ISO/TC 145/SC 2/WG 1 - Safety identification, shapes, symbols and colours

This document serves to complement the basic standards for safety signs: the ISO 3864 series, ISO 7010, ISO 16069, ISO 23601 and ISO 17398, as well as ISO 45001. This document contains recommendations and explanations on the practical application of safety signs to form a system of communication intended to reduce risk.

This document prescribes safety signs for the purposes of accident prevention, fire protection, health hazard information and emergency evacuation. The shape and colour of each safety sign are according to ISO 3864‑1 and the design of the graphical symbols is according to ISO 3864‑3. This document is applicable to all locations where safety issues related to people need to be addressed. However, it is not applicable to the signalling used for guiding rail, road, river, maritime and air traffic and, in general, to those sectors subject to a regulation which may differ with regard to certain points of this document and of the ISO 3864 series. This document specifies the safety sign originals that can be scaled for reproduction and application purposes.

ISO 3864-2:2016 establishes additional principles to ISO 3864‑1 for the design of safety labels for products, i.e. any items manufactured and offered for sale in the normal course of commerce, including but not limited to consumer products and industrial equipment. The purpose of a product safety label is to alert persons to a specific hazard and to identify how the hazard can be avoided. ISO 3864-2:2016 is applicable to all products in all industries where safety-related questions can be posed. However, it is not applicable to safety labels used - for chemicals, - for the transport of dangerous substances and preparations and - in those sectors subject to legal regulations which differ from certain provisions of this document. The design principles incorporated in this document are intended to be used by all ISO Technical Committees and anyone designing product safety labels in the development of product safety label standards for their industries or services.

ISO 3864-3:2012 gives principles, criteria and guidance for the design of graphical symbols for use in safety signs as defined in ISO 3864‑1, and for the safety sign element of product safety labels as defined in ISO 3864‑2.

ISO 3864-1:2011 establishes the safety identification colours and design principles for safety signs and safety markings to be used in workplaces and in public areas for the purpose of accident prevention, fire protection, health hazard information and emergency evacuation. It also establishes the basic principles to be applied when developing standards containing safety signs. ISO 3864-1:2011 is applicable to all locations where safety issues related to people need to be addressed. However, it is not applicable to the signalling used for guiding rail, road, river, maritime and air traffic and, generally speaking, to those sectors subject to a regulation which may differ.