A warehouse with the wrong sign in the wrong language at the wrong height is decoration, not safety. Indian factories and warehouses need signs that match standard colours and shapes, survive heat and dust, and speak all three languages your workers read. This pillar guide covers sign categories, ISO 7010 pictograms and IS 9457 colours in plain words, placement logic, materials and the site-survey offer – linking to our Safety Signage Handbook and sign size calculator.
Our service: safety signage printing – catalogue, materials, site surveys.
Which safety sign categories does a factory need?
Five categories cover nearly every Indian factory and warehouse: mandatory signs (blue circles – wear helmet, goggles, gloves in this zone), prohibition signs (red circle-slash – no smoking, no entry, no phones), warning signs (yellow triangles – forklift movement, electrical hazard, hot surface), fire equipment signs (red squares – extinguisher, hose reel, alarm point), and emergency signs (green rectangles – exits, assembly points, first aid). Audit zone by zone with this five-list; most gaps cluster at fire points and exits, not machinery.
What do ISO 7010 and IS 9457 actually require?
ISO 7010 standardises pictograms so a forklift symbol reads the same to every worker regardless of language – always use standard symbols, never clip-art inventions. IS 9457 governs safety colours in India – red, yellow, blue, green with defined meanings and contrast rules. Our Safety Signage Handbook explains both with visual charts. The practical rule: buy standard-spec signs from a printer who knows both codes; custom jokes-on-a-board signs fail audits and confuse new hires.
Where should signs be placed?
At the decision point, not the office wall: eye-level on the approach path, before the hazard (not after), repeated after every turn in escape routes, and at every fire-equipment location with visibility from 10 metres minimum. Emergency and exit signs need illumination or photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) material for power cuts – see fire exit guide. Our site-survey offer covers this: we walk your site and list every sign with position, size and material.
Which materials survive Indian industrial conditions?
Rigid PVC/sunboard for indoor dry zones, aluminium composite (ACP) for outdoors and washdown areas, reflective sheeting for low-light yards and night visibility, and photoluminescent boards for escape routes. Heat, chemical splash, forklift impact and pressure-washing decide the material more than price does – a faded sign is a failed audit finding. Size follows viewing distance: size and distance guide with calculator.
What about Telugu, Hindi and English wording?
Telangana shopfloors typically need trilingual text under standard pictograms – Telugu first for contract labour comprehension, Hindi for migrant workers, English for auditors and management. Full guidance: bilingual signs in Telangana.
FAQs
How many signs does a small warehouse need? A walkthrough decides, but budget 20 to 50 standard signs for a small unit covering fire points, exits, electrical panels, racking and PPE zones – plus custom boards for site-specific hazards.
Can we buy standard signs online from the shop? Yes – standard mandatory, warning, prohibition, fire and emergency signs can be shop-listed; custom sizes and trilingual boards are quoted per site.
Do you do site surveys? Yes in Hyderabad – contact us with your address and floor size for a walkthrough quote.
Last updated: 20 September 2026. Standards references: ISO 7010 pictograms, IS 9457 safety colours – verify current editions for audit use.