Pictograms aren’t forbidden, however section 7.10.3.2 of NFPA 101 says that with approval from the authority having jurisdiction, appropriate emblems from NFPA 170 : Standard for Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols are permitted. The American exit sign is all text-no pictograms are required by NFPA 101 : Life Safety Code (2018 edition), a key model code from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). US exit signs-with light-up letters saying “exit”-are similarly different than much of the world. Why don’t we join the rest of the world with the metric system? Because we’ve always used the Imperial System (also, QRFS happens to like Fahrenheit better than Celsius). We’re happy to keep doing things just because we’ve always done them. Let’s take a look: Old glory-the standard American EXIT signĪmerica may be the land of the free, but we’re still a very traditional country. Some designs are globally ubiquitous, but others never caught on. Exit signs have been designed in a variety of ways. Different ways of saying “exit”Įxit signs, of course, tell people how to get out of a building-critical knowledge in the event of an emergency. Let’s look at how different signs use (or don’t use) pictograms to communicate information in emergencies. The use of pictograms rather than words is a significant design technique. Simplicity, ease of identification, and understandability for non-English speakers are core tenants of the design of safety signs across the world. Fallout shelter signs had to be simple to understand, even for children and non-English-speakers. Signs like this were common during the Cold War, and you can still find them in some municipal buildings and universities where they just haven’t been taken down. The color combination, yellow and black, is considered as the most easily identified attention getter by psychologists in the graphic arts industry. It had to be simple enough to be easily identified by children, non-English speaking persons or others who may not be able to read. The sign had to meet the psychological requirements of simplicity, easy identification, retention and arresting color combination. The Oak Ridge Associated Universities website quotes a “National Fallout Shelter Sign” fact sheet: You may remember these signs, and you can still find them in the basements of older buildings. ISO says that good safety signs give information “that relies as little as possible on the use of words to achieve understanding.” For example, consider what went into designing fallout shelter signs during the Cold War. Their standards for brewing tea may not be the most popular, but their list of approved safety signs is used the world over. The International Organization for Standardization (also known as ISO in Greek “isos” means “same”) publishes international norms for all sorts of things. International standardization makes sure that these signs are understood by everyone, even if they don’t speak the local language or can’t read at all. But artists and experts around the world meticulously design safety signs so that they are easily visible and understandable, especially under duress during an emergency. Most people don’t think about safety signs until they need them. Warnings of occupational hazards like high voltage, biohazard, etc.Instructions for emergencies on airplanes, boats, and trains.Markers for AEDs and fire extinguishers.Egress markers showing the way out of complicated or tall buildings.In addition to the million or so exit signs you’ve seen in your life, other common life and fire safety signs include: In dangerous situations, they tell you what to do, where to go, and where to find vital equipment.
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