In an emergency, people need to know two things immediately: where they are and how to get out.
That is why fire signage matters. Clear fire exit signs and wayfinding signage help people find escape routes quickly and support safe evacuation.
Fire signage helps people identify fire exits, locate fire equipment, and understand what action to take during an evacuation.
Are fire exit signs a legal requirement in the UK?
Fire exit signs are required in many UK workplaces to provide clear visual guidance and ensure safe evacuation. Whether a business ‘legally’ needs fire exit signs is determined by the fire risk assessment, not a blanket rule.
The responsible person (usually a building owner, landlord, site manager, or operations director) must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to identify the risk of fire to people on the premises.
The responsible person must ensure that emergency routes and exits are kept clear at all times and indicated by appropriate signage.
When are fire exit signs not required?
For example, a tiny ground-floor shop with one room, a clearly visible exit, and a simple layout may not require fire exit signs as anyone can instantly see how to exit the building. In most small premises, fire exits and escape routes are likely to be obvious and it’s unnecessary to provide fire exit signage.
However, in premises with more than one escape route, some fire exit signage may be necessary, particularly if alternative exits are not obvious.
What do compliant fire exit signs look like?
Many businesses are unsure what a compliant fire exit sign should look like. In these cases, they should seek competent advice from an experienced advisor.
A compliant fire exit sign should:
- Use green and white
- Include the running man symbol / exit door pictogram / exit or escape text
- Include directional arrows where needed
- Be clearly visible
- Stay visible in low light (often via emergency lighting or photoluminescent signs)
What other types of fire safety signage do businesses need?
In addition to fire exit signs, businesses may also require other signage to prevent fire or identify relevant equipment.
Fire Action notice:
A fire action notice is a sign that tells people what to do if they discover a fire or hear the alarm. Similar to fire exit signs, businesses should display fire action notices where the fire risk assessment identifies a need for them.
These signs feature messages such as:
- Raise the alarm
- Call the fire serviceLeave by the nearest exit
- Go to the assembly point
- Do not use lifts
Refuge, Wheelchair and Evacuation Chair:
In April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force. This means many high-rise residential buildings must formally consider how vulnerable residents would evacuate during an emergency.
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) are needed for individuals who may have difficulties when evacuating a building.
Important signage to consider when creating PEEPs includes:
- Refuge point signs to identify safe waiting areas
- Wheelchair fire exit signs to identify escape locations for individuals in wheelchairs
- Evacuation chair signs help people identify the nearest evacuation chair to support disabled users during evacuation
Fire Extinguisher and Equipment:
Wherever there are fire extinguishers, fire alarms, fire points, or other fire-related equipment in a building, businesses must use signage to easily identify equipment and emergency locations.
For fire extinguishers, signage is not just to show where the fire extinguisher is, it also helps identify what it is for and what it should and should not be used on. For example, a sign for a water fire extinguisher indicates that it can be used on wood, paper, and textiles, but not on live electrical equipment, flammable liquids, or flammable metal fires.
Warning and Prohibition:
Hazard warning signs feature a yellow triangle with a black border and a suitable symbol placed centrally on the triangle. For fire safety, hazard warning signs are typically used to identify when there are flammable substances on the premises. These signs are typically:
- Explosive material
- Explosive atmosphere
- Fire risk
- Flammable gases
- Flammable liquid
Prohibition signs indicate a course of action that is forbidden. The signs feature a red circular band with a white border and a red crossbar angled across it. A black symbol is then placed centrally behind the crossbar. Common fire-related prohibition signs include 'no smoking' and 'no naked flames'.
Prohibition signs can work together with hazard warning signs. This is when you would use a multi-message sign to display all messages in one place.
What are the different types of fire safety signage?
When choosing a safety sign, you can either choose a standard sign or a projection sign.
Standard safety signs are typically stuck or drilled to the wall and can be portrait, landscape or square.
A projection sign extends outward from the wall rather than sitting flush against it. These are ideal for highlighting fire safety equipment that may otherwise be difficult to spot, such as equipment positioned in corridor recesses. This helps quickly identify essential equipment in an emergency.
What are the material options for fire safety signs?
1.2mm Polypropylene (PP): A durable rigid plastic suitable for everyday fire signage in warehouses, factories and production areas.
Self-Adhesive Polypropylene (SAPP): The same as 1.2mm polypropylene with a self-adhesive backing. Used for standard fire signage when fixings aren’t an option.
Self-Adhesive Vinyl (SAV): This flexible material features a peel-off adhesive backing, making it ideal for application on doors, stairways and corridors.
Rigid Photoluminescent Board (PHO): A rigid glow-in-the-dark material designed for wall-mounted fire safety signs in offices, warehouses and industrial environments where visibility in low light is essential.
Flexible Photoluminescent Vinyl (PHS): A flexible glow-in-the-dark material with an adhesive backing, ideal for doors, stairways and corridors where fire exit signage must remain visible during power loss.
Fire signage plays a vital role in improving fire safety by helping people evacuate quickly and safely during an emergency. From fire exit signs and fire safety signage to equipment and hazard signs, clear visual communication can make all the difference. Choosing the right fire signage helps keep your premises compliant while making emergency information easy to identify and act on.