A local school has just had a health and safety inspection by the local council and realised that all their Fire safety signs are not upto scratch. The fact that they have been in the building for the last twenty five years has of cause affected the effectivness of the signage, as has the change of use of parts of the building and re decorating and painting over of exit signs by the decorators.
It is always worth doing a health and safety survey every couple of years to check the signs to make sure they are still doing their job. The gem glow or photoluminescent signs only glow for a certain number of years before the chemical becomes inert and so exit signs, fire safety signs and general health and safety signs no longer glow in the dark, rendering them useless if a fire takes hold and the lights go out. Also new legislation means the fire exit signs must have a pictorgram where ever relevant incase the occupant can’t read english or in the case of a child can’t read at all but can follow an arrow and running man.
A basic health and safety work regualtions 1999 leaflet is available from cestrian signs ltd and safetysignsuk.co.uk for those who may find it useful.