Authorised Personnel Only Signs: Where Should They Be Displayed?

Some areas of a workplace need to be accessible to employees, engineers or contractors – but not to everyone.

An Authorised Personnel Only sign provides a clear way to tell employees, visitors and members of the public that they shouldn't enter an area unless they have the appropriate permission.

But where should these signs be displayed? When should you choose Authorised Personnel Only instead of No Entry or Staff Only? And what should you consider when choosing the size and material?

Here's a practical guide for UK workplaces.

What Does Authorised Personnel Only Mean?

Authorised Personnel Only means that access to an area is restricted to people who have been given permission to enter.

Exactly who counts as “authorised” will depend on the workplace.

It could include:

• Trained employees

• Maintenance engineers

• Machinery operators

• Contractors

• Supervisors

• Technicians

• Site personnel

• Other specifically approved people

The important distinction is that the area isn't necessarily closed to everybody.

Some people are permitted to enter , but access is controlled.

Where Should Authorised Personnel Only Signs Be Displayed?

Authorised Personnel Only signs should be positioned at the point where the access restriction begins, so people can understand the instruction before entering.

Depending on the workplace, this could include doors, gates, barriers, fences or entrances to particular operational areas.

Here are some common examples.

1. Plant Rooms

Plant rooms can contain boilers, pumps, electrical equipment, mechanical systems and other equipment that should not be approached or operated by unauthorised people.

An Authorised Personnel Only sign positioned at the entrance can make the access restriction clear before somebody enters.

Depending on the hazards present, other safety signs may also be required.

2. Electrical Rooms

Electrical switch rooms, substations and other electrical areas may require tightly controlled access.

An Authorised Personnel Only sign can help identify the area as restricted, while appropriate hazard signage can communicate specific electrical dangers.

The two messages perform different jobs:

Authorised Personnel Only controls who should enter.

Danger Electricity or another appropriate warning sign identifies the hazard.

3. Machinery Areas

Some machinery areas should only be accessed by people who have the necessary training, experience or permission.

This can include production machinery, automated equipment and other operational areas.

Access restrictions can help prevent employees, visitors or contractors from unintentionally entering locations where they don't need to be.

4. Warehouses

Warehouses often combine pedestrians, workplace vehicles, storage systems, loading activities and operational equipment.

Not every part of the warehouse necessarily needs to be accessible to everybody.

Authorised Personnel Only signs may be useful at entrances to:

• Plant areas

• Machinery zones

• Loading areas

• Maintenance areas

• Restricted storage areas

• Equipment rooms

• Operational zones

The wording should reflect the actual access arrangements at the premises.

5. Factories & Manufacturing Areas

Manufacturing premises can contain production lines, automated machinery, hazardous processes and specialist equipment.

Certain areas may therefore be restricted to employees who are trained or authorised to enter.

Displaying the appropriate access sign at the entrance can reinforce the restriction before somebody enters the operational area.

6. Construction Sites

Construction sites can change rapidly as work progresses.

Excavations, machinery, temporary electrical installations, vehicle movements and work at height are just some of the activities that may make unrestricted access inappropriate.

Authorised Personnel Only or No Unauthorised Access signs can form part of the measures used to control access to a site or particular work area.

They may be displayed on:

• Site gates

• Hoarding

• Temporary fencing

• Barriers

• Restricted work zones

• Plant areas

• Site compounds

Where members of the public could approach from several directions, consider whether the restriction is clear at every reasonably foreseeable approach.

7. Maintenance Areas

Maintenance work can create temporary hazards that aren't normally present.

An area may need to be restricted while machinery is being repaired, equipment is being serviced or other maintenance activities are underway.

Temporary barriers and access restrictions may therefore be required, with appropriate signs used to communicate who is permitted to enter.

Once a temporary restriction no longer applies, outdated signs should be removed.

8. Stockrooms & Secure Storage Areas

Access restrictions aren't always about machinery or an immediate physical hazard.

Businesses may also need to control entry for security or operational reasons.

Stockrooms, equipment stores, archive rooms and other secure areas may need to be accessible only to designated employees.

However, consider whether Staff Only might be a clearer message if all employees are permitted to enter.

Authorised Personnel Only vs No Unauthorised Access

These two signs can communicate a very similar restriction.

The difference is mainly in how the instruction is expressed.

Authorised Personnel Only tells people who may enter .

No Unauthorised Access tells people who must not enter .

For example, imagine a plant room that can only be entered by trained maintenance employees.

“Authorised Personnel Only” emphasises that access is restricted to an approved group.

“No Unauthorised Access” emphasises that anyone without permission must stay outside.

The right choice depends on which message most clearly describes the access arrangements at your premises.

Authorised Personnel Only vs No Entry

There is a more important distinction between these messages.

A No Entry sign indicates that people must not enter or proceed beyond a particular point.

An Authorised Personnel Only sign indicates that some people are permitted to enter.

If maintenance engineers need to enter a plant room, for example, a blanket No Entry message may not describe the arrangement as precisely as Authorised Personnel Only.

Before choosing the sign, ask:

Is entry prohibited completely, or is it restricted to certain people?

The answer should help determine the most appropriate wording.

Authorised Personnel Only vs Staff Only

Staff Only is often a better choice when all employees are permitted to enter but customers or visitors aren't .

Typical examples could include:

• Shop stockrooms

• Restaurant kitchens

• Staff rooms

• Offices

• Back-of-house areas

• Service corridors

Authorised Personnel Only suggests a more specific level of access control.

For example, not every employee in a factory may be authorised to enter an electrical switch room.

So:

Staff Only – employees may enter; customers and visitors shouldn't.

Authorised Personnel Only – only people specifically permitted to enter should do so.

Choose the message that accurately reflects your workplace arrangements.

Are Authorised Personnel Only Signs a Legal Requirement?

There isn't a blanket rule requiring every restricted workplace area to display a sign using the exact wording “Authorised Personnel Only”.

The signage required depends on the risks and circumstances at the workplace.

Under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, employers must use safety signs where a significant health and safety risk remains despite other relevant measures being put in place.

The Regulations include No Access for Unauthorised Persons among the recognised prohibition signs.

Safety signage should therefore form part of an appropriate approach to managing risk – not replace physical controls or safe working arrangements where those are required.

Don't Use a Sign as the Only Access Control

A sign communicates an instruction.

It doesn't physically prevent somebody from entering.

Depending on the risks involved, restricting access may also require measures such as:

• Locked doors

• Gates

• Barriers

• Fencing

• Machine guarding

• Access-control systems

• Employee training

• Visitor procedures

• Safe systems of work

• Supervision

For example, simply putting an Authorised Personnel Only sign beside dangerous machinery wouldn't make unrestricted access adequately controlled if guarding or another physical control was required.

The sign should support the wider arrangements in place.

Should You Display a Hazard Sign as Well?

Possibly.

An Authorised Personnel Only sign and a warning sign communicate different information.

Imagine an electrical room.

Authorised Personnel Only tells somebody who is allowed to enter .

An appropriate electrical warning sign tells them what hazard is present .

Likewise, an area may require mandatory signage explaining that PPE must be worn.

Don't automatically cover an entrance with every possible safety sign, though.

The signs displayed should reflect the actual risks and instructions relevant to the area. Too many signs positioned together can make the important messages harder to identify.

Where Should the Sign Be Positioned?

The sign should be visible before somebody enters the restricted area.

Suitable locations might include:

• On a door

• Beside a doorway

• On a gate

• On a fence

• On a barrier

• On site hoarding

• At the entrance to an operational area

Think about the normal line of sight of somebody approaching.

Avoid positioning the sign where it could be hidden by an open door, stacked materials, equipment, vehicles or other obstructions.

Also consider every possible approach.

A sign on the main entrance isn't much help if somebody can enter the same restricted area from another direction without seeing it.

How High Should an Authorised Personnel Only Sign Be?

There isn't one mounting height suitable for every workplace.

The important consideration is visibility.

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations state that signboards should, in principle, be installed at a suitable height and in a position appropriate to the line of sight, taking account of obstacles.

Think about where people will be looking as they approach the restricted area.

The sign should be easy to notice without requiring somebody to deliberately search for it.

What Size Sign Do You Need?

The correct size depends on the location and likely viewing distance.

A sign positioned on an internal door may only need to be recognised from a short distance.

A sign mounted on an external gate, construction-site fence or large industrial entrance may need to be visible from considerably further away.

Consider:

• Viewing distance

• Available mounting space

• Lighting

• Surrounding signs

• Visual clutter

• Approach direction

• Whether the sign is indoors or outdoors

The aim is straightforward: the restriction needs to be seen and understood before somebody enters .

Which Material Should You Choose?

Choose the sign material according to where and how it will be installed.

Self-Adhesive Vinyl

Self-adhesive signs can be useful on suitable clean, smooth surfaces, particularly for indoor applications.

Rigid Plastic

A rigid plastic sign provides a lightweight option for doors, walls and other suitable mounting surfaces.

Aluminium Composite

Aluminium composite can provide a more robust rigid option for outdoor and demanding environments.

Check the available options for the particular sign you're buying and choose a material suited to the location and expected conditions.

What About Outdoor Signs?

For an outdoor Authorised Personnel Only sign, consider more than just the wording.

Think about:

• Weather exposure

• UV exposure

• Wind

• Mounting method

• Viewing distance

• Sign size

• Surrounding vegetation

• Gates being left open

• Vehicles potentially obscuring the sign

The sign material and fixing method should be suitable for the environment in which it will be used.

Keep Your Access Signs Visible

Putting the sign up isn't necessarily the end of the job.

Workplace conditions change.

Equipment gets moved, stock gets stacked, doors are replaced and site layouts are altered.

Signs can also become damaged, dirty or faded.

Periodically check that your access signs remain:

• Clearly visible

• Easy to understand

• Correctly positioned

• Relevant to the current restriction

• In good condition

If a temporary access restriction ends, remove signs that are no longer relevant.

A Quick Checklist for Choosing an Access Sign

Before ordering, ask:

Who is allowed into the area?

If the answer is only specifically approved people, Authorised Personnel Only may be appropriate.

Who needs to be kept out?

Consider employees, visitors, contractors, customers and members of the public.

Is nobody allowed to enter?

If so, No Entry or Keep Out may be more accurate.

Are all employees permitted?

Staff Only could be clearer.

Is the restriction specific to pedestrians?

Consider a No Pedestrians sign.

Is there a hazard beyond the entrance?

Check whether appropriate warning or mandatory signage is also required.

Where will the sign be positioned?

Choose a size and material suitable for the viewing distance and environment.

Choosing the Right Authorised Access Sign

The best access sign isn't necessarily the one with the strongest wording.

It's the one that most accurately tells somebody whether they're allowed to enter .

Use Authorised Personnel Only when entry is limited to people who have been specifically approved or permitted.

Use No Unauthorised Access when you want to emphasise that anyone without permission must not enter.

Use Staff Only when the restriction simply separates employees from visitors or customers.

And use No Entry or Keep Out where the restriction applies more generally.

Getting that distinction right makes the instruction clearer before somebody reaches the controlled area.

Shop Authorised Personnel & Access Signs

The Sign Shed supplies Authorised Personnel, No Entry and Access Signs for workplaces, warehouses, factories, construction sites and other business premises.

Choose from a wide range of access-control messages, sizes and materials to suit doors, gates, fences, walls and site entrances.

Before choosing your sign, start with the most important question:

Who should be allowed through?

Then choose the message that makes the answer clear.