Provision of health and safety signs at work

SUMMARY OF:

Directive 92/58/EEC on the minimum requirements for the provision of safety and/or health signs at work

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DIRECTIVE?

It sets out minimum requirements concerning health and safety signs at work, in particular,

prohibitory signs (e.g. no access for industrial vehicles),
warning signs (e.g. overhead load),
mandatory signs (e.g. eye protection must be worn),
emergency escape or first-aid signs (e.g. emergency exit /escape route) or
fire-fighting signs (e.g. fire hose).

It also lays down minimum requirements for illuminated and acoustic signs, hand signals and for verbal communication.

KEY POINTS

The directive complements Framework Directive 89/391/EEC on health and safety at work (see summary).
The directive does not apply to signs for the placing on the market of dangerous substances and preparations, products and/or equipment, unless other European Union (EU) rules make specific reference to it, nor to signs used for regulating road, rail, inland waterway, and sea or air traffic.

Employers’ obligations

Employers must provide safety signs where hazards cannot be avoided or adequately reduced by preventive measures or procedures used in the organisation of work.
Wherever appropriate, signs used for road, rail, inland waterway, sea and air transport are to be installed inside companies or undertakings.

Supplementary information

EU Member States may specify certain exemptions within certain precise limits.
Workers must be informed of the measures to be taken and must be given appropriate training (precise instructions).
Workers must be consulted and allowed to participate on the matters covered by the directive.

Delegated acts

Regulation (EU) 2019/1243 amends Directive 92/58/EEC giving the European Commission powers, as of 26 July 2019, to adopt delegated acts to make strictly technical amendments to its annexes, in order to take account of technical harmonisation and standardisation concerning the design and manufacture of safety and/or health signs or devices at work, technical progress, changes in international regulations or specifications and advances in knowledge in the field of safety and/or health signs or devices at work.

Repeal

Directive 92/58/EEC repeals Directive 77/576/EEC on safety signs in the work place.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DIRECTIVE APPLY?

It has applied since 27 July 1992 and had to become law in the Member States by 24 June 1994.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

Directive 92/58/EEC — safety and/or health signs (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Directive 92/58/EEC of 24 June 1992 on the minimum requirements for the provision of safety and/or health signs at work (ninth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) (OJ L 245, 26.8.1992, pp. 23–42).

Successive amendments to Directive 92/58/EEC have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.