ISO 3864 specifies international standards for safety signs and markings in workplaces and public facilities. These labels are graphical, to overcome language barriers.[1] The standard is split into four parts:
- ISO 3864-1:2011 Part 1: Design principles for safety signs and safety
- ISO 3864-2:2016 Part 2: Design principles for product safety labels
- ISO 3864-3:2012 Part 3: Design principles for graphical symbols for use in safety signs
- ISO 3864-4:2011 Part 4: Colorimetric and photometric properties of safety sign materials
Colours[edit]
These are the colours specified in ISO Standard 3864-4 in RAL colour standard.[2]
Meaning | RAL Name | RAL Number | RGB Hex[3] | Example of Colour |
---|---|---|---|---|
Warning | Signal Yellow | 1003 | #F9A800 | |
Prohibition/Fire Equipment | Signal Red | 3001 | #9B2423 | |
Mandatory | Signal Blue | 5005 | #005387 | |
Safe Condition | Signal Green | 6032 | #237F52 | |
Backgrounds and Symbol | Signal White | 9003 | #ECECE7 | |
Symbol | Signal Black | 9004 | #2B2B2C |
In addition, ISO standard 3864-2:2016 lays out the following colours that correspond to levels of risk.[4] This standard adds "Orange" as an incremental colour to the pallette above.
Meaning | Background colour of panel | Contrast colour | Definition | RGB Hex | Example of Colour |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low level of risk | Yellow | Black | RAL 1003 [per ISO 3864-4] | #F9A800 | |
Medium level of risk | Orange | Black | RAL 2010, Munsell 2,5YR6/14G, or Munsell 5YR6/15G | #D05D29 | |
High level of risk | Red | White | RAL 3001 [per ISO 3864-4] | #9B2423 |
Related standards[edit]
The corresponding American standard is ANSI Z535. ANSI Z535.1 also explicitly uses multiple levels of hazard, including Yellow (Pantone 109) for 'caution' messages, and Orange (Pantone 151) for stronger 'warning' messages.[5][6][7] Like ISO 3864, ANSI Z535 includes multiple sections: ANSI Z535.6-2006 defines an optional accompanying text in one or more languages.
ISO 3864 is extended by ISO 7010, which provides a set of symbols based on the principles and properties specified in ISO 3864.
See also[edit]
- ISO 7010 - Standard for safety symbols used in ISO 3864.
- ANSI Z535 - Corresponding American standard for safety signage, product warning labels and product instructions.
References[edit]
- ^ ISO 3864-1:2011 from the ISO Catalog
- ^ "Sicherheitsfarben – Etikettenwissen".
- ^ "RAL Farben | RAL CLASSIC Farben". www.ral-farben.de (in German). Retrieved 2016-05-22.
- ^ ""ISO 3864-2:2016 Standard". Retrieved 2021-07-01.
- ^ "U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 49 CFR 172.407". Retrieved 2020-09-28.
- ^ "ANSI NEMA Z535". ANSI IBR Standards Portal. American National Standards Institute; National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
- ^ Frantz, J. Paul. "Update of ANSI Standards for Warnings and Future Directions" (PDF). Applied Safety and Ergonomics, Inc. Retrieved 2020-09-28.