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BS 5499
Escape Signage
BS 5499 is a British Standard series covering safety signs, including fire safety signs, escape route signage and fire safety notices.
For businesses, landlords, schools, public buildings, warehouses, industrial sites and commercial premises, clear fire safety signage is a vital part of helping people escape safely during an emergency.
Escape signage may seem simple, but it plays an important role in fire safety. In a real incident, people may be confused, visibility may be poor, alarms may be sounding and normal routes may be blocked. Clear, correctly positioned signs help guide occupants towards safe escape routes, final exits, assembly points and important fire safety information.
Download the Up to Date Regulation/Standard HERE:
What Is BS 5499?
BS 5499 provides guidance on the selection, positioning and use of safety signs and fire safety signs.
The part most closely linked to escape signage is BS 5499-4, which gives recommendations for escape route signs in buildings. BSI states that BS 5499-4 covers the selection and use of escape route signs conforming to BS EN ISO 7010, including the use of arrows and supplementary text where needed.
Another relevant part is BS 5499-10:2014+A1:2023, which gives guidance on safety signs and fire safety notices more generally, including how signs should be selected, installed, positioned and maintained.
In simple terms, BS 5499 helps answer questions such as:
- Are escape routes clearly marked?
- Are fire exit signs positioned where people need them?
- Are signs visible, understandable and consistent?
- Are fire action notices displayed in suitable locations?
- Are fire equipment signs easy to identify?
- Are signs maintained, clean and legible?
Why Escape Signage Matters
During a fire or emergency, people need simple, visible and reliable information.
Good escape signage helps people understand where to go, which doors to use, which routes lead to safety and where fire safety equipment or assembly points are located.
Poor signage can cause confusion, delay evacuation and increase risk, especially in larger, more complex or unfamiliar buildings.
This is particularly important in:
- Schools and public buildings
- Offices and commercial units
- Warehouses and industrial premises
- Retail spaces and hospitality venues
- Shared buildings and multi-tenant premises
- Buildings used by visitors, contractors or members of the public
- Premises with complex layouts or multiple escape routes
BS 5499 and Fire Safety Duties
Fire signage should support the wider fire safety strategy for the building. It should not be treated as decoration or an afterthought.
Under workplace safety expectations, signs should be clear, legible and used to identify fire exits, fire equipment, first-aid equipment, hazards and required actions. HSE guidance also warns against using too many signs where this may cause confusion.
That matters because signage needs to help people make quick decisions. If signs are missing, inconsistent, damaged, hidden or excessive, they may fail to do their job when they are needed most.
What BS 5499 Covers in Practice
What BS 5499 Covers in Practice:
- Rscape Route Signs
- Directional Arrows
- Fire Exit Signs
- Final Exit Signs
- Fire Action Notices
- Fire Extinguisher Location Signs
- Fire Door Signs
- Warning And Prohibition Signs
- Assembly Point Signage
- Supplementary Text
- Sign Visibility And Positioning
- Maintenance Of Fire Safety Signs
The aim is to make safety information clear, consistent and easy to understand.
Common Fire Signage Issues
Many buildings have fire safety signs in place, but that does not always mean the signage is effective.
Common problems include:
- Missing Fire Exit Signs
- Signs Pointing In Unclear Directions
- Old Or Inconsistent Sign Designs
- Fire Doors Without Suitable Signage
- Fire Extinguishers Not Clearly Identified
- Signs Hidden By Furniture, Stock Or Decorations
- Warning And Prohibition Signs
- Poor Visibility In Corridors Or Escape Routes
- Signs Placed Too High, Too Low Or In The Wrong Location
- Too Many Signs Creating Visual Clutter
- Damaged, Faded Or Outdated Signage
- Missing Fire Action Notices
These issues may seem minor, but they can become serious during an emergency.
Fire Exit Signs and Escape Routes
Escape route signs should help people move from their current location to a place of safety.
This may include signs above doors, directional signs along corridors, signs at changes of direction and signs at final exits.
In simple buildings, signage may be straightforward. In larger or more complex buildings, escape signage needs to be carefully considered so that people are not left guessing where to go.
The key point is that escape routes should be obvious, logical and clearly marked.
Fire Action Notices and Safety Information
Fire action notices are used to tell people what to do if they discover a fire or hear the fire alarm.
They often include information such as:
- Raise The Alarm
- Leave The Building By The Nearest Available Exit
- Do Not Use Lifts
- Go To The Assembly Point
- Call The Fire And Rescue Service
- Do Not Re-Enter The Building Until Told It Is Safe
These notices are particularly useful near alarm call points, exits, entrances, reception areas and staff areas.
How Westgate Fire Services Can Help
Westgate Fire Services can support businesses across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands with practical fire safety guidance, inspections and compliance support.
Where signage links to escape routes, fire doors, extinguishers, emergency lighting, alarm systems or wider fire risk assessment findings, Westgate can help identify what needs attention and advise on practical improvements.
This joined-up approach helps ensure fire safety signage works as part of the whole building safety strategy, not as a disconnected afterthought.
Key Takeaway
BS 5499 helps businesses understand how fire safety signs and escape route signage should be selected, positioned, maintained and used.
Clear signage saves time, reduces confusion and supports safe evacuation. In fire safety, simple things done properly often matter most.
BS 5499-4 provides guidance on escape route signs used to help people find safe routes out of a building.
BS 5499-10 covers safety signs and fire safety notices, including selection, installation, positioning and maintenance.
Fire safety signs should be easy to see, understand and follow during normal use and in an emergency.
Too many signs, poor placement or inconsistent signage can create confusion instead of improving safety.
Signage should be reviewed as part of the wider fire risk assessment and building fire strategy.
Good signage helps businesses improve evacuation safety, compliance evidence and day-to-day fire safety management.