Authorised Personnel Only signs should be displayed where people can clearly see that access is restricted before they enter a controlled area.
That sounds straightforward, but choosing the right position isn't always as simple as putting a sign on the nearest door.
A restricted area may have several entrances. A gate-mounted sign might disappear from view when the gate is open. Warehouse stock could obscure a wall-mounted sign. On a construction site, people might approach the same work area from several directions.
So where should an Authorised Personnel Only sign actually be displayed?
Here's a practical guide for UK workplaces.
What Does Authorised Personnel Only Mean?
An Authorised Personnel Only sign tells people that entry to an area is restricted to those who have permission to enter.
Depending on the workplace, authorised personnel might include:
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Trained employees
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Maintenance engineers
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Machine operators
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Technicians
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Supervisors
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Approved contractors
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Site workers
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Other designated people
The sign doesn't necessarily mean nobody can enter.
Instead, it means access is controlled.
That's an important distinction when deciding both which sign to use and where to display it.
Where Should an Authorised Personnel Only Sign Be Positioned?
As a general principle, position the sign so that somebody approaching the controlled area can see and understand the restriction before crossing into it.
Suitable positions can include:
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Doors
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Beside doorways
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Gates
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Fencing
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Barriers
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Site hoarding
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Entrances to operational areas
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Entrances to plant or machinery zones
The exact position depends on how people approach the area and where the restriction begins.
Don't simply choose the easiest surface for mounting the sign.
Think about the person approaching.
Will they see the sign before they enter?
If the answer is no, consider a better position.
Should Authorised Personnel Only Signs Be Displayed on Doors?
Doors are one of the most common locations.
If a door leads directly into a restricted area, displaying the sign on or immediately beside it can make the access rule clear.
Examples include doors to:
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Plant rooms
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Electrical rooms
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Machinery rooms
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Maintenance areas
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Laboratories
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Restricted storage rooms
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Workshops
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Service areas
However, think about what happens when the door is open.
A sign fixed to the door itself may no longer face approaching people.
If the door is regularly left open, mounting the sign beside or above the doorway could provide better visibility.
Where Should Signs Be Displayed at Plant Rooms?
A plant room may contain boilers, pumps, mechanical systems, electrical equipment or other equipment that isn't intended to be accessible to everyone.
Position an Authorised Personnel Only sign at the entrance so that the restriction is apparent before somebody enters the room.
If there is more than one entrance, consider each access point separately.
A sign on the main door doesn't communicate the restriction to somebody entering through a second door.
Where specific hazards exist inside the plant room, appropriate warning or mandatory signs may also be required.
Remember:
Authorised Personnel Only tells someone whether they're permitted to enter.
A warning sign tells them what hazard is present.
A mandatory sign tells them what action they must take.
These messages have different purposes.
Where Should Signs Be Displayed at Electrical Rooms?
Electrical switch rooms and other controlled electrical areas may need access restricted to appropriate personnel.
Position access-control signage at the entrance, where it can be seen before somebody opens the door or crosses into the controlled area.
Depending on the risks, suitable electrical warning signage may also be required.
Avoid relying on the access sign itself to communicate the electrical hazard.
If somebody needs to know both:
“You're not authorised to enter”
and
“There is an electrical hazard beyond this point”
the signage should communicate those messages appropriately.
Where Should Signs Be Displayed Around Machinery?
Machinery areas can be more complicated because there isn't always a convenient door.
The controlled area might instead be defined by:
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Guarding
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Fencing
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Barriers
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Floor layouts
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Production lines
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Access gates
Position the sign at the point where somebody would enter the controlled machinery area.
If there are several entrances, make sure the restriction is communicated at each relevant access point.
Avoid placing the sign too far inside the area.
Somebody shouldn't have to enter a restricted zone to discover that they weren't supposed to enter it.
Where Should Signs Be Displayed in Warehouses?
Warehouses can contain multiple types of access restriction.
These might include:
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Machinery areas
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Loading zones
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Vehicle routes
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Maintenance areas
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Plant rooms
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Restricted storage
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Operational areas
Position Authorised Personnel Only signs at the boundary or entrance to the specific controlled area rather than simply placing a general sign at the warehouse entrance.
The warehouse itself may be accessible to employees and visitors while a particular area within it is restricted.
This is also a good reason to choose the most precise wording.
If the restriction applies only to pedestrians, for example, No Pedestrians may be clearer than Authorised Personnel Only.
Where Should Signs Be Displayed in Factories?
Factories and manufacturing premises may contain production lines, automated machinery, specialist equipment and controlled processes.
Restricted areas should be identifiable before somebody enters them.
Possible sign positions include:
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Doors to production areas
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Access gates
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Machinery barriers
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Entrances to plant rooms
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Maintenance areas
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Controlled production zones
Think about employees as well as visitors.
An Authorised Personnel Only sign doesn't simply mean “Members of the public keep out”.
Some factory areas may also be off limits to employees who don't have the appropriate training or authorisation.
Where Should Signs Be Displayed on Construction Sites?
Construction sites can have multiple access points and constantly changing work areas.
Authorised Personnel Only signs may be appropriate at:
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Site gates
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Pedestrian entrances
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Temporary fencing
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Hoarding
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Site compounds
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Plant areas
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Storage areas
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Restricted work zones
Don't assume one sign at the main gate is enough for every restriction on the site.
There may be areas inside the site that are accessible to general site personnel but restricted to particular workers.
Temporary work areas may also require their own access arrangements.
As the site changes, review whether existing signs are still in the right locations.
Where Should Signs Be Displayed on Gates?
Gates present a common visibility problem.
A sign may be perfectly positioned when the gate is closed but become difficult to see when the gate is open.
Before fixing the sign, check the gate in both positions.
Ask:
Can approaching people see the restriction when the gate is closed?
Can they still see it when the gate is open?
If not, consider placing an additional or alternative sign on a fixed post, fence or wall beside the entrance.
Should Signs Be Displayed on Fencing?
Yes, where fencing forms the boundary of a restricted area.
This can be particularly useful on:
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Construction sites
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Industrial premises
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Plant compounds
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Machinery areas
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Outdoor storage
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Utility areas
But don't simply place one sign somewhere along a long fence.
Consider where people can actually approach or gain access.
Signs positioned close to gates, openings and likely approach routes will usually communicate the restriction more effectively.
Should There Be a Sign at Every Entrance?
If a restricted area can be entered from several locations, consider whether the access restriction is clear at each relevant entrance.
Imagine a plant room with two doors.
Putting an Authorised Personnel Only sign on one door doesn't help somebody approaching through the other.
Likewise, a fenced compound may have a vehicle gate and a separate pedestrian gate.
Look at the controlled area as a whole and identify every realistic access point.
How High Should an Authorised Personnel Only Sign Be Displayed?
There isn't one mounting height that's correct for every location.
The important factor is visibility.
Safety signboards should be positioned with the normal line of sight and potential obstacles in mind.
Consider:
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How people approach
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Typical eye level
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Viewing distance
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Doors opening
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Gates moving
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Stored materials
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Machinery
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Parked vehicles
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Other signage
A sign mounted very high may be overlooked at close range.
A sign mounted too low may be obscured by equipment or stock.
Choose the position that makes the message easy to notice.
How Far Before the Restricted Area Should the Sign Be Displayed?
The sign should normally communicate the restriction before somebody crosses into the controlled area.
How far in advance depends on the location.
For an internal door, the sign may be positioned directly on or beside the entrance.
For a large outdoor site, additional advance signage might sometimes be useful where people need time to understand the restriction or choose another route.
The important point is that the person should have enough opportunity to see the instruction and act on it.
What Can Obscure an Access Sign?
A sign can be correctly installed and still become ineffective later.
Common obstructions include:
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Open doors
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Open gates
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Pallets
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Racking
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Stored materials
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Machinery
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Parked vehicles
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Temporary equipment
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Posters
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Other signs
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Vegetation
This is particularly important in warehouses, factories and construction sites where surroundings change frequently.
Periodically approach the restricted area as if you were an unfamiliar visitor.
Can you immediately see the sign?
If not, its position may need reviewing.
Should Authorised Personnel Signs Be Illuminated?
The sign needs to remain sufficiently visible under the conditions in which people are expected to encounter it.
Consider the lighting around the entrance, particularly in:
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Warehouses
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Plant rooms
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Outdoor yards
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Construction sites
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Premises operating at night
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Poorly lit corridors
If the access restriction needs to be understood during low-light conditions, make sure the signage remains suitably visible.
Don't assume that a sign that's clear during daylight will automatically be effective at night.
What Size Sign Should Be Displayed?
Size and position are closely related.
A small sign may work well on an internal door where people approach from a few metres away.
The same size may be inappropriate on a large outdoor gate or construction-site fence.
Consider:
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Viewing distance
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Mounting height
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Lighting
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Surrounding visual clutter
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Direction of approach
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Available space
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Indoor or outdoor use
Choose a size that allows the restriction to be recognised before somebody enters.
Should You Display More Than One Type of Sign?
Sometimes.
Different signs can communicate different information.
For example, an entrance to a machinery area might need to communicate:
Who may enter – Authorised Personnel Only.
What hazard exists – an appropriate warning sign.
What action is required – perhaps suitable mandatory PPE signage.
However, don't cover a doorway with unnecessary or repetitive messages.
For example:
Authorised Personnel Only
No Unauthorised Access
No Admittance
Keep Out
may simply repeat the same basic restriction.
Choose the clearest access message, then add other signs only where they communicate genuinely different information.
Is Authorised Personnel Only Always the Right Sign?
No.
Before deciding where to display the sign, first check whether it's actually the most appropriate message.
If nobody should enter, consider No Entry or Keep Out.
If people need permission, No Unauthorised Access may be clearer.
If specifically approved people can enter, Authorised Personnel Only can be appropriate.
If all employees may enter but visitors and customers shouldn't, Staff Only may be better.
If the restriction applies specifically to people on foot, consider No Pedestrians.
The location and wording should work together.
Don't Rely on Sign Positioning Alone
Even a perfectly positioned Authorised Personnel Only sign doesn't physically stop somebody entering.
Depending on the circumstances and risks, access may also need to be controlled using measures such as:
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Locked doors
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Gates
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Fencing
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Barriers
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Machine guarding
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Access-control systems
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Permit systems
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Employee training
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Visitor procedures
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Supervision
Safety signage communicates the restriction.
Other controls may be needed to enforce or support it.
Check Sign Positioning Regularly
Once the sign is installed, periodically check that it still works in practice.
Ask:
Is it still visible?
Can it be seen before entering?
Has anything been placed in front of it?
Has the entrance changed?
Are there new access routes?
Is the sign still relevant?
Is it damaged, dirty or faded?
This is especially important where workplace layouts change regularly.
Construction sites, warehouses and manufacturing environments are obvious examples.
Authorised Personnel Only Sign Positioning Checklist
Before installing the sign, check:
Where does the restriction begin?
Position the sign before people cross that boundary.
Which direction will people approach from?
Make sure the sign faces the expected line of sight.
Are there several entrances?
Check every relevant access point.
Will a door or gate hide the sign when opened?
Consider a fixed position beside the entrance.
Could equipment or stock obscure it?
Choose a location likely to remain visible.
Can it be seen in the available lighting?
Consider both daytime and operating conditions.
Is the sign large enough?
Match the size to the viewing distance.
Is Authorised Personnel Only the right wording?
Make sure it accurately describes who is permitted to enter.
So, Where Should Authorised Personnel Only Signs Be Displayed?
The simplest answer is:
At every relevant access point where people need to understand that entry is restricted, positioned so the message is clearly visible before they enter.
That could be a door, gate, fence, barrier, site entrance or the boundary of a controlled operational area.
But don't choose the position simply because it's convenient.
Look at the entrance from the perspective of somebody who has never been there before.
If they can immediately answer:
“Am I allowed to enter?”
then the sign is doing its job.
Shop Authorised Personnel Only Signs
The Sign Shed manufactures Authorised Personnel Only and restricted access signs for plant rooms, warehouses, factories, construction sites and other controlled workplace areas.
Choose from a range of sizes, materials and access-control messages for doors, gates, walls, fencing and other indoor and outdoor locations.
The right sign tells people who can enter.
The right position makes sure they see that message before they do.
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