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A pictogram works without text, without translation and without training. That is the whole point of the ISO 7010 standard: one unique signal per risk, identical from Lille to Lisbon. Three questions remain for any safety manager placing an order. Which code matches which hazard? Is the standard compulsory? And are my existing signs still valid? This guide answers each one, code by code, alongside our overview of safety signs and what you need to know.
Key points
- →The ISO 7010 standard is not compulsory in France. It grants a presumption of conformity with the order of 4 November 1993.
- →Signs installed before 1 January 2014 remain valid, with no expiry date.
- →Five families, five prefixes: W for warning, M for mandatory action, P for prohibition, E for safe condition, F for fire equipment.
- →The edition in force is NF EN ISO 7010 of July 2020, with 11 ISO amendments published up to March 2026.
- →Sign size is calculated: the dimension must exceed the reading distance divided by 60.
- →Material is chosen on exposure, not on price: vinyl indoors, aluminium composite outdoors, photoluminescent on escape routes.
This guide covers each point, code by code.
What is the ISO 7010 standard?
The ISO 7010 standard is an international register of safety signs. It assigns each hazard a unique pictogram, an alphanumeric code and a mandatory geometric shape. Published by the International Organization for Standardization, adopted in Europe as EN ISO 7010 and in France as NF EN ISO 7010, it now holds more than 320 registered signs.
What is EN ISO 7010 for?
It removes interpretation. Before EN ISO 7010, the same hazard could be drawn ten different ways depending on the country, the manufacturer or the year of purchase. The standard fixes one drawing per risk and gives it a stable identifier: W012 means electrical hazard, everywhere, and nothing else.
Three concrete benefits for an industrial or commercial site:
- →Temporary staff, contractors and foreign visitors read the signal instantly.
- →Purchasing gets simpler: you order a code, not a description.
- →Compliance checks become verifiable, code by code.
Who does EN ISO 7010 apply to?
It applies to any premises hosting workers or the public. Manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, schools, public bodies, retail and offices: as soon as a risk remains after collective prevention measures, it must be signposted. Machine builders use it too, notably code 7010 M002, which points the operator to the instruction manual.
Is the ISO 7010 standard compulsory in France?
No. ISO 7010 is voluntary. What is compulsory is the regulatory outcome: article R.4224-24 of the French Labour Code requires health and safety signage to meet characteristics set by ministerial order. That order, dated 4 November 1993, transposes Directive 92/58/EEC and fixes shapes, colours and proportions.
The link between the two lies in Annex II to that order, as amended by the order of 2 August 2013:
"signs installed up to 1 January 2014 in accordance with standard NF X 08-003 [...] and those installed after 1 January 2014 in accordance with standard NF EN ISO 7010, April 2013 version, are presumed to comply with the regulations"
Annex II to the order of 4 November 1993, as amended by the order of 2 August 2013, reproduced by INRS in booklet ED 6293, 2017.
In other words, the standard grants a presumption of conformity. You are not obliged to follow it, but following it puts you on the right side during an inspection. It is the safest route, and by far the simplest.
SBE note: many sites state that ISO 7010 has been "compulsory since 2013". That is inaccurate. The obligation applies to signalling the risk, not to the standard itself. The distinction matters: it decides whether you have to replace your existing estate or not.
ISO 7010 or ISO 3864: what is the difference?
ISO 3864 sets the rules, ISO 7010 sets the drawings. The ISO 3864 series defines safety colours, geometric shapes, proportions and sizing rules. ISO 7010 applies those rules and registers each pictogram with its code. The two are read together: you cannot size an ISO 7010 sign without Annex A of ISO 3864-1.
Editions of the standard: 2011, 2019, 2020 and amendments
The edition in force in France is NF EN ISO 7010, July 2020, which adopts EN ISO 7010:2020, itself identical to ISO 7010:2019. A series of amendments has since added new pictograms without altering the existing ones.
Status of the standard as at 11 September 2026
- →International edition in force: ISO 7010:2019, 3rd edition, published 30 July 2019.
- →European and French version: EN ISO 7010:2020, adopted as NF EN ISO 7010, July 2020.
- →ISO amendments published to date: 11, from Amd 1:2020 to Amd 11:2026 (published 9 March 2026).
- →French amendments attached: NF EN ISO 7010/A1 of November 2020 through /A8 of March 2025.
- →Revision under way: draft ISO/DIS 7010, 4th edition, closed its vote on 13 August 2026. No publication date has been announced.
Sources: ISO 7010:2019 and ISO/DIS 7010 records, iso.org, consulted September 2026; AFNOR catalogue, NF EN ISO 7010.
ISO 7010:2011, the original baseline
Published in June 2011, the second edition cancels and replaces ISO 7010:2003 and ISO 6309:1987, consolidating eight amendments issued between 2006 and 2011. It registers 114 signs across five families. ISO 7010 2011 remains the reference quoted on many older data sheets, but it was withdrawn on 30 July 2019.
What the 2019 edition changes
ISO 7010 2019 incorporates amendments 1 to 9 of the previous edition and absorbs ISO 20712-1:2008 on water safety signs, which ceases to exist as a separate standard. The document grows from 124 to 298 pages. No existing pictogram changes: the update is additive.
EN ISO 7010:2020, the edition in force
EN ISO 7010 2020 was approved by CEN on 25 March 2020 and published on 15 July 2020. It supersedes EN ISO 7010:2012 and its seven amendments. In France, NF EN ISO 7010 of July 2020 runs to 312 pages. This is the reference your specifications and tenders should quote.
Are my existing signs still compliant?
Yes, if they were installed before 1 January 2014 under NF X 08-003. The order of 2 August 2013 maintains their presumption of conformity with no expiry date. No regulation requires systematic removal.
Two caveats. A faded, peeling or unreadable sign no longer performs its function, and the employer's general duty of care applies regardless of the standard. And a mixed estate, where two generations of pictograms coexist for the same hazard, weakens the message. In that case harmonisation is justified by effectiveness, not by legal obligation.
How to read an ISO 7010 code: prefixes, shapes and colours
An ISO 7010 code is one letter and three digits. The letter gives the function of the sign and dictates its shape and colour. The three digits identify the pictogram within its family. W012 therefore reads: warning, yellow triangle, electrical hazard.
| Prefix | Family | Shape | Safety colour | Minimum colour area | Message |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Warning | Equilateral triangle, rounded corners | Yellow, black border and symbol | 50% | Caution, hazard present |
| M | Mandatory action | Disc | Blue, white symbol | 50% | Action required |
| P | Prohibition | Disc with diagonal bar | Red on white, black symbol | 35% | Behaviour forbidden |
| E | Safe condition | Square or rectangle | Green, white symbol | 50% | Escape route, exit, first aid |
| F | Fire equipment | Square or rectangle | Red, white symbol | 50% | Location of firefighting equipment |
Worth knowing: the 50% figures come from ISO 3864-1:2011. The 35% of red on prohibition signs comes from Annex II to the French order of 4 November 1993, so from regulation, not from ISO. The two are widely confused online.
W pictograms: warning (yellow triangle)
W pictograms flag an existing hazard. Yellow triangle with black border, they call for vigilance rather than a specific action. The family now holds more than 85 signs. You will find them in our range of warning and hazard signs in yellow, available in ten materials.
W001: general warning
Code ISO 7010 W001 is a black exclamation mark on a yellow triangle. It flags a risk for which no registered pictogram exists. One rule governs its use: it is never posted alone. It must carry a supplementary text plate naming the hazard, otherwise the message carries no content.
W012: electrical hazard
Code ISO 7010 W012 is a lightning bolt pointing downwards. It flags a risk of electric shock: cabinets, switchgear, main distribution boards, plant rooms, live working areas. It is the most widely posted warning pictogram in industry. Our high voltage danger sign comes in ten materials including a photoluminescent version.
W017: hot surface
Code ISO 7010 W017 shows a hand above a surface radiating heat. It flags a contact burn risk: steam lines, ovens, heat exchangers, moulds, hot water plant. It is posted as close as possible to the surface concerned, at eye level.
The other warning pictograms
| Code | Official meaning | Pictogram | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 7010 W004 | Warning: laser beam | Beam emitted towards a point | Cutting shops, metrology, laboratories, telecoms |
| ISO 7010 W006 | Warning: magnetic field | Horseshoe magnet with field lines | MRI, anti-theft gates, electromagnets, test benches |
| ISO 7010 W008 | Warning: drop (fall) | Figure toppling from an edge | Loading docks, hoppers, roofs, pits |
| ISO 7010 W009 | Warning: biological hazard | Three-crescent biohazard symbol | Laboratories, healthcare, waste treatment, water works |
| ISO 7010 W021 | Warning: flammable material | Flame | Solvent and paint stores, gas, boiler rooms |
| ISO 7010 W024 | Warning: crushing of hands | Hand between two closing surfaces | Presses, conveyors, automatic doors, skips |
For the full regulatory background to this family, see our guide to danger signs in the workplace.
M pictograms: mandatory action (blue disc)
M pictograms require an action. Blue disc with a white symbol, they set out the behaviour to adopt before entering an area or operating equipment. The family exceeds 70 registered signs. Our range of mandatory information signs in blue covers personal protective equipment and access instructions.
M002: refer to the instruction manual
Code 7010 M002 shows a hand holding an open booklet. It means: read the instruction manual before use. It is the pictogram most used by machine builders, applied directly to the equipment or to its rating plate. Its presence commits the operator to keeping the manual available at the workstation.
The other mandatory pictograms
| Code | Official meaning | Pictogram | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 7010 M001 | General mandatory action | Plain blue disc, no symbol | Paired with a text plate, like W001 |
| ISO 7010 M003 | Wear ear protection | Head in profile wearing ear defenders | Areas above 85 dB(A): compressors, presses, machine shops |
| ISO 7010 M009 | Wear protective gloves | Pair of gloves | Handling sharp, hot or chemically aggressive parts |
Two common references from this family: the mandatory head protection sign and the mandatory eye protection sign.
P pictograms: prohibition (red crossed disc)
P pictograms forbid a behaviour. White disc with a red ring and a diagonal bar, black symbol at the centre. The bar runs over the symbol, never behind it: a simple way to spot a non-compliant sign. Our range of prohibition and warning signs in red covers the most requested references.
| Code | Meaning | Pictogram | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 7010 P001 | General prohibition | Crossed red circle, no symbol | Paired with a text plate stating the prohibition |
| ISO 7010 P007 | No access for people with active implanted cardiac devices | Figure with pacemaker, crossed out | MRI surroundings, magnetic gates, HF welding stations |
| ISO 7010 P015 | Do not reach in | Hand entering an opening, crossed out | Rollers, hoppers, machine apertures |
| ISO 7010 P018 | Do not sit | Seated figure, crossed out | Handrails, crates, equipment not rated to carry a load |
| ISO 7010 P019 | Do not step on surface | Foot on a surface, crossed out | Fragile roofs, translucent panels, machine covers |
| ISO 7010 P026 | Do not use this device in a bathtub, shower or water-filled reservoir | Electrical device above a bath, crossed out | Marking of portable electrical appliances |
The no access to public prohibition sign covers the most frequent industrial use case, restricting access to hazardous areas.
E pictograms: escape and first aid (green square)
E pictograms indicate a safe condition. Green square with a white symbol, they locate exits, escape routes, assembly points and first aid equipment. They are the only signals that must stay readable in the dark, which is why photoluminescent materials are standard practice. Our range of evacuation signs in green covers every escape direction.
| Code | Official meaning | Pictogram | Installation rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 7010 E001 | Emergency exit, left hand | Figure running left through an opening | Above or beside the exit, with a directional arrow where the route is not visible |
| ISO 7010 E003 | First aid | White cross on green | On the first aid room or cabinet, visible from the corridor |
Worth noting: codes E005 and E006, the former directional arrows, have been withdrawn from the standard. Arrows are now used as a supplementary element of the sign, not as a standalone signal. The emergency exit sign with pictogram and right door arrow illustrates this combination, in nine materials and three formats up to 1200 x 300 mm.
F pictograms: firefighting equipment (red square)
F pictograms locate firefighting equipment. Red square with a white symbol, they signal neither hazard nor prohibition: they show where to find the means to intervene. The family holds around twenty signs. Our range of fire control signs in red covers extinguishers, hose reels, dry risers and fire classes.
F001: fire extinguisher
Code ISO 7010 F001 shows an extinguisher in action with a flame. It is posted above each unit, at a height that stays visible from the far end of the room, including where racking or machinery blocks the line of sight to the floor. An F001 sign mounted too low serves no purpose: it is the most common non-conformity recorded during fire safety inspections.
See our fire extinguisher pictogram sign, which combines location and direction, in ten materials including a photoluminescent version.
What size of sign for what reading distance?
Sign size is calculated, not estimated. Annex A of ISO 3864-1:2011 gives the formula: the sign dimension must be greater than or equal to the observation distance divided by a distance factor z. For normal lighting and a pictogram whose recognition rate is unknown, the standard sets z at 60.
The dimension concerned is that of the whole sign: the diameter for families P and M, the height of the triangle for family W, the side of the square for families E and F.
| Reading distance | Minimum dimension (normal lighting, z = 60) | Recommended commercial format | Low lighting (z = 30) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 m | 84 mm | 100 mm | 167 mm |
| 10 m | 167 mm | 200 mm | 334 mm |
| 15 m | 250 mm | 250 to 300 mm | 500 mm |
| 20 m | 334 mm | 350 to 400 mm | 667 mm |
| 25 m | 417 mm | 450 to 500 mm | 834 mm |
| 30 m | 500 mm | 500 mm | 1000 mm |
The standard provides two corrections. Viewing at an angle reduces the factor: at 45 degrees, multiply z by 0.71, so enlarge the sign by a third. Low illuminance, typical of emergency lighting, halves z.
Common mistake to avoid: many sites quote a z factor of 100 under normal lighting and 200 for backlit signs. Those values exist, but they apply only to externally illuminated or backlit emergency exit signs, covered by tables A.1 and A.2 of ISO 3864-1. Applied to a standard warning sign, they lead to ordering a sign half the size it should be.
Self-adhesive, rigid or engraved: choosing the right ISO 7010 material
The pictogram sets the message, the material sets its service life. Self-adhesive vinyl on an outdoor beam will not last three winters, whereas 3 mm aluminium composite will last ten years. Three criteria decide: the mounting surface, the exposure and the expected lifespan.
| Environment | Recommended material | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor, smooth wall, low traffic | Self-adhesive vinyl 0.25 mm | Immediate installation, lowest cost, repositionable on a clean surface |
| Indoor workshop, forklift traffic | PVC 1 to 1.5 mm | Rigid, washable, resists light impact and splashing |
| Outdoor, facade, loading dock | Aluminium composite 3 mm | Will not warp, resists UV and frost, drilled fixing |
| Wet areas, food industry, pressure washing | PVC or aluminium composite, screen printed | Screen printing survives where a printed film peels away |
| Chemical contact, laboratory, treatment plant | Acrylic or laminated PVC | Closed surface, cleanable with common solvents |
| Escape route | Photoluminescent 1 mm | Stays readable after power loss, suits way guidance systems |
| Frequently reorganised areas | Magnetic | Repositionable without tools on steel structures |
Outdoor, damp and chemical exposure: durability requirements
Standard EN ISO 17398 classifies the durability of safety signs by exposure environment, distinguishing indoor, outdoor and aggressive conditions, and attaching an expected service life to each. Always ask your supplier for this figure: a sign that is ISO 7010 compliant but unreadable after eighteen months protects nobody.
SBE field note: on the signage upgrade projects we support, the sticking point is almost never the choice of pictogram. It is the inventory of the existing estate. Starting with a zone-by-zone survey of the signs already in place saves more time than any debate about materials.
Where to buy ISO 7010 compliant signs?
A compliant sign shows three things: the ISO 7010 code on the product sheet, the shape and colour required by ISO 3864-1, and a material suited to the installation environment. A supplier who does not quote the pictogram code leaves the verification work to you.
SBE Direct has manufactured and supplied safety signs since 1992, serving 16,000 customers including public bodies, industrial groups and healthcare organisations. Five categories cover every family: warning and hazard signs in yellow, mandatory information signs in blue, prohibition and warning signs in red, evacuation signs in green and fire control signs in red.
What this changes for your project:
- →Ten materials per reference, from self-adhesive vinyl to 3 mm aluminium composite, including photoluminescent.
- →Standard formats from 100 mm to 1200 x 300 mm, with custom sizes on request.
- →Free samples so you can check legibility before ordering the full run.
- →A quotation within 4 hours, including multi-site requests.
- →Volume discounts of up to 70%.
- →More than 80% of the range made in France, dispatched within 24 to 48 hours.
Marking is screen printed rather than applied as a printed film, which is what allows the pictogram to survive pressure washing and solvents. Every sign carries a 14-day exchange or refund guarantee.
How to roll out ISO 7010 signage across a company
An ISO 7010 rollout follows six steps: map the risks, translate each risk into a code, calculate the size from the reading distance, choose the material to match exposure, install within the field of view, then inspect periodically. Sequence matters. Ordering before mapping always produces signs nobody uses.
- →Start from the risk assessment. Your risk register already lists hazards by work unit. That is the starting point, not a supplier catalogue.
- →Translate each risk into a code. One risk, one pictogram. Where no code matches, use the general sign of the relevant family, W001, M001 or P001, with a supplementary text plate naming the hazard precisely.
- →Measure reading distance zone by zone. Record the distance from which an operator must see the signal, then apply the ISO 3864-1 formula. A single plant often mixes 100 mm signs in corridors with 400 mm signs in a storage hall.
- →Choose the material to match exposure. Dry indoor areas, workshops, outdoors, wash-down zones, escape routes: each context has its material. One material across a whole site means overpaying on part of the estate and under-equipping the rest.
- →Install within the field of view. As close as possible to the hazard or equipment, never behind an open door, never hidden by racking or machinery. On escape routes, the next sign must stay visible from the previous one.
- →Inspect and record. Add signage checks to your existing safety rounds, and keep a list of signs by zone. An estate nobody has surveyed is an estate nobody updates.
One point is often overlooked: train your teams on the new pictograms during an upgrade. A standardised signal is still a learned signal. The ISO 7010 standard removes ambiguity from the drawing, not the need to explain what it asks of the operator.
Updated September 2026.
Frequently asked questions about ISO 7010
What is the ISO EN 7010 standard?▾
EN ISO 7010 is the European version of ISO 7010. It registers safety pictograms, their codes and their shapes, so that the same hazard is signalled identically across the European Union. The edition in force is EN ISO 7010:2020, adopted in France as NF EN ISO 7010 of July 2020, together with amendments A1 of 2020 through A8 of 2025. It is applied alongside ISO 3864-1, which sets colours, shapes and sizing.
What does the ISO EN 7010 standard say about hazard pictograms?▾
Hazard pictograms belong to the W family, for warning. They take the form of an equilateral triangle with rounded corners, yellow background, black border and black symbol, with yellow covering at least 50% of the area. The most widely posted codes are W001 for a general warning, W012 for electrical hazard and W017 for hot surfaces. The family now holds more than 85 registered signs. Do not confuse them with CLP chemical pictograms, which are red diamonds.
What does NF EN ISO 7010 require for fire signage?▾
Fire signage belongs to the F family: red square, white symbol, red covering at least 50% of the area. Code F001 designates the fire extinguisher, and the family also covers hose reels, dry risers and call points. These signs locate a means of intervention: they are posted above the equipment, at a height visible from anywhere in the room. They differ from escape signs, which are green and belong to family E.
Do I have to replace my old safety signs?▾
No, not on account of the standard. Signs installed up to 1 January 2014 under NF X 08-003 keep their presumption of conformity, with no expiry date. Replacement is required in two cases only: when the sign has degraded to the point of being unreadable, and when two generations of pictograms for the same hazard coexist and weaken comprehension. In both cases the decision rests on prevention effectiveness.
How many pictograms does ISO 7010 contain?▾
More than 320 pictograms are registered to date across all families. The figure moves with each amendment: ISO 7010:2011 held 114, the 2019 edition absorbed nine amendments, and eleven further amendments were published between 2020 and March 2026. ISO publishes no official total, as the standard is a living register. For a specific requirement, the reliable reference remains the ISO online browsing platform.
What are the penalties for non-compliant signage?▾
Missing or inadequate signage constitutes a breach of the employer's health and safety duties. The labour inspectorate can issue a formal notice, and the breach carries a fine. Following an accident, a signage failure weighs heavily in establishing inexcusable fault, with financial consequences far greater than the fine itself. Prevention always costs less than litigation.
You have your list of codes. All that is left is to order.
All five ISO 7010 pictogram families are grouped in our building signage catalogue: ten materials per reference, free samples, quotation within 4 hours.