Material standards & conformance
This is a complex subject which has recently been the source of much confusion, mostly caused by the transition from old to new standards.
Old standards:
- BS 873 (Class 1 & Class 2)
For many years the UK worked to BS873 for both temporary and permanent signs;
The grades were Class 1 (High Intensity) and Class 2 (Engineering Grade). Class 1 was the higher spec. material of the two.
New standards:
- BS EN 12899-1: 2001 - Permanent traffic signs
On 1st Jan 2006 the UK aligned with Europe with a new standard: BS EN 12899-1: 2001. This refers to fixed, vertical road traffic signs (permanent), and is the first part of the standard which deals with the physical construction of the sign and materials.
Within BS EN 12899-1:2001, the Class of material description has changed. The properties of the material remain the same, just the names change. Therefore:
Class 2 becomes Class Ref 1
Class 1 becomes Class Ref 2 - this is now the higher spec. material - BS 8408 - Micro-prismatic standard
Standard specific to Micro-prismatic signs (HIP & DG3)
- BS 8442 - Temporary traffic signs
BS 8442 refers to temporary traffic signs, and uses the same material classes as BS EN 12899-1: 2001: Class Ref 1 & Class Ref 2
3M new materials:
There have also been changes with regard to 3M materials. These are a result of technology changes and not because of the above standards.
HIP (High Intensity Prismatic)is manufactured using microprismatic, not Glass Beaded technology. Since BS EN 12899-1:2001 specifically refers to Glass Beaded technology, we cannot now specify HIP to this standard.
However, HIP exceeds the performance levels of BS EN 12899-1:2001 Class Ref 2. HIP can be specified to BS 8408 instead, which relates to microprismatic technology.
We offer a Glass Beaded High Intensity material for customers requiring facings specified to 12899-1:2001 Class Ref 2.
Safety signs BS 5499-10:2006
Code of practice for the use of safety signs, including fire safety signs.
BS 5499-10:2006 improves public safety by providing guidance on the use of safety signs and fire safety signs and is intended to be applied in situations in which a formal risk assessment has established the need for safety signs.
BS 5499-10:2006 provides guidance on how to select, install, position and maintain safety signs conforming to BS 5499-1 and BS 5499-5, excluding escape route signs, to present specific safety information. It also satisfies the requirements of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and existing fire safety legislation.
This code of practice reflects best practice and shows how to use safety signs in a standardized manner to ensure consistent application throughout a particular environment or an entire organization.
BS5499 information was taken from the BSi website