, exit
signs, identification of piping or process valves, or safety bulletins and posters.
1
Note: For chemical products and chemical mixtures, follow ANSI Z129.1 –2000, and see Reference 14.
2
American National Standard Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways.
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4 Definitions
4.1 accident: An occurrence in a sequence of events that produces unintended injury, death, or
property damage.
4.2 color: Colors specified in this standard shall conform to ANSI Safety Color Code, Z535.1-2002
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4.5 intent
4.5.4 informative: Refers to those portions of this Standard provided only for purposes of clarification,
illustration, and general information. Those portions of the standard considered informative do not contain
mandatory requirements. The Foreword and all of the Annexes are considered informative.
4.5.5 normative: Refers to those portions of the Standard containing the mandatory requirements
(shall), as well as recommended practices (should). The body of this standard is considered normative.
4.7 panel: Area of a safety sign having a distinctive background color different from adjacent areas
of the sign or which is clearly delineated by a line, border, or margin. Three (3) types of panels a safety
sign may use are: signal word, message, and safety symbol.
4.7.1 signal word panel: Area of a safety sign that contains the signal word or words. For personal
injury hazards, the signal word panel shall contain the safety alert symbol.
4.7.2 message panel: Area of a safety sign that contains those words related to: identification of the
hazard, how to avoid the hazard, and/or the probable consequences of not avoiding the hazard. The
order in which the content appears in the message panel is flexible. Factors to consider when
determining the order of a word message’s content include the target audience’s degree of prior
knowledge of the hazard and the reaction time required to avoid the hazard. When information on
consequence, avoidance, or type of hazard is readily inferred, this information may be omitted from the
message panel. See Annex B 3.1.
4.7.3 safety symbol panel: Area of a safety sign that contains the safety symbol.
4.9 safety alert symbol: (See Annex A) A symbol which indicates a potential personal injury
hazard. It is composed of an equilateral triangle surrounding an exclamation mark. The safety alert
symbol shall not be used to alert persons to property-damage-only accidents. See Figure 1.
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4.10 safety sign: A visual alerting device in the form of a sign, label, decal, placard, or other marking
which advises the observer of the potential hazard(s) which can cause an accident and the level of
hazard seriousness. It may also provide other directions to eliminate or reduce the hazard and may
advise of the probable consequences of not avoiding the hazard.
4.10.1 environmental safety sign: Sign or placard in a work or public area that provides safety
information about the immediate environment.
4.10.2 product safety sign: Sign, label, or decal affixed to a product that provides hazard and safety
information about that product3.
4.11 safety signs and signal words, types of: The seven types of safety signs are DANGER,
WARNING, CAUTION, NOTICE, safety instructions and safety equipment location, fire safety, and
directional arrows. The first five types of safety signs use a signal word or words to designate a level of
hazard seriousness. No signal words are used for fire safety or directional arrow signs. Signal words are
the word or words that designate a degree or level of safety alerting. Specific signal words are defined
here and the definition repeated where they appear in subsequent sections (see section 5 inclusive). The
signal word or words shall always be located in a distinctive panel located in the uppermost portion of the
safety sign.
4.11.1 DANGER: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death
or serious injury. This signal word is to be limited to the most extreme situations. This signal word should
not be used for property damage hazards unless personal injury risk appropriate to this level is also
involved.
NOTE—The DANGER signal word is appropriate for signs in the area of, or inside of enclosures containing, a Danger-level hazard.
4.11.2 WARNING: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death
or serious injury. This signal word should not be used for property damage hazards unless personal
injury risk appropriate to this level is also involved.
NOTE—The WARNING signal word is appropriate for signs placed outside of the area of, or on the exterior of the enclosures
containing, a Danger-level hazard.
4.11.3 CAUTION: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor --```-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
or moderate injury. It may also be used to alert against unsafe practices that may cause property
damage.
4.11.4 NOTICE signs: Signs used to indicate a statement of company policy directly or indirectly
related to the safety of personnel or protection of property. This signal word should not be associated
directly with a hazard or hazardous situation and shall not be used in place of “DANGER,” “WARNING,”
or “CAUTION.”
4.11.5 signs for safety instructions or safety equipment location: Signs used to indicate general
instructions relative to safe work practices or indicate the location of safety equipment.
3
For Chemicals and chemical mixtures, follow ANSI Z129.1 – 2000.
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4.11.6 fire safety: Signs used to indicate the location of emergency fire fighting equipment. (Note:
These signs indicate the location of, but not the direction to, equipment, etc.)
4.11.7 directional arrow signs: Signs used to indicate the direction to emergency equipment, safety
equipment, and other locations important to safety.
4.12 surround/surround shape: A geometric configuration around the symbol which can convey
additional safety information.
4.13 safety symbol: A graphic representation intended to convey a message. It may represent a
hazard, hazardous situation or precaution to avoid a hazard, the result of not avoiding the hazard or any
combination of these messages.
Danger signs shall have the signal word “DANGER” in white letters on a rectangular safety red
background placed at the top of the sign. The safety alert symbol shall precede the signal word. The
base of the symbol shall be on the same horizontal line as the base of the letters of the signal word. The
height of the safety alert symbol shall be equal to or exceed the signal word letter height. See Figure 2.
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Figure 2—Format for the DANGER signal word panel - white letters on safety red background,
safety red exclamation mark.
The previous format for the signal word panel of a danger sign shown in Annex C shall not be
used for new sign procurement. Existing signs, in use or already manufactured, that use the older
format may continue to be used.
The message shall be in black or red letters on a white background, or white letters on a black
background.
The safety symbol panel, if used, shall be a square or rectangle with a black, safety red, or black and
safety red symbol on a white background.
Warning signs should have the signal word “WARNING” in black letters on a rectangular orange
background placed at the top of the sign. The safety alert symbol shall precede the signal word. The
base of the symbol shall be on the same horizontal line as the base of the letters of the signal word. The
height of the safety alert symbol shall be equal to or exceed the signal word letter height. See Figure 3.
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Figure 3—Format for the WARNING signal word panel—black letters on safety orange background,
safety orange exclamation mark
The previous format for the signal word panel of a warning sign shown in Annex C shall not be
used for new sign procurement. Existing signs, in use or already manufactured, that use the older
format may continue to be used.
The message shall be in black letters on a white background or white letters on a black background.
The safety symbol panel, if used, shall be a square or rectangle with a black symbol on a white
background.
Caution signs shall have the signal word “CAUTION” in black letters on a rectangular yellow background
placed at the top of the sign. The safety alert symbol shall precede the signal word if the hazard is a
potential personal injury hazard. The base of the symbol shall be on the same horizontal line as the base
of the letters of the signal word. The height of the safety alert symbol shall be equal to or exceed the
signal word letter height. See Figure 4.
Figure 4—Format for the personal injury CAUTION signal word panel—black letters on safety
yellow background, safety yellow exclamation mark
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The previous format for the signal word panel of a caution sign shown in Annex C shall not be
used for new sign procurement. Existing signs, in use or already manufactured, that use the older
format may continue to be used.
The safety alert symbol shall be omitted on Caution signs used to indicate property damage only
accidents. These signs shall have the signal word “CAUTION” in black letters on a rectangular safety
yellow background placed near the top of the sign. See Figure 5.
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Figure 5—Format for the property damage only CAUTION signal word panel—black letters on
safety yellow background
The message shall be in black letters on a white background or white letters on a black background.
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The safety symbol panel, if used, shall be a square or rectangle with a black symbol on a white
background.
These signs shall have the signal word “NOTICE” in white italic letters on a safety blue background on a
rectangular field, and this distinctive panel shall be located in the uppermost portion of the visual alerting
device. No other signal word or symbol shall be used within this distinctive shape and color arrangement.
Figure 6—Format for the NOTICE signal word panel—white italic letters on safety blue
background
The safety symbol panel, if used, shall be a square or rectangle with a safety blue or black symbol on a
white background.
Signs containing safety instructions or procedures should use the signal words SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
or SAFETY PROCEDURES. More definitive signal words, such as SAFE SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE,
are encouraged, where practical. Signs indicating the location of safety equipment (except fire fighting
equipment) would use definitive signal words, such as EYEWASH. Where multiple safety items are at the
same location, SAFETY EQUIPMENT may be used as the signal words. The signal word or words shall
be in white letters on a safety green background on a rectangular field, and this distinctive panel shall
appear in the uppermost portion of this sign. Signal words that are not in accordance with the definition
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given in 4.11 shall not be used and these include DANGER, WARNING, and CAUTION. See Figure 7.
EYEWASH
Figure 7—Format of signal word panel used for safety instruction and safety equipment location
signs—white letters on safety green background
The symbol panel, if used, shall be a square or rectangle with a safety green or black symbol on a white
background.
The message panel shall be in safety red letters on a white background in either a square or rectangular
field.
The safety symbol panel, if used, shall be safety red on white or white on safety red. See Figure 8.
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This directional arrow symbol shall be in white on a black or colored background on a rectangular field,
and this distinctive symbol shall appear in the uppermost portion of the visual alerting device when used
by itself or in conjunction with general safety or fire safety signs. When these directional arrows are used
in conjunction with DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, or NOTICE signs, the arrows shall be in a lower
sign panel. The color of the arrows shall be in the same color arrangement as the message or symbol as
described in the definition section 5.0 inclusive. Directional arrows shall be designed as illustrated in
Figure 9.
5.7.2 Illustration
5.8.1 Definitions
These signs have been developed for special uses and have been separated from the other categories of
hazard alerting devices by special layout. These visual alerting devices are covered by other standards
as listed in the Reference section.
It is not the intent of this standard to define precisely levels of hazard or where the various hazard level
signs are to be used.
When no federal, state, or local government code, regulation, standard, or guideline specifically requires
the use of a particular hazard alerting signal word, it shall be up to those responsible to select the
appropriate hazard classification. Each situation requiring the use of a hazard alerting device should be
reviewed with regard to the definitions given in section 4 inclusive and 5 inclusive.
6 Sign design/layout
6.1 Three panel signs
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Table 1 and Figures 10 and 11 shall be used to determine which sign panel formats may be used with
which signal panel.
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8 Safety symbols
8.1 General
Safety symbols are pictorials, pictographs, or other graphic representations chosen to clearly convey a
specific safety alerting message.
The conveyed message of a symbol is to describe the type of hazard, potential consequences of the
hazard, or evasive/avoidance actions to be taken. When used, the symbol must be compatible with the
word message(s).
Safety symbols may be used to clarify, supplement, or substitute for a portion or all of a word message
found in the message panel. A symbol may only be used to substitute for a portion or all of a word
message if it has been demonstrated to be satisfactorily comprehended (e.g., Annex B of ANSI Z535.3)
or there is a means (e.g., instructions, training materials, manuals, etc.) to inform people of the symbol’s
meaning.
Message panel lettering should be a combination of upper and lower case sans serif letters. Upper case
only lettering may be used for short messages or emphasis of individual words.
Examples of acceptable lettering styles include: Arial, Arial Bold, Folio Medium, Franklin Gothic,
Helvetica, Helvetica Bold, Meta Bold, News Gothic Bold, Poster Gothic, and Universe.
Legibility of text is influenced by letter height, the ratio of letter height to width (stroke width), and spacing
between letters, words, and lines. Annex B provides guidance on these and other factors that affect text
legibility.
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The overall size of the lettering shall be determined by the distance from which the sign can be safely and
easily read. The message should be as concise as practical. Letters shall be adequately spaced and not
crowded.
Minimum letter height shall be one unit in height for every 150 units of safe viewing distance from the
hazard alerting device for signal words and one unit in height for every 300 units viewing distance for the
majority of other words contained on the word message panel (see Reference 15). The safe viewing
distance must be determined for each specific case where a safety sign is needed. The message panel
text shall meet the legibility criteria at the determined safe viewing distance.
10 Sign finish
Sign finish shall be of durable materials with colors in accordance with ANSI Z535.1-2002 Safety Color
Code.
11 Sign placement
11.1 Placed to alert and inform the viewer
Signs shall be so placed to alert and inform the viewer in sufficient time to take appropriate evasive
actions to avoid the potential harm from the hazard.
Safety signs shall be so placed that they are legible, non-distracting, and not hazardous in themselves.
Safety signs shall not be located in areas where they may be removed by the motion of the hazardous
device, or rendered ineffective by situational conditions of the hazard. These alerting devices shall not be
blocked by moveable panels such as doors, windows, racks, gates, etc.
12 Illumination
12.1 Displayed with illumination or retroreflectorization
All hazard alerting devices shall be displayed with illumination or retroreflectorization as needed for
adequate legibility under normal operating conditions. Where illumination is inadequate or colors not
recognizable, use supplemental illumination6 (see Reference 14).
6
Supplemental illumination includes portable illumination such as flashlights.
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Consideration should be given for situations other than normal operating conditions, such as emergency
conditions, visibility, power failure, etc. Where illumination may be interrupted, the sign should be
equipped with emergency lighting or retroreflective materials, or both.
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13 References
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Safety Color Code. ANSI Z535.1-2002.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Criteria for Safety Symbols. ANSI Z535.3-2002.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Product Safety Signs and Labels. ANSI Z535.4-2002.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes (for Temporary
Hazards). ANSI Z535.5-2002.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Radio Frequency Radiation Hazard Warnings Symbol.
ANSI C95.2-1982 (R1988).
Highway Transportation: American National Standard Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for
Streets and Highways. Millennium Edition http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
National Fire Protection Association. Symbols for Fire Fighting. NFPA 178-1986.
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Slow Moving Vehicle Identification Symbol - ANSI/SAE S276.2.
Warrendale, PA: SAE, June 1968.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 3864, Safety Signs and Colors, ISO: Geneva,
Switzerland, 1984-03-01.
American National Standards Institute for Hazardous Industrial Chemicals – Precautionary Labeling.
ANSI Z129.1-2000.
Smith, S.L. Letter Size and Legibility. Human Factors, 1979, 21, 661-670.
Collins, B.L., Kuo, B.Y., Mayerson, S.E., Worthey, J.A., and Howett, G.L. Safety Color Appearance
Under Selected Light Sources, NBSIR 86-3493, December 1986.
Howett, Gerald L., Size of Letters Required for Visibility as a Function of Viewing Distance and Observer
Visual Acuity, National Bureau of Standards, 1983.
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Annex A
(Informative)
Guidelines for Increasing Recognition of Safety Sign Components
A1 Scope
It is important that the meaning of a safety sign is clearly understood by those who may come in contact
with the hazard. To increase the understanding of a safety sign’s components, the ANSI Z535 committee
encourages safety sign manufacturers and owners of facilities to publish and exhibit the following
information on safety posters, safety bulletins, or the like. Doing so will assist in the objective of achieving
a national uniform system for the recognition of potential personal injury hazards and accident prevention.
Explain the meaning of the safety alert symbol. Then use this symbol whenever a safety-related
message is written that warns of a potential personal injury hazard. In literature that makes note of
potential personal injury hazards, the safety alert symbol can be used alone or in combination with the
proper signal word to call attention to the hazard information. The following artwork may be used for this
purpose.
Explain the meaning of the different signal words as defined by the ANSI Z535.2 standard. Such training
is necessary to increase understanding of the three-tier personal injury hazard classification system and
the meaning of other signal words. The following artwork may be used for this purpose (Note: The use of
the appropriate color for each signal word panel is desirable. See ANSI Z535.1.
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Explain the meaning of the safety symbols used on your safety signs. This enables viewers to better
understand the meaning of the graphics and makes future recognition of the safety symbols more
instantaneous. See ANSI Z535.3 Criteria for Safety Symbols for more information about safety symbol
selection, design, and testing.
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Annex B
(Informative)
Principles and Guidelines for the Design of Environmental and Facility
Safety Signs
B1 Scope
Good consistent visual design helps to effectively communicate hazard information. The purpose of this
annex is to provide the designer with information on widely recognized principles that can aid in the
development of effective safety signs. 1
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The word message on a safety sign typically communicates information to an observer on the type of
hazard, the consequence of not avoiding the hazard, and how to avoid the hazard. Many factors must be
considered when determining whether to omit consequence, avoidance, or type of hazard information in
the word message. Factors to consider include whether the message can be inferred from a symbol,
other text messages, user training, or the context in which the safety sign is used.
1
NOTE – Every safety sign must be considered on its own terms. Limitations on space or other unique conditions may justify
variance from these principles. Examples of word messages are provided to illustrate how principles related to grammatical
structure, writing style, and print layout can enhance the safety sign. These examples are not intended to prescribe standardized
word messages for the hazards mentioned in the examples.
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The information required on a safety sign should be arranged to provide the most important information
first. Where reaction time is an issue, the action statement will be the most important portion of the word
message and should be placed first. In other cases, the hazard description statement will be the most
important information to communicate first. The statement concerning the consequences of interaction
with the hazard is generally best understood when placed after the hazard description statement, or used
integrally with the hazard description statement. As a general rule, the hazard message should come first
when there are many feasible action/avoidance alternatives. However, action/avoidance messages
should come first when there are few avoidance alternatives.
Figure B3 illustrates a word message that explains the type of hazard and consequences of interaction
with the hazard before it describes the hazard avoidance information. Placing the information in this
order would be appropriate if it is found that the audience needs to know what the hazard is before they
would follow the avoidance information presented on the sign. This format assumes that there is time to
read the entire word message and still avoid the hazard.
Figure B4 illustrates a word message that places the hazard avoidance information first. Ordering the
word message in this way would be appropriate if a person needs to immediately follow the avoidance
information in order to prevent interaction with the hazard.
Figure B3—Word message with hazard Figure B4—Word message with hazard
description first avoidance message first
There are many issues that must be considered when developing a word message; from sentence
structure to typesetting specifications. The length of the word message depends on the amount of
information that needs to be communicated to a person to allow them to understand and avoid the
hazard. Once this information is determined, it should be written and formatted in a manner that is
concise and easily understood. The following are several principles that can be applied to the word
message to achieve this objective.
Write in a “headline style.” Compare the sample word messages shown in Figures B5 and B6. The
“headline style” example of Figure B5 eliminates nonessential words and omits pronouns (“this,” “that,”
“they”) articles (“a,” “the,” “an”) and forms of the verb “to be” (“is,” “are,” “were”). Avoid hyphenation when
at all possible.
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Safety signs are intended to communicate appropriate information to the viewer fast enough to allow the
viewer to comprehend the information and take the necessary actions to avoid the hazard. Faster
reaction times are promoted by using succinct statements.
The action statement gives the viewer instructions on how to avoid the hazard. The statement should be
simple, direct, and applicable to the hazard. Figure B7 contains examples of action statements.
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Figure B7—Examples of action statements
The hazard description statement identifies the specific hazard in clear, simple language. Where the
desired action and the consequence of not avoiding the hazard are obvious from the hazard description
statement (such as “Slippery when wet”), the action and consequence statements may be omitted.
Figure B8 contains examples of concise hazard description statements:
The consequence statement tells the viewer in clear, simple language what will happen if the warning is
ignored. Figure B9 contains examples of consequence statements:
Will burn Can cause serious burns or death Can irritate skin
Can cause infertility Will disrupt electrical service to critical equipment
Where it is important for viewers or accident responders to know the ownership of the affected facilities, a
telephone number or other useful information should be placed after the Action, Hazard Description and
Consequence statements.
Write sentences in the active voice, rather than the passive voice. This means placing the subject of the
sentence first, the action (verb) next, and the object (noun) last. Often the subject “you” or “your” can be
inferred from the sentence and is unnecessary. Figure B10 contrasts active voice with passive voice
messages.
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Avoid the use of prepositional phrases. Prepositional phrases can often be eliminated or replaced with
one word. Figure B11 contrasts messages with and without prepositional phrases.
Where room is available and it is desired to emphasize the desired action or other message, key words
may be shown in larger letters, in all capital letters, in bolder letters, in a different type face, with an
exclamation mark, or with a combination thereof. Figure B12 contains examples of ways to emphasize
portions of a word message.
Keep only essential hazard-related information in the safety sign. If necessary, consideration can be
given to referring the viewer to another source for additional safety information or for permission to
proceed. Examples of such sources include safety instruction labels, Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS), operation manuals, service manuals, operating procedures, and safety bulletins.
To enhance readability, arrangements of the word message in an outline format should be considered, as
in Figure B13. The addition of bullets may also be considered to help separate portions of the word
message, as in Figure B14. The use of continuous format, as in Figure B15, is sometimes necessary for
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product safety labels and temporary tags (see ANSI Z535.4 and Z535.5), but is rarely necessary or
appropriate for environmental and facility safety signs.
Moving parts can Moving parts can crush Moving parts can crush and
crush and cut. and cut. cut. Keep out during
operation. Lockout power
Keep out during •Keep out during before entering.
operation. operation.
Lockout power •Lockout power before
before entering. entering.
Left aligned “ragged right” text should be used for all but one-line text messages (which can be either left
aligned or centered). See Figure B16. Left alignment aids in readability (compared to centered text; see
Figure B17) by creating a vertical line that the eye naturally locates when searching for the next line of
text. Justified text should be avoided because the added space between words makes it more difficult to
read. See Figure B18.
The preferred format for text is the use of mixed upper and lower case where only the first letter of the first
word in a sentence is capitalized. See Figure B19. The use of all upper case letters for the word message
is discouraged because it is more difficult to read quickly than lower case type. See Figure B20. On
occasion, a single word or phrase may be set in upper case letters to provide emphasis. See Figure B21.
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Sans serif typestyles are preferred. The important specification to look for when choosing a typestyle is
the stroke “width-to-height” ratio. This ratio refers to the width of the letter and the strokes used to create
the letter. For black type on a white background the stroke width-to-height ratio should be 1:6 –1:8. For
white type on a black background the stroke width-to-height ratio should be 1:8 –1:10 (see reference 15).
The correct spacing between lines of text, between words, and between letters helps to make a word
message easier to read. The amount of space between lines of text is called leading. Lines of text
should be separated by leading that is approximately 120% of the type point size (e.g. 10 point type
should have 12 point leading, 14 point type should have 16.8 point leading, etc.). Additional leading can
be added to separate portions of a word message, as shown in the outline format illustrated in B3.3.7.
The space between words and between letters is called tracking. For purposes of legibility, it is important
to use proper word and letter spacing when typesetting the word message. See Figure B22.
The word message’s type can be black on a white background or white on a black background. This
choice should be based on which is more legible. Legibility is dependent on more than type color.
Factors such as type size, amount of text, reading distance, contrast with the product surface, and lighting
conditions must all be considered. See Figure B23.
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Legibility of the word message at the minimum safe viewing distance2 determines the proper letter size for
the word messages. The letter size/safe viewing distance guidelines in Table B1 define the type size
required to achieve legibility at the given viewing distance. The height of the capital letter “H” identifies
the type’s letter size. Note that the type sizes shown in column two and column three of Table B1
indicate the minimum word message letter size for favorable light conditions and the recommended letter
size for unfavorable reading conditions, respectively. Letter size may need to be larger than the values in
column two for various reasons, including the following:
A formatted sign with the selected letter size word messages should be visually examined in the
environment expected for actual use (lighting, background, angle, etc.) and tested for legibility in that
environment by persons representative of the expected viewers. It is advisable to test different letter sizes
to determine the optimum size for legibility at the desired viewing distance.
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B3.3.14 Minimum letter height calculations
Type size is defined in “points,” a term that was used to describe the space required for lead type
characters. Point sizes measure from the top of the capital letters to the bottom of the lower case letters
with descenders (e.g. the bottom of the letter “g” or “j”, etc.). One point equals 0.01384 inches, or
approximately 1/72 of an inch. Although type faces vary slightly, a practical guide for defining type size is
based on using the capital letter “H” for measurement purposes. Since the character “H” has no
descender, it is possible to use a conversion factor of 0.01 inches = 1 point of type size. Thus, 12 point
type yields a capital “H” approximately 0.12 inches high. For metric purposes, use a conversion factor of
3.9 points =1 mm of height for a capital “H.”
2
The minimum safe viewing distance refers to the closest distance a person can be to the sign and still have time to follow the
safety sign’s message to avoid the hazard.
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Table B1—Examples of word message letter heights and minimum safe viewing distances
Minimum Height for Recommended Letter Height
Minimum Safe FAVORABLE Reading for UNFAVORABLE Reading
Viewing Distance2 Conditions Conditions
[viewing [viewing [viewing [viewing
distance distance distance distance
(ft)/25] (m)/3] (ft)/12] (m)/1.43]
B3.3.15 Comprehension
The word message should be written so that it can be understood by the target audience (i.e. those who
are expected to be in the vicinity of the hazard). This means choosing words that accurately describe the
specific hazard and avoidance information in terms the intended audience will understand.
B5 Multi-lingual formats
The selection of additional languages for safety signs is an extremely complex issue. Experts suggest
that nearly 150 foreign languages are spoken in the United States and over 23 million Americans speak a
language other than English in their homes. If it is determined that additional languages are desired on a
safety sign, the following formats should be considered. In all examples, the use of symbols is strongly
encouraged in order to better communicate the sign’s hazard information across language barriers.
White type on a black background is used in these examples only to differentiate the placement of safety
symbol and word message panels.
The vertical bilingual format shown in Figure B24 can be modified to include a longer word message by
lengthening the word message panels.
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Figures B25 and B26 illustrate horizontal formats for bilingual safety signs. In Figure B25, the English
word message and signal word may appear on either the right or left side. The text and signal word
panels may be widened to accommodate longer word messages.
The safety alert symbol and signal word should be positioned close together and centered in each signal
word panel of a bilingual safety label (see B2).
B6 Multi-hazard formats
If multiple hazards exist at one location on a product or if there is only enough space for a single safety
label, a multi-hazard label may need to be considered. The use of symbols in multi-hazard formats is
optional but encouraged. Additional symbols can be added to these formats as needed. The signal word
corresponding to the hazard with the greatest seriousness level should be used. The hazard with the
greatest seriousness level should be ordered first in the word message. White type on a black
background is used in these examples only to differentiate the placement of safety symbol and word
message panels. The following options can be considered when designing multi-hazard signs.
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Use one of the standard three-panel formats shown in Figure 13 of the ANSI Z535.2 standard and use a
single symbol to communicate the most important hazard. Use the outline format to separate the various
hazard word messages (see B3.3.7).
Use the two-panel signal word/word message formats shown in Figure 14 of the ANSI Z535.2 standard.
Use the outline format to separate the various hazard word messages (see B3.3.7).
Use one of the multi-symbol formats shown in Figures B27 through B31. In formats B27 and B28, place
the most important hazard symbol in the upper left panel so that it is “read” first and order the word
message segments so they correspond to the order of the symbol (“reading” the symbols from left to right
or top to bottom). If the format shown in Figure B28 is used, arrange the word message segments so
they line up opposite the appropriate symbol panel.
Figures B30 and B31 illustrate the multi-hazard/multi-signal word formats. In these formats, each hazard
is ordered according to its seriousness level and placed below the appropriate signal word. Additional
pictorials or word messages may be located under each signal word as needed. Use the outline format to
separate portions of the word message with additional leading, lines or bullets (see B3.3.7).
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Annex C
(Informative)
Previous Formats for Signal Word Panels
The following formats for signal word panels were used in earlier editions of this standard and were
included as an alternate to the preferred panel format in the 1998 Edition. They are not included in this
edition of the standard. Existing signs, in use or already manufactured that use the older format may
continue to be used.
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Revisions 2006
The ANSI Accredited Standards Committee Z535 plans to issue the next revisions of the Z535 Standards
(.1 through .5) in December 2006. In order to meet that deadline, the committee developed the following
tentative timetable:
All proposed changes must be submitted by June 30, 2004. Any proposals received after that date
will be deferred to subsequent revisions. In order to facilitate the next revision, proposed changes must
be submitted on a form for that specific purpose, which is on the back of this page. Please send this form
to:
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Address_______________________________________________________________________
Representing___________________________________________________________________
(Please indicate organization or self.)
1. a. Standard Title______________________________________________________
b. Section/Paragraph__________________________________________________
3. Proposal (Include the proposed new or revised text, or identify the words to be deleted.)
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
(This original material is the submitter’s own idea based upon his/her own experience, thought, or
research, and to the best of his/her knowledge, is not copied from another source.)
I agree to give NEMA all and full rights, including rights of copyright, in this proposal, and I
understand that I acquire no rights in any standards publication in which this proposal in this
or another similar or analogous form is used.
_______________________________________
Signature
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