Most current: ANSI Z535.3-2022, American National Standard for Criteria for Safety Symbols
Number of pages: 48
Abstract: This standard provides general criteria for the design, evaluation, and use of safety symbols to identify and warn against specific hazards, and to provide information to avoid personal injury. It is the purpose of this standard to promote the adoption and use of uniform and effective safety symbols for safety communications. The standard also provides a procedure for evaluating image effectiveness in communicating the intended message, as well as considerations for graphic design of symbols.
This standard is intended to provide guidance in selecting symbols to alert persons to hazards and to provide general safety messages. This may include applications and information associated with products, the immediate environment, and workplaces. Follow ANSI Z129.1-2000 for chemical mixtures.
There are four types of symbols that communicate different messages. Symbols are usually a black or safety red image on a white background.
Purchase information: To purchase this standard, visit the National Electrical Manufacturers Association website at www.nema.org.
The following excerpts and summarized information from Z535.3 introduce you to what it contains and when you need to use it. For more detailed information, you may want to obtain the complete standard.
Introduction
The U.S. population is multi-ethnic, highly mobile, and derived from a multiplicity of social and educational backgrounds, with different reading skills and word comprehension. These factors complicate the effectiveness of word-only signs. Effective safety symbols have demonstrated their ability to provide critical information for accident prevention and for personal protection. Illustrated or pictorial signs can promote greater and more rapid communication of the safety message, and therefore, greater safety for the general population. An initial set of such selected symbols is presented here. Methodologies for designing and evaluating safety symbols for additional applications are also presented.
Scope
This standard provides general criteria for the design, evaluation, and use of safety symbols to identify and warn against specific hazards, and to provide information to avoid personal injury.
Purpose
It is the purpose of this standard to promote the adoption and use of uniform and effective safety symbols for safety communications. The standard also provides a procedure for evaluating image effectiveness in communicating the intended message, as well as considerations for graphic design of symbols.
Application
This standard is intended to provide guidance in selecting symbols to alert persons to hazards and to provide general safety messages. This may include applications and information associated with products, the immediate environment, and workplaces.
Symbol Types and Colors
There are four types of symbols that communicate different messages. Symbols are usually a black or safety red image on a white backround.
Legibility
Since symbols may be used on large and small products or areas, they should be legible at the intended viewing distance. Symbols used on safety signs should be placed within the normal field of view and near the hazard or area for which action is required.
When posting safety signs, attention should be given to environmental factors such as dirt, degradation, light level, and light quality which may impair the effectiveness of a symbol.
Symbol Selection
A symbol should have demonstrated understandability as verified by acceptable selection procedures involving an appropriate test group.
A symbol used without demonstrated understandability shall be reinforced by a word message explaining the intent of the symbol. Its format shall follow that given for multi-panel signs.
A symbol training/recognition procedure is recommended to familiarize intended users with symbols and their meanings. This procedure should be conducted by the employer or product manufacturer who plans to use the symbol.
If a new symbol has been tested and found to be acceptable, it and the results of the testing procedure may be forwarded to symbol sources for consideration for inclusion in their publications.
Reprinted from ANSI Z535.3-2002 Environmental and Facility Safety Signs by permission of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Copyright © 2002 National Electrical Manufacturers Association. All rights reserved. Copies of this standard may be purchased from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, 1300 North 17th Street, Suite 1847, Rosslyn, VA 22209, (703) 841-3200.