Safety colors play a key role in providing a convenient and understandable way to communicate safety-related information. The standards that define these colors are designed to minimize risks and ensure unambiguous perception of safety signals.

Different countries have national standards that define the main safety colors, but these standards have some differences in approaches to their implementation and application.
Defining safety colors by standards

In this article, we will analyze how safety colors are defined by the standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the European Union, Great Britain and Ukraine (GOST EN ISO 7010:2019), highlighting the key features and differences between them.

Main safety colors and their meaning:

  • Red - usually associated with danger, prohibitions, fire hazard warning.

  • Yellow or orange - symbolizes potential danger, warning.

  • Blue - often used for informational and mandatory instructions.

  • Green - used to indicate safe zones or evacuation routes.

Recommendations for the use of safety colors

When using safety colors, it is necessary to comply with the regulations of each country, as this ensures their recognition and effectiveness.

For example:

  1. For high-risk areas (e.g. industrial areas), it is recommended to use red and yellow colors to improve the visibility of signs.
  2. In public buildings, blue and green colors provide clarity in directional and behavioral instructions.

Safety colors remain universal languages, which helps maintain safety standards in different countries. However, there are differences in the requirements of the standards that should be taken into account when creating and installing signs.

When analyzing the safety standards of different countries, several important differences can be identified that affect the creation and installation of signs in international institutions.

Let's consider the main differences in the requirements of the USA (ANSI Z535.6), EU (ISO 3864-1), UK (BS 5378) and the national standard DSTU EN ISO 7010:2019.

1. Choice of colors and meaning:

  • ANSI (USA): Red, yellow/orange, green and blue are used to clearly indicate hazards, mandatory instructions and emergency exits. ANSI places particular emphasis on reducing the risk of accidents due to colors that enhance emotional perception.

  • ISO 3864-1 (EU) and BS 5378 (UK): European standards also give clear meaning to colors, but usually place less emphasis on orange and detail the use of blue for information signs.

  • DSTU EN ISO 7010:2019 (Ukraine): Basically follows the European standard, but may have features in the formulation of instructions for signs that focus on national safety requirements.

On the left side of the panel are signal words and their color coding according to ANSI Z535.4. On the right are examples of color coding for three types of symbols used on product safety labels. Clarion Safety Systems (https://incompliancemag.com. Column "On Your Mark")

2. Sign Shapes and Pictograms:

  • ANSI (USA): Uses round, square, and triangular shapes for different types of signs, often with large text accompaniments. It is recommended to add short text for better understanding.

  • ISO 3864-1 and BS 5378: European standards prefer standard pictograms to avoid the need for text. This is especially important for international agencies where language-independent clarity is important.

  • DSTU EN ISO 7010:2019: Uses generally accepted icons that comply with ISO 7010, with an emphasis on local needs.

3. Sign Location:

  • ANSI (USA): Sets requirements for sign visibility and viewing angle, focusing on high-risk areas. Typically, sign placement should take into account workflows.

  • ISO 3864-1 and BS 5378: Set detailed recommendations for sign heights in public places and industrial areas, also noting the visibility zone for different user groups.

  • DSTU EN ISO 7010:2019: Placement requirements meet European standards, but with an emphasis on state and public buildings in Ukraine, which is important for compliance with local regulations.

4. Text Instructions:

  • ANSI (USA): Recommends that signs be accompanied by short text instructions for more precise interpretation, since the text reinforces the content for local users.

  • ISO 3864-1 and BS 5378: Tend to minimize text and favor pictograms, which increases versatility and simplifies understanding for foreign visitors.

  • DSTU EN ISO 7010:2019: Mainly icons are used, but in some cases text in Ukrainian is added following the principles of universal design, especially for information signs.

5. Specific requirements for people with disabilities:

  • ISO and BS: Approaches to inclusive design involve taking into account the needs of people with disabilities. Signs are often installed at a height accessible to people in wheelchairs, and are also duplicated in Braille.

  • ANSI: Also takes into account the needs of people with disabilities, but in government buildings than in commercial institutions.

  • DSTU EN ISO 7010:2019: Integrates provisions on accessibility for people with disabilities in accordance with national requirements, especially in government agencies, medical and educational institutions.

Summary

When implementing safety colors and signs in institutions, it is important to take into account the specific requirements of each country's standards. This will help ensure the correct perception of information, promote safety and provide convenience for different categories of visitors, in particular, people with disabilities.

DSTU EN ISO 7010:2019 fully complies with the basic requirements of European legislation, allowing the implementation of a unified security system in institutions in Ukraine.

However, for full compliance with international standards, it is important to take into account local conditions, in particular the possibility of adding text instructions in Ukrainian and some fire safety requirements. This makes the national standard more adaptable and understandable to local users, but it also remains universal and suitable for international institutions.