Safety signs have been used for decades to warn people about dangers, and in the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) communicates the guidance and design of the signs.
Rather than being text-heavy, safety signs use symbols that can be easily be recognised. Civilizations have been communicating using pictorial symbols for thousands of years, with Egyptian hieroglyphic writing and runes being examples of communicating via symbols.
The first mass use of signs was on Britain’s roads. The Romans placed milestones on their newly created roads, while in the Middle Ages, pointing signs at intersections gave directions to towns.
In the 1870s and 1880s, road signs were erected to warn cyclists. The bicycles of the time were difficult to handle, so signs warned of hills and other potential hazards.
As car ownership increased, more safety signs were needed. Most countries now have road signs to manage traffic and warn of hazards.
In the 20th century, many safety signs appeared in commercial buildings. Some of the symbols used on safety signs date from many years ago; for example, the skull and crossbones danger symbol warned of poisonous substances 1,000 years ago. A much more recent addition to safety signs was the green running man that marks an exit, which first appeared in the 1980s.
In the present day, pictorial symbols are easily recognised by most people. Shapes and colours are also used on safety signs to warn, inform and prohibit actions. Safety signs make a valuable contribution to protecting both workers and members of the public.
