⚡ TL;DR — Quick Summary
- OHS signs in Australia are governed by AS 1319-1994 (reaffirmed 2018), which sets four main categories: regulatory, hazard, emergency information and fire signs.
- Colour and shape carry the meaning before anyone reads a word. Red circle with a slash means prohibited, blue circle means mandatory, yellow triangle means warning, red oval means danger.
- Danger signs and warning signs are not interchangeable. Danger is reserved for hazards likely to cause death or serious injury and never uses a pictogram. Warning covers hazards that are not life threatening.
- Sign size is not a design choice, it is set by AS 1319 based on viewing distance and lighting conditions.
- Under the WHS Regulations, a PCBU has a duty to warn of hazards. Missing or incorrect signage can lead to Improvement Notices, Prohibition Notices or penalties.
Safety signs, often called OHS signs or WHS signs, tell a worker or visitor what they must not do, what they must do, or what hazard is present, in the half second before they read a single word. In Australia, every sign’s colour, shape and layout is set by AS 1319-1994 Safety Signs for the Occupational Environment, a standard that has stayed materially unchanged since it was reaffirmed in 2018.
This guide covers what each sign category means, how to tell danger and warning signs apart, how sign size is determined, and how to choose the right material for the site the sign is going on.
Click through for our OH&S Signage and OH&S Printing solutions.
Related → Safety Sign Colours Explained | Workplace Safety Signs and Symbols
What Standard Governs OHS Signs in Australia?
Every safety sign used in an Australian workplace, mine site or construction site should comply with AS 1319-1994, Safety Signs for the Occupational Environment. The standard was reaffirmed in 2018 and remains the current, active reference, there is no newer edition to source instead of it.
AS 1319 sets out the colour, shape, layout and minimum size requirements for signs used to regulate behaviour, warn of hazards, and provide emergency and fire information. It does not mandate a specific material or sign size on its own, the correct size depends on where the sign is viewed from and how it is lit, which is covered further down.
Multi-site or international operators: if a site also needs to align with international pictograms, ISO 7010 is the relevant reference alongside AS 1319. Most Australian workplaces only need AS 1319 compliant signage.
The 4 Categories of OHS Safety Signs and What Each One Means
AS 1319 groups every safety sign into four categories. Two of those categories, regulatory and hazard, are further split into subtypes. Below is what each sign type means, in the exact language used in AS 1319 based safety inductions.
Regulatory Signs, Failure to Comply is an Offence or a Breach
Regulatory signs contain instructions where failing to comply is either an offence at law or a breach of workplace procedure.
Mandatory signs specify an instruction that must be carried out. Symbols are white on a blue circular background. Wording, where used, is black lettering on a white background. On a construction site, mandatory signs are almost always PPE related, hard hat, hi-vis vest, hearing protection, safety footwear.
Prohibition signs specify behaviour or actions which are not permitted. The annulus and slash is depicted in red over the action symbol in black. Wording, where used, is black lettering on a white background. Common examples are No Smoking and No Unauthorised Entry.
Limitation or restriction signs place a numerical or other defined limit on an activity or the use of a facility, plant or item, for example a maximum load or a speed limit within a work zone.
Hazard Signs, Advise of a Hazard Present
Hazard signs are split by severity, and this is the distinction most often mixed up on site.
Danger signs warn of a hazard or hazardous condition that is likely to be life threatening. The word DANGER appears in white letters on a red oval shape, set inside a black rectangle. Danger signs never carry a pictogram under AS 1319, the wording alone carries the message.
Warning signs warn of a hazard or hazardous condition that is not likely to be life threatening. They use a black pictogram inside a yellow triangle with a black border. This is the sign type used for a hazard that requires caution rather than an immediate life threatening risk.
Danger vs warning, the quick test: if ignoring the hazard could reasonably kill someone, it is a danger sign, red oval, no pictogram. If the hazard is real but not likely to be fatal, it is a warning sign, yellow triangle with a pictogram.
Emergency Information Signs, Advise of Emergency Facilities
These signs indicate the location of, or directions to, emergency related facilities such as first aid points, evacuation routes and assembly areas. They use a white symbol and/or text on a green background.
Fire Signs, Advise the Location of Fire Fighting Equipment
Fire signs advise the location of fire alarms and fire fighting equipment. They contain a white symbol and/or text on a red background. Fire signs are treated as their own category under AS 1319 rather than folded into hazard or emergency signs.
A fifth type worth knowing, notice signs: some safety inductions also reference notice signs, symbols or pictograms on a white background with black lettering, with the word Notice or Please sometimes featured inside a pale blue rectangle. These are not one of the four formal AS 1319 categories, they come from general facility signage conventions, but sites often use them for non-hazard housekeeping instructions alongside AS 1319 signage.
Quick Reference: Colour, Shape and Meaning by Sign Type
| Sign Type | Shape / Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory | White symbol, blue circle | An instruction that must be carried out |
| Prohibition | Black symbol, red annulus and slash, white background | An action or behaviour that is not permitted |
| Limitation or restriction | Red circular border, no crossbar, white background | A numerical or defined limit on an activity or facility |
| Danger | White DANGER text, red oval, black rectangle | Hazard likely to be life threatening, no pictogram |
| Warning | Black pictogram, yellow triangle, black border | Hazard not likely to be life threatening |
| Emergency information | White symbol/text, green background | Location of first aid, evacuation routes and assembly points |
| Fire | White symbol/text, red background | Location of fire alarms and fire fighting equipment |
Related → Safety Sign Colours Explained
Sizing an OHS Sign Correctly
Sign size is not a design preference, AS 1319 sets minimum sizes based on the environment, lighting and viewing distance. A sign that is technically compliant in colour and layout still fails its purpose if it cannot be read at the distance workers actually encounter it from.
What determines the correct size: the distance between the sign and where a person first enters the hazard area, the ambient lighting (natural or artificial), and whether the sign sits directly in the observer’s line of sight. Poor lighting or an oblique viewing angle both call for a larger sign than the minimum table suggests.
As a working rule, if a sign is not in a prominent, well lit position, increase the pictogram and text size well beyond the AS 1319 minimum rather than relying on the base figures.
Choosing the Right Material and Provider for Your Site
The right OHS sign is only as good as the material it is printed on. A sign that fades, cracks or delaminates within a year stops doing its job long before the workplace hazard it was warning about has gone away.
EXBO supplies OHS and statutory signage on colorbond metal, poly plastic and self-adhesive vinyl, along with aluminium and corflute for other applications. Every sign is finished with UV laminate or UV cured direct print ink as standard, which matters for anything mounted outdoors or on a mine site where sun exposure is constant.
For mine sites and heavy industrial applications specifically, class 1 (formerly class 2) high visibility vinyl is available across the full sign range, built for the harsher conditions those environments put signage through.
If a required sign is not in the standard range, our team can produce a custom sign to the correct AS 1319 layout and colour specification.
Related → Statutory Signs | Guide to Corflute Signs
Frequently Asked Questions
What do prohibition signs look like and what do they mean?
Prohibition signs specify behaviour or actions which are not permitted. The annulus and slash is depicted in red over the action symbol in black, on a white background. Common examples are No Smoking, No Unauthorised Entry and No Pedestrian Access.
What colour are mandatory signs and what do they mean?
Mandatory signs specify an instruction that must be carried out. Symbols are white on a blue circular background. These are the signs used for PPE requirements such as Hard Hat Must Be Worn or Eye Protection Required.
What is the difference between a danger sign and a warning sign?
Danger signs warn of a hazard likely to be life threatening. The word DANGER is shown in white letters on a red oval inside a black rectangle, with no pictogram. Warning signs warn of a hazard that is not likely to be life threatening, shown as a black pictogram inside a yellow triangle with a black border.
What do emergency information signs look like?
Emergency information signs advise the location of, or directions to, emergency related facilities, such as first aid points, evacuation routes and assembly areas. They use a white symbol and/or text on a green background.
What do fire signs indicate?
Fire signs advise the location of fire alarms and fire fighting equipment. They contain a white symbol and/or text on a red background, and are treated as a distinct category from emergency information signs under AS 1319.
Is there a notice sign category under AS 1319?
No. AS 1319 defines four formal categories, regulatory, hazard, emergency information and fire. Notice signs, a white background with black lettering and sometimes Notice or Please in a pale blue rectangle, come from broader facility signage conventions rather than AS 1319 itself, though many sites use them alongside compliant safety signage for non-hazard instructions.
What happens if a workplace is missing required OHS signs?
Under the model WHS Regulations, a PCBU has a duty to warn workers and visitors of workplace hazards, and compliant signage is one of the primary ways that duty is met. Missing or non-compliant signage can result in an Improvement Notice, a Prohibition Notice that stops work in the affected area, or penalties under the WHS Act. Requirements and penalty amounts vary by state and territory regulator, so check the current position with your local WHS regulator for specifics.
The Bottom Line
AS 1319-1994 gives every OHS sign in an Australian workplace a colour and shape that communicates its meaning before anyone reads the wording. Regulatory signs (mandatory, prohibition, limitation), hazard signs (danger, warning), emergency information signs and fire signs each have a fixed layout, and getting danger and warning signs mixed up is the single most common compliance slip.
Correct sizing and durable materials matter just as much as getting the colour and category right. A sign that cannot be read from where a worker first enters a hazard area, or that fades within a year outdoors, is not doing the job it was installed for.
Get Compliant Signage Sorted Properly
EXBO supplies OHS and statutory signage on colorbond metal, poly plastic, self-adhesive vinyl, aluminium and corflute, finished with UV laminate or UV cured print as standard. Send through your site requirements and we will confirm the correct AS 1319 sign type, size and material for your application.
EXBO — Supply Nation Certified | ISO 9001 Accredited | Serving Perth and Regional WA
Contact
Get In Touch
Top Products
