Symbol Standardization Moves Forward at Spring 2024 ISO Meetings

In a world that’s growing more interconnected and globalized all the time, clear and effective communication is more important than ever. Whether it's navigating through an airport, understanding everyday safety instructions, or operating heavy machinery, standardized symbols play a crucial role in ensuring that messages are understood. This is where the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee 145 (ISO/TC 145) comes into play. Here at Clarion Safety, we’re proud to be part of the important work of this committee in advancing symbol standardization – including participating in the latest ISO/TC 145 meetings in Delft, Netherlands earlier this spring.

Understanding ISO/TC 145
To develop safety label and sign systems that communicate effectively, using consistent, best practice graphical symbols is key. ISO/TC 145 is the only international committee responsible for the standardization of the symbols used on safety labels and safety signs, like those indicating arc flash hazards or that PPE should be used to avoid certain hazards.

ISO/TC 145’s subcommittee 2, which focuses on safety identification, signs, shapes, symbols and colors, holds regular working group 1 (WG 1) meetings. The main task of WG 1 is the registration of standardized safety symbols to visually convey the nature of hazards and how to avoid them.

How Clarion Safety is Involved in the Symbol Standardization Process
Clarion Safety has a longstanding history of safety standards leadership within the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), domestically, and ISO, internationally.

Currently, Angela Lambert, Clarion Safety’s Director of Standards Compliance – who is also chair of the ANSI Z535.1 subcommittee, delegate representative to the ANSI Z535 committee, and delegate representative to ANSI for the ISO/TC 145 SC2 WG 1 committee – leads these efforts. Angela is a regular contributor to ISO/TC 145’s discussions to advance standardized symbols and was a part of the latest WG 1 meetings.

“It’s exciting and extremely rewarding to come together with my colleagues across all different industries and countries, to be part of these efforts that will help to shape safety communication, eventually affecting people’s daily lives, all around the globe,” Angela says.

The Current Symbol Standardization Agenda
What’s currently on the agenda for ISO/TC 145 SC2 WG 1?

At the latest committee meetings held in June 2024 in Delft, Netherlands, these were a few key topics most relevant to our OEM and workplace safety clients:

• ISO/TS 20559 Graphical Symbols – Safety colours and safety signs – Code of practice for use of safety signs: Discussions are underway on this ‘TS’ (technical specification) for designing and installing safety sign, centering around whether or not it moves forward to become an International Standard.
• ISO 7010 standard: A review process will be undertaken soon for the ISO 7010 standard, the library of safety symbols standardized by ISO. Once finished, the standard will be republished.
• Symbol discussions: New symbol proposals were discussed, making their way through the working group’s processes. Several new symbols are expected to be published shortly through an amendment, meaning that they’ll be available in the ISO 7010 library and ready for official use.
• Restricted Access symbol: this symbol is receiving an update and the new, standardized version is expected to be available shortly through an amendment.

Your Industry Standards and Safety Insider
Rest assured that, we’ll continue to keep you up-to-date on the latest safety communication updates that may impact your products or workplaces. Make sure that you’re signed up to receive our newsletters to receive the latest insight right to your inbox. Keep in mind that you can also reach out to our team at any time to talk about best practices for your signs or labels – or schedule a free safety label consultation. 

• Standards Insider