| In the UK, every workplace and establishment is | | | | signs, or worse, be overlooked and when needed, |
| required to display safety signs wherever there | | | | make a possible user unable to find it as the |
| are dangers that cannot or must not be | | | | supposed to be sign has long faded and cannot be |
| disregarded. This requirement is covered under | | | | noticed. Another disadvantage of standard rigid |
| The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) | | | | plastic signs is that they can only be seen when |
| Regulations 1996. Fire extinguisher signs are also | | | | the lights are on or during the day. |
| supported by these regulations. They are | | | | Modern extinguisher signs are currently being |
| identification signs whose function is to direct | | | | made using photoluminescent materials, such as a |
| users to the location of extinguishers. They are | | | | polymer. This unique material absorbs light and is |
| commonly attached near a business area's | | | | visible in the dark, a great feature which enables |
| firefighting arsenal where it can be easily seen to | | | | an individual to still locate the extinguisher in case |
| make sure that a potential user can identify | | | | the lights go out during a fire. The |
| where the nearest extinguisher is located. | | | | photoluminescent substance contains an inorganic |
| Fire extinguisher signs are typically manufactured | | | | phosphor compound that is very rapidly energised |
| from self-adhesive materials, such as aluminium, | | | | by blue light and ultraviolet wavelength energy |
| vinyl, and PVC. Although pictograms are very | | | | present in almost every type of light source. This |
| popular, other kinds of signs are printed with both | | | | energy is converted into a low energy |
| pictograms and text, thus making it more | | | | yellow-green light, which is the colour best |
| convenient for people to comprehend directions | | | | recognised by the human eye. Photoluminescent |
| where the extinguisher is stored. Other modern | | | | signs are often mistakenly called reflective signs |
| signs are also very instructional, in that they | | | | as well. However, they are very different |
| provide detailed descriptions of the safety device, | | | | because the light returned by reflective signs has |
| including the type of extinguishing substance and | | | | limitations. Nonetheless, numerous extinguishers |
| the classes of fire that the particular extinguisher | | | | and mounting posts use a reflective adhesive tape |
| is suitable for. | | | | to easily identify the extinguisher's location. |
| Many different types and sizes of fire safety | | | | The distinctive feature of fire extinguisher signs is |
| signs are available in the market. A business may | | | | that their message is clear to anybody who sees |
| be tempted to save on costs and purchase fire | | | | them-whether able to read or not, whether |
| extinguisher signs made out of rigid plastic, which | | | | English-speaking or not. Pictures are universal; any |
| on first glance serves the same purpose of more | | | | regular person will be able to identify a picture of |
| expensive ones made out of photoluminescent | | | | a fire extinguisher yet may not be able to read |
| material. With varying thicknesses and ink quality, | | | | the term if not written in his or her own language. |
| these plastic signs however fade over time, | | | | Truly, a picture is worth more than a thousand |
| forcing a business to purchase another set of | | | | words when it comes to saving lives. |
