Directive 92/58/EEC

Annex I, General Minimum Requirements Concerning Safety And/Or Health Signs At Work, lays out the types of signs, the colors used on signs, and the implementation/installation of signs.[1]

Annex II, Minimum General Requirements Concerning Signboards, spells out the designs of symbols used in the directive. While specific symbol designs are provided, pictograms are permitted to vary so long as the variation in design does not reduce the symbol's effectiveness at conveying its meaning.[1]

The directive contains five categories of signs, as shown below:[1]

• 
  No smoking
• 
  Smoking and naked flames forbidden
• 
  No access for pedestrians
• 
  Do not extinguish with water
• 
  Not drinkable
• 
  No access for unauthorized persons
• 
  No access for industrial trucks
• 
  Do not touch

• 
  Flammable material or high temperature
• 
  Explosive material
• 
  Toxic material
• 
  Corrosive material
• 
  Radioactive material
• 
  Overhead load
• 
  Industrial vehicles
• 
  Danger: electricity
• 
  General danger
• 
  Laser beam
• 
  Oxidant material
• 
  Non-ionizing radiation
• 
  Strong magnetic field
• 
  Obstacles
• 
  Drop
• 
  Biological risk
• 
  Low temperature
• 
  Harmful or irritant material
  (Withdrawn 2014)[3]

• 
  Eye protection must be worn
• 
  Safety helmet must be worn
• 
  Ear protection must be worn
• 
  Respiratory equipment must be worn
• 
  Safety boots must be worn
• 
  Safety gloves must be worn
• 
  Safety overalls must be worn
• 
  Face protection must be worn
• 
  Safety harness must be worn
• 
  Pedestrians must use this route
• 
  General mandatory sign (to be accompanied where necessary by another sign)

• 
  Emergency exit/escape route
• 
  Emergency exit/escape route
• 
  Emergency exit/escape route
• 
  Emergency exit/escape route
• 
  Emergency exit/escape route
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)
• 
  First-aid post
• 
  Stretcher
• 
  Safety shower
• 
  Eyewash
• 
  Emergency telephone for first-aid or escape

• 
  Fire hose
• 
  Ladder
• 
  Fire extinguisher
• 
  Emergency fire telephone
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)
• 
  This way (supplementary information sign)

Annex III, Minimum Requirements Governing Signs on Containers and Pipes', lays out specific requirements for labeling of pieping systems and storage containers containing dangerous substances defined by Directives 67/548 and 88/379.

Annex IV, Minimum Requirements for the identification and location of fire-fighting equipment, is specific to fire-fighting equipment, specifying that red should be used to mark the equipment and its storage location, to supplement the fire-fighting signage provided in Annex III.

Black and yellow hazard stripes defined by Annex V.

Annex V, Minimum Requirements Governing Signs Used For Obstacles and Dangerous Locations, and Marking Traffic Routes, lays out the use of colored stripes for marking obstacles and identifying of traffic routes in work places.[1]

Annex VI, Minimum Requirements for Illuminated Signs, sets standards for the use of illuminated signage, the incorporation of colors and pictograms, as defined in Annex I and II and usage with acoustic signals.[1]

Annex VII, Minimum requirements for Acoustic Signs, sets requirements for sound signals, such as horns, sirens, alarm bells.[1]

Annex VIII, Minimum requirements for Verbal Communication, sets requirements for communications using words, and defines specific code words.[1]

Annex IX, Minimum Requirements for Hand Signals, describes specific hand signals and the requirements of a "signalman", the person giving the hand signs.[1]

Meaning	Description	Illustration
A. General Signals
Start. Attention. Start of command.	Both arms extended horizontally with the palms facing forward.
Stop. Interruption. End of movement.	The right arm points upward with the palm facing forwards.
End of the operation.	Both hands are clasped at chest height.
B. Vertical Movements
Raise	The right arm points skywards with the palm facing forward and slowly makes a circle.
Lower	The right arm points downwards with the palm facing inwards and slowly makes a circle.
Vertical Distance	The hands indicate the relevant distance.
C. Horizontal Movements
Move forwards.	Both arms are bent with the palms facing upwards, and the forearms make slow movements towards the body.
Move backwards.	Both arms are bent with the palms facing downwards, and the forearms make slow movements away from the body.
Right to the signalman.	The right arm is extended more or less horizontally with the palm facing downwards and slowly makes small movements to the right.
Left to the signalman.	The left arm is extended more or less horizontally with the palm facing downwards and slowly makes small movements to the left.
Horizontal Distance	The hands indicate the relevant distance
D. Danger
Danger. Emergency stop.	Both arms point upwards with the palms facing forwards.
Quick	Make all movements faster	—
Slow	Make all movements slower	—