Many buildings still have older green fire exit signs. Some look different from the signs now sold as BS EN ISO 7010 or ISO 7010 compliant. That raises a fair question: is the old signage a real problem, or is it just a different design?
The phrase “new standard for evacuation signs” usually points to this doubt. Modern escape route signs are expected to be clear, consistent and easy to understand without relying on text. But a change in standards does not automatically answer every case in an existing building. Buying new signs, assessing older signage, refurbishing a building and changing an escape route are all different situations.
Which standard applies to evacuation signs?
The main reference for modern safety signs is BS EN ISO 7010, based on the international ISO 7010 system of registered safety signs. For escape routes, this is usually read together with BS 5499-4, which gives practical guidance on escape route signing in buildings.
In plain terms, ISO 7010 gives the recognised safety symbols, colours and pictograms. BS 5499-4 helps with how escape route signs should be selected and used so that people can follow the route during an emergency. One deals mainly with the sign language. The other helps with the signing system in the building.
| Standard or document | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| BS EN ISO 7010 | Recognised safety sign symbols, including emergency exit and escape route pictograms |
| ISO 7010 | International system for safety signs using standard colours and graphical symbols |
| BS 5499-4 | Code of practice for escape route signing in buildings |
| Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations | Workplace requirement for safety signs where risks cannot be adequately controlled in another way |
| Fire risk assessment | The practical check that should confirm whether escape routes and signs are suitable for the building |
The easy mistake is to focus only on the standard number. The real question is whether the sign is correct for the place where it is installed. A compliant pictogram in the wrong position can still mislead people.
Do old fire exit signs have to be replaced?
Not always just because a newer standard is now used. But keeping old signs becomes hard to justify if they are damaged, faded, inconsistent, poorly lit, hidden from view or no longer match the escape route.
If a building still has older signs and they are clear, consistent and match the current fire strategy, the issue is usually one to review during the fire risk assessment, maintenance check or refurbishment planning. It is not normally sensible to panic and replace signs one by one without checking the route as a whole.
The problem grows when different sign styles are mixed in the same escape route. A person leaving a building under stress should not have to work out whether two different pictograms mean the same thing. Consistency matters more than many people think.
| Situation in the building | What to do |
|---|---|
| Older signs are clear, consistent and still match the escape route | Review them during the next fire risk assessment or signage audit |
| Signs are faded, damaged, hidden or poorly lit | Replace, reposition or improve illumination |
| Old and new sign styles are mixed on one escape route | Consider standardising the signage system |
| The layout of doors, corridors or exits has changed | Recheck the whole escape route before ordering signs |
| New signs are being purchased | Use signs based on BS EN ISO 7010 / ISO 7010 |
| The building has been refurbished or reconfigured | Check signage against the current fire risk assessment and escape plan |
Replacing an old plate with a new one is not enough on its own. The sign may have the right pictogram, but if it points the wrong way, sits behind a door or appears too late in the route, the problem remains.
What changed with ISO 7010-style escape signs?
Modern escape route signs are part of a wider safety sign system. The aim is simple: the message should be understood quickly, including by people who do not speak the local language or know older national sign designs.
The familiar green sign with the running person, door and directional arrow is designed to give a clear safe-condition message. Green means safety or escape. The pictogram shows the action. The arrow shows the direction. Used properly, the signs guide someone from where they are to a place of safety.
The design is only part of the job. A sign above a final exit does something different from a directional sign on a corridor. A sign before a turn does something different from a sign at the turn. Confusing these functions can cause more trouble than the age of the sign itself.
Escape route signage should be read as a system. It has to work from ordinary occupied areas, through corridors, stairs, doors and final exits. A single sign should not be assessed in isolation if the person following it is left guessing at the next junction.
Does the standard alone make the building compliant?
No. A sign described as ISO 7010 compliant can still be used badly. Compliance is not only about buying the right graphic. It is about placing the right sign in the right position, at the right size, with enough visibility and a clear route behind it.
For workplaces and public buildings, signs should support the fire risk assessment and the escape strategy. That means the person responsible for the building should check whether routes are obvious, whether final exits are clear, whether signs are visible in normal and emergency lighting conditions, and whether any changes to the building have made old signs misleading.
There is also a practical product issue. Cheap signs can look right in a catalogue but perform poorly on site. Size, viewing distance, luminance, durability, mounting surface and lighting conditions all affect whether the sign actually does its job.
Common mistakes with escape route signs
The biggest mistake is treating fire exit signage as a shopping list. Someone sees that a few signs are missing, orders similar plates and fixes them wherever there is space. No route check. No comparison with the fire plan. No question of whether the arrows lead people where they should go.
Common problems include:
- old signs left in place while new signs are added beside them;
- arrows pointing in the wrong direction or creating doubt at a junction;
- signs hidden by doors, shelving, decorations, notices or advertising;
- missing signs at changes of direction, staircases or split routes;
- signage that no longer matches the fire escape plan;
- a marked route that stops before the final exit;
- using a final exit sign where a directional escape route sign is needed;
- failing to review signs after refurbishment, new partitions or door changes.
In an evacuation, people do not check the standard number. They look at the sign and follow it. If the signage is inconsistent, late, hidden or wrong, the correct wording on the invoice will not fix the risk.
What to check before replacing escape signage
Before replacing signs, walk the route. Start where people actually work, shop, sleep, wait or gather. Then follow the route as a visitor would follow it, not as someone who already knows the building.
The main checks are:
- whether the existing signs are visible, clean and undamaged;
- whether the signs guide people with one clear logic from start to final exit;
- whether the signs match the current fire risk assessment and escape plan;
- whether any refurbishment, door change, partitioning or layout change has affected the route;
- whether signs are visible under the lighting conditions expected during an emergency;
- whether the sign size suits the viewing distance;
- whether the whole route is covered, not only a few obvious gaps;
- whether a competent person has checked the route for the type of building and use.
For a full replacement, it is better to plan the signage route first and order signs afterwards. Buying individual signs “by eye” often leaves the same old problem: a building with signs on the walls, but no clear escape signing system.
Summary
The newer approach to escape signs is mainly about using BS EN ISO 7010 / ISO 7010-style safety signs and applying them consistently across the escape route. Older signs do not automatically become unacceptable overnight just because the current standard has moved on. The building still has to be checked: sign condition, consistency, visibility, lighting, route layout and the current fire risk assessment. For new purchases, refurbishments and signage upgrades, there is little sense in going back to older designs. The better move is to tidy up the whole escape route system, not just swap a few plates on the wall.
