ISO/DIS 22578

Graphical symbols -- Safety colours and safety signs -- Natural disaster safety way guidance system

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DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
ISO/DIS 22578
ISO/TC 145/SC 2 Secretariat: DIN
Voting begins on: Voting terminates on:
2021-03-08 2021-05-31
Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs —
Natural disaster safety way guidance system
ICS: 01.080.10
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
Contents Page

Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................iv

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v

1 Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

2 Normative references ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

3 Terms and definitions ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

4 Purpose and deployment............................................................................................................................................................................. 3

5 Planning of natur al disaster safety way guidance system ......................................................................................... 3

6 Signs used in natural disaster safety way guidance systems .................................................................................. 3

6.1 Signs ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3

6.2 Directional supplementary arrow signs ........................................................................................................................... 5

6.3 Supplementary symbols and suitability marking ..................................................................................................... 6

7 Structure of natural disaster safety way guidance system ....................................................................................... 7

7.1 Overview of structure ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7

7.2 Warning sign ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

7.3 Evacuation plan sign .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8

7.4 Evacuation route sign .....................................................................................................................................................................10

7.5 Place of refuge sign ...........................................................................................................................................................................12

8 Bilingual signs ......................................................................................................................................................................................................13

9 Identifiability and legibility of signs under daylight and night time conditions ............................14

10 Sites of installation of natural disaster safety way guidance system ..........................................................15

10.1 General ........................................................................................................................................................................................................15

10.2 Sign positioning ...................................................................................................................................................................................15

10.3 Durability ..................................................................................................................................................................................................16

11 Repair, maintenance and inspection ............................................................................................................................................17

Annex A (informative) Examples of installations of natural disaster safety way guidance system .18

Annex B (informative) Distance factors and sizing visual elements ................................................................................26

Annex C (informative) Daylight and night-time illumination conditions ....................................................................30

Bibliography .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................31

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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards

bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out

through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical

committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International

organizations, governmental and non‑governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.

ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of

electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are

described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the

different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the

editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of

patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of

any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or

on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not

constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and

expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the

World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www .iso .org/

iso/ foreword .html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 145, Graphical symbols, Subcommittee

SC 2, Safety identification, signs, shapes, symbols and colours.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A

complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
Introduction

There is a need to standardize a system giving safety information related to evacuation to safety

evacuation areas in the event of natural disasters that relies as little as possible on the use of words to

achieve understanding.

It is extremely important for people who do not understand the local language to figure out the

evacuation route instantly when they encounter a natural disaster in a foreign country.

This standard reflects best practice; the illustrations show installation practice designed to provide the

optimum amount of information to clearly identify the hazards of different types of natural disaster in

order to direct evacuation by appropriate location of evacuation route signs, evacuation plan signs and

selection of place of refuge.

International travel increases the need for standardized methods of safety communication. A

standardized method of signing with the use of appropriate supplementary signs and text throughout

the public environment assists the process of education and instruction on the meaning of the

evacuation route signs and places of refuge signs, and the appropriate actions to take.

The illustrations within this document are based on assumptions that people may be unfamiliar with

the features of the natural disaster or the location of places of refuge(s).

It is important that the application of safety way guidance systems is standardized to aid

comprehension. Whilst education in the comprehension of the signs and evacuation plan signs is

essential, incomprehension caused by lack of standardization can lead to confusion and possibly hinder

effective evacuation.

This document does not purport to include all the necessary aspects or requirements on the design of a

natural disaster safety way guidance system. Users are responsible for its correct application.

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DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs —
Natural disaster safety way guidance system

IMPORTANT — The colours represented in the electronic file of this document can be neither

viewed on screen nor printed as true representations. For the purposes of colour matching,

see ISO 3864-4 which provides colorimetric and photometric properties together with, as a

guideline, references from colour order systems.
1 Scope

This document specifies the principles governing the design and application of signs and plans used

to create a natural disaster safety way guidance system, which help people evacuate to safety areas or

place of refuge in the case of natural disasters, for example, tsunami, flood, debris flows, steep slope

failures, landslides, tornados, large scale fire, volcano.

This standard provides guidance on the selection and use of safety signs conforming to ISO 7010, public

information symbols conforming to ISO 7001, and text on evacuation route signs, places of refuge

and evacuation plan for information of particular natural disasters. Guidance on the design, location,

mounting positions and maintenance of the signs and plan signs are also provided.

This document does not apply to the determination of the need for natural disaster safety way

guidance. This standard assumes that the risk assessment or requirements of an enforcing authority

has established the need for such natural disaster safety way guidance systems. This document does

not apply to retroreflective road signs.

NOTE 1 This document is not applicable to the particular hazards of high winds, snow avalanches, earthquakes

and hurricanes which cause the natural disasters covered in this standard.

NOTE 2 This document is applicable to the safety way guidance from the natural disasters, from the outside of

the building to safe areas. ISO 16069 covers the safety way guidance within a building, to the emergency exit.

2 Normative references

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content

constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For

undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

ISO 7001, Graphical symbols — Public information symbols

ISO 7010, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Registered safety signs

ISO 3864-1:2011, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Part 1: Design principles for

safety signs and safety markings

ISO 3864-3, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Part 3: Design principles for graphical

symbols for use in safety signs

ISO 3864-4:2011, Graphical symbols — Safety colours and safety signs — Part 4: Colorimetric and

photometric properties of safety sign materials

ISO 20712-3:2020, Water safety signs and beach safety flags — Part 3: Guidance for use

3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
evacuation route
direction from your location to the nearest safe area when a disaster occurs
3.2
evacuation plan

map or diagram displayed in public areas and workplaces to assist users to understand the environment,

locate facilities and determine evacuation route to reach safe area
3.3
natural disaster supplementary sign
sign indicating the type of possible disaster

Note 1 to entry: Appropriate evacuation area and other related information are also displayed.

3.4
phosphorescent material

material incorporating phosphors that, if excited by UV or visible radiation, store energy, which is

emitted as light over a period of time
[SOURCE: ISO 3864-1:2011, 3.12]

Note 1 to entry: A phosphorescent sign is the same as “photoluminescent” commonly used in the literature of the

photoluminescent safety sign industry.
3.5
protection shelter
facilities that provide protection from a disaster
3.6
natural disaster safety way guidance system

system that includes evacuation plan signs, evacuation route signs and provides information of place of

refuges to guide people from a location to places of refuge when natural disasters occur

3.7
seamless design

system of uninterrupted markings guiding people to place of refuge signs seamlessly when deploying

the safety way guidance system
3.8
sign height

diameter of a circular geometric shape or height of a rectangular or triangular geometric shape of the

type of safety sign
[SOURCE: ISO 20712-3:2014, 3.8]

Note 1 to entry: Registered safety sign originals in ISO 7010 are in a uniform 70 mm size with corner marks to

enable accurate enlargement and reduction scaling. A border is not shown.
3.9
place of refuge

outdoor areas or indoor space to which people can quickly evacuate in order to secure their lives when

a disaster occurs or is likely to occur

Note 1 to entry: Place of refuge includes protection shelter, outdoor refuge area, tsunami evacuation area, and

tsunami evacuation building.
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
4 Purpose and deployment

The natural disaster safety way guidance system is necessary to warn people in areas likely to be

affected by a disaster when it occurs and help them take suitable action quickly according to the type

of disaster.

The objective of the natural disaster safety way guidance system is to display information about the

hazards of possible natural disasters in vulnerable regions, warn the people living in the area that is

affected by a disaster when it occurs, and guide them to evacuate quickly.

The illustrations should be interpreted as recommendations and not as minimum requirements.

5 Plannin g of natural disaster safety way guidance system

Where mitigation plans have been prepared and are available to civil protection agencies or relevant

authorities, a natural disaster safety way guidance system is required, when appropriate, to warn the

population in zones that will be specifically affected.

The designer of the system shall identify the following based on the mitigation plans:

a) locations of hazard zones;
b) locations for place of refuge and their names;
c) suitability of places of refuge for certain disasters;
d) locations of evacuation routes to places of refuge;

e) locations of accessible routes for flood from inland waters and fire disasters;

f) locations of rescue facilities (medical/fire fighting etc.);

g) locations of facilities for enabling emergency evacuation (helicopter, lifeboats etc.);

h) locations of emergency communications facilities/media;
i) locations of services such as water and energy supply;

j) appropriate supplementary text to the evacuation route signs, such as information on recorded

heights above sea level at locations within the inundation areas and height or depth of floods

(inundations);
k) use of local language(s) and other language(s);

l) other sources of warning information, such as national and local media, and sound alarms.

6 Signs used in natural disaster safety way guidance systems
6.1 Signs

The safety sign components of natural disaster safety way guidance signs shall be registered safety

signs from ISO 7010. Supplementary signs and combination signs shall meet the design requirements of

ISO 3864‑1. Signs used in natural disaster safety way guidance systems are shown in Table 1.

Safety signs shall meet the colorimetric and photometric specifications of ISO 3864‑4:2011 under the

test conditions relating to safety signs being externally illuminated.

NOTE ISO 3864‑4 defines colour under certain test conditions and not all conditions of observation of

safety signs. Phosphorescent safety signs during luminance decay mode lack colour recognition of the green,

however they are designed such the luminance contrast enables the graphical symbols to be/remain identifiable.

Reflective signs lack colour discrimination in night‑time illumination.
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)

Classification of emission colour of phosphorescent material is given in ISO 3864‑4:2011, Annex B.

Phosphorescent safety signs shall meet the colorimetric and photometric specifications of ISO 3864‑4

under its specified test conditions relating to safety signs being externally illuminated.

Table 1 — Signs used in natural disaster safety way guidance system
Safety Signs
Supplementary
Type of disaster
signs
Warning signs Safe condition signs
Tsunami
ISO 7010-E062 ISO 7010-E021
Tsunami evacuation Protection shelter
area
ISO 7010-W056
Tsunami
Warning; Tsunami
hazard zone
Storm surge
ISO 7010-E063
Tsunami evacuation
building
Flood (including
flood from inland
waters)
ISO 7010-W077
ISO 7010-EXXX ISO 7010-E021
Flood
Warning; Flood zone
Proposed new sign; Protection shelter
Outdoor refuge area
Debris flow
ISO7010-W076
ISO 7010-EXXX ISO 7010-E021
Debris flow
Warning; Debris
Proposed new sign; Protection shelter
flow zone
Outdoor refuge area
Steep slope failure
ISO 7010-W078
ISO 7010-EXXX ISO 7010-E021
Landslide
Landslide Warning; Landslide
Proposed new sign; Protection shelter
zone
Outdoor refuge area
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
Table 1 (continued)
Safety Signs
Supplementary
Type of disaster
signs
Warning signs Safe condition signs
Large scale fire
ISO 7010-W073
ISO 7010-EXXX ISO 7010-E021
Large scale fire
Warning; Large scale
Proposed new sign; Protection shelter
fire zone
Outdoor refuge area
Tornado
ISO 7010-W074
ISO 7010-E021
Tornado
Warning; Tornado Protection shelter
zone
Volcano
ISO 7010-W075
ISO 7010-E021
Volcano
Warning; Active
Protection shelter
volcano zone
6.2 Directional supplementary arrow signs

Arrows in direction signs shall be used in conjunction with safety signs to indicate the direction of

movement a person should take to reach the indicated destination. The format of the direction arrow

shall be arrow type D from ISO 3864‑3. The meanings of different arrow orientations are shown in

Table 2.
Table 2 — Use of direction supplementary arrow signs
Arrow Meaning
Proceed to the right from here
Proceed to the left from here
a) Proceed forward from here
b) Proceed forward and through from here
c) Proceed forward and up from here
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
Table 2 (continued)
Arrow Meaning
a) Proceed up to the right from here
b) Proceed forward and across to the right from here
Proceed down to the right
a) Proceed up to the left
b) Proceed forward and across to the left from here
Proceed down to the left
Proceed down from here
6.3 Supplementary symbols and suitability marking

It is necessary to indicate the type of disasters which the places of refuge are appropriate. Place of

refuge signs ensure anyone who happens to be visiting and unfamiliar with the area is able to identify

their suitability or unsuitability properly. This is because the construction and location for place of

refuge may only be appropriate for particular natural disasters.

In areas where different types of natural disasters could occur, the local government or authority shall

decide on the suitability of the places of refuge for a certain disaster.

In the place of refuge signs and evacuation route signs, the appropriate supplementary symbols which

are given in Table 1 should be used to indicate the suitable and not suitable natural disasters for that

place of refuge.

Where it is necessary to warn people that the place of refuge is not suitable for particular types of

natural disasters, an “x” or diagonal bar should be displayed.

A green tick may be used to indicate suitability. The green tick may be replaced by another element

appropriate to cultural requirements of the target audience.
Example of suitability and unsuitability markings are presented as Figure 1.
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)

Figure 1 — Examples of suitability marking displaying suitable for flood but not suitable for

debris flow, landslide or large scale fire
For examples of signs, see Figures 6a and 6b.
7 Structure of natural disaster safety way guidance system
7.1 Overview of structure

In order to guide people to the places of refuge when natural disasters occur, it is important not to

make them lose their way. In follow‑through of the planning stage (see Clause 5), signs shall be installed

systematically and seamlessly.

Natural disaster safety way guidance system shall provide warning signs, evacuation plan signs,

evacuation route signs, place of refuge signs continuously according to the mitigation plan.

Figure 2 — Structure of seamlessly designed natural disaster safety way guidance system

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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
7.2 Warning sign

Warning signs shall be installed at location/areas where deemed appropriate, identified as at risk of

hazard of a particular natural disaster.

A warning sign shall use the appropriate sign from ISO 7010 (see Table 1). When using supplementary

texts, it may include “Warning” and text giving the meaning of the sign. Additional supplementary text

may be provided giving additional safety information.

Examples of the application of warning signs for other natural disasters are presented as Figure 3 and

in Annex A.1.
Figure 3 — Examples of layouts and contents in a warning sign
7.3 Evacuation plan sign

Evacuation plan signs show the physical relationship of the evacuee and the places of refuge using

the area map as appropriate. It shall provide information identifying the area(s) of risk of the natural

hazard, and locations for places of refuge and the location of evacuees with the symbol “You are here”.

Legend symbols should be from ISO 7001 and ISO 7010.
The following information shall be shown on evacuation plan signs:
a) location for place of refuge;
b) location of current place (You are here).
The following information can be shown on the evacuation plan sign:
— location of other necessary rescue and enabling emergency refuge facilities;
— location of evacuation routes;
— location of landmarks;

— disaster precaution area or sediment-related disaster hazard zones (see Figures A.2, A.3 and A.4);

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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
— legend;
— marking of the hazardous zone by warning signs and colouring;
— different sources of warning information.

Examples of the application of evacuation plan signs for other natural disasters are presented in

Figures 4a), 4b) and in A.2.
a) Example of an evacuation plan sign — Area map of safety way guidance
b) Example of an evacuation plan sign — Projected flood water depth
Figure 4
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
7.4 Evacuation route sign

The direction and the distance to the place of refuge shall be shown on the evacuation route signs.

Evacuation route signs shall be installed with a directional arrow showing the direction of evacuation,

distance to the place of refuge and the safe condition sign with suitable natural disaster supplementary

sign. Evacuation route signs shall use the appropriate safety sign from Table 1 and direction arrow

from Table 2.

The direction given by the arrow is used to indicate the direction of movement of evacuation. Evacuation

route signs (such as those given in Figure 6) shall be used exclusively to indicate the direction to be

followed by occupants. Graphical symbols with running man (outdoor refuge area, tsunami evacuation

area, and tsunami evacuation building) shall always be used with a supplementary arrow and shall be

consistently displayed at all installed positions on the evacuation route.

Figure 5 — Example of safe condition sign with direction supplementary arrow signs

The evacuation route sign shall show the following information in the event of natural disasters as a

consequence of the mitigation plans:
a) distance to the place of refuge;
b) sign and description/identifier showing the place of refuge;
c) supplementary sign showing the suitable type of natural disaster.

The graphical symbols used on evacuation route signs can be arranged in several ways depending on the

spaces available for the display. Examples of the sign layouts are presented in Figures 6a) to 6e) and in A.3.

a) Layout example of vertical sign
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ISO/DIS 22578:2021(E)
b) Layout example of vertical sign with not suitable marking
c) Layout example of horizontal sign
d) Layout example of square sign
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e) Layout example of horizontal sign for one disaster
Figure 6 — Examples of evacuation route sign layouts
7.5 Place of refuge sign

Place of refuge signs show the place is safe for refuging in certain type of natural disasters.

The appropriate safe condition sign from ISO 7010 (see Table 1) shall be used for place of refuge signs,

such as tsunami evacuation area, outdoor refuge area, tsunami evacuation building and protection

shelter.

Signs shall be installed in prominent places at the designated locations and include suitability marking

for the type of natural disasters. Signs should show the following information in the event of natural

disasters as a consequence of the mitigation plans:

a) when appropriate, safe condition sign and name of the location showing the place of refuge;

b) when appropriate, the applicable type of natural disasters;

c) when appropriate, the types of natural disasters for which it is not suitable marked with a negation

bar “\”.
Examples of a layout of place of refuge signs are shown in Figu
...