Fire Assembly Point Signs

The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 require that staff be trained in fire prevention, control and evacuation procedures. On top of training, fire safety signs should also be provided as a back up to fire training and to inform any visitors to your premises. Fire assembly point signs are essential to make staff aware of where to meet in the event of a fire or emergency. You may also use fire assembly point signs to make visitors to your building aware of where to meet if an emergency evacuation of the building was to occur. It is necessary to plan and mark with fire assembly point signs, where staff or visitors should assemble if an evacuation should occur in order for a roll call to be carried out. You can then be aware if anyone is trapped in the building in an emergency and let the fire service know. In large buildings with multiple meeting points, you can fit ‘Nearest fire assembly point signs’, these are signs containing information of where the nearest meeting point is to that point. Fire Assembly Point Signs that are to be kept outside should be able to withstand the weather and be able to be seen from a distance. The majority of fire assembly point signs are therefore screen printed rigid plastic which is 1 or 2 cm thick.

As with all safety signs, fire assembly point signs should be marked with a pictogram to enable non English speaking people to appreciate the sign and understand that these are fire assembly point signs without having somebody to translate the words. As important as fire assembly point signs, are fire action notices. These notices let staff and visitors know your buildings evacuation procedure and where your assembly point is. Other important types of fire safety signs are fire exit signs, these are mandatory and guide building occupiers to the nearest fire exit where outside, they should find fire assembly point signs to inform them of where the roll call will be carried out.