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What Safety Signs Material Would We Recommend?

This is The Sign Shed guide to choosing a sign material

All our signs are manufactured in our Yorkshire HQ, so we're proud to state that they're MADE IN BRITAIN. Here, we'll help you decide which type of material is best suited for your signs.  

Recycled Plastic Signs

We are the first online UK sign manufacturer to offer our full product range of health and safety signs and general signage in a 50% recycled plastic. This new bright white waterproof PVC is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It offers the surface qualities of rigid and foamed plastic with a lighter recycled foam PVC centre. Our competitors quote thicknesses of between 0.9mm and 1.5mm. So with The Sign Shed you get 3mm thick RECYCLED PVC for the same price as the "thinner" alternatives you may find elsewhere online.

It offers an excellent printing surface, ideal for a huge range of signage uses and it's better for the environment. For more information click here.

The plastic can be drilled for fixing holes or foam adhesive pads can be used on the back to stick it to a surface.

Metal Signs (Composite Aluminium)

This is designed for outdoor signage use. Aluminium composite material consists of two thin aluminium sheets bonded to a non-aluminium core. It is the industry standard material for outdoor signage. It can be drilled for fixing holes with relative ease. Request pre-drilled holes when ordering and we'll do it for you, free of charge! We use 3mm thick composite aluminium, Made in Britain by ALUPANEL. For more details on the aluminium composite material click here.

Wood Signs

The Sign Shed uses a prime natural American White Oak for its range of wooden signs.

We recommend the 12mm thick option for indoor signs and the thicker 18mm version for outdoor signage.

Self-adhesive vinyl stickers

These are suitable for INDOOR USE ONLY. We use industry recommended Metamark digital vinyl. It's a tough, flexible, high quality vinyl material with an adhesive backing.

Make sure the surface you're applying it to is smooth and clean. Self-adhesive vinyl is waterproof, however, we would not advise using a sticker outside unless you are confident that the surface is suitable. The surface needs to be non-porous. Vinyl stickers will not stick to wood, brick or stone walls, concrete or similar surfaces. If you're unsure, ask us.

We would not recommend you trying to stick a self adhesive vinyl sticker larger than 400x300mm yourself. It is not as easy as it may appear!

Click here to view the data sheet for Metamark MD-100 vinyl.

Foamed Plastic Signs (Foamex)

A particular favourite material for temporary construction site safety boards. It is strong, but lightweight. It's weatherproof and designed for outdoor signage use. The foam board is white with a matt finish. Our foamex is 3mm thick.

Fluted Polypropylene (Correx)

This material is designed for temporary signage, such as that used in the construction industry. It is a cheap, lightweight solution for short-term signage.

FREE ROYAL MAIL DELIVERY ON ONLINE ORDERS OVER £50*

There's a FREE DELIVERY option at the checkout for free standard (2-3 working days) delivery from Royal Mail if you spend over £50, excluding VAT. 

STANDARD DELIVERY BY ROYAL MAIL AND UPS

We aim to dispatch all orders the same day if ordered by 4 pm*.

Royal Mail Tracked 24 (1st Class) aim to deliver your item(s) the next working day. There's online tracking, SMS/email notifications and the option to upgrade to Tracked 24 with Signature if you need a signature on delivery.

Royal Mail Tracked 48 (2nd Class) aim to deliver your item(s) in 2-3 working days. There's online tracking, SMS/email notifications and the option to upgrade to Tracked 48 with Signature if you need a signature on delivery.

We offer a UPS standard service for larger items. We can normally dispatch these either the same or following working day. Please let us know either by telephone or email if your order is urgent.

"Working days" for both Royal Mail and UPS relate to Monday to Friday. 

* Excludes 800 x 600 mm signs and custom signs where we cannot guarantee same day dispatch. Excludes public holidays - see our opening times

GET YOUR SIGNS NEXT DAY

If you need your signs guaranteed for tomorrow*, we will use Royal Mail Special Delivery or UPS Next Day for items over A2 size, or UPS Pre 12 pm for extra-urgent items. You MUST place your order by 2 pm for delivery the following working day.

This applies to orders placed Monday to Thursday. Order by 2 pm on a Friday and your order will be delivered on the following Monday. Orders placed on a weekend for Royal Mail Special Delivery/UPS Next Day will be dispatched on a Monday and delivered the following day (Tuesday). The only exception is when there is a Bank Holiday, in which case please allow an extra working day.

If you need it, we'll confirm the tracking number for your parcel when it's dispatched. You'll receive emails and/or text messages with updates on the progress of your delivery.

*The small print

Excludes 800 x 600 mm and 900 x 600 mm signs, wooden signs and custom signs where we cannot guarantee same day dispatch.

Excludes the Channel Isles, postcodes AB31-35, AB41-54, AB36-38, AB55-56, FK17-21, G83, GY9, HS1-9, IM(all), IV(all), KA27-28, KW0-14, KW15-17, PA20-78, PH15-PH18, PH19-29, PH32-33, PH45-48, PH30-31, PH34-44, PH49-99, ZE(all) and international addresses. Available Monday to Friday for next day delivery, where possible. Contact us for details.

Large orders may be subject to a delay. Please call us on 01977 681127 to check. 

Free delivery is available on all online orders if you spend more than £50, excluding VAT.

The more you order, the more you SAVE with our AUTOMATIC DISCOUNTS when you buy in bulk. The discounts are applied to multiples of individual items in the shopping cart.

THE BEST DISCOUNTS FOR ONLINE ORDERS

Buy 5 or more for a 10% DISCOUNT

Buy 10 or more - qualify for a 12% DISCOUNT

Buy 20 or more - get a 20% DISCOUNT

Buy 50 or more - get a 25% DISCOUNT

Buy 100 or more - get a 30% DISCOUNT

Plus, there's FREE STANDARD DELIVERY (2-3 working days) on all orders over £25*. Simply select the "FREE DELIVERY" option at the checkout.

*applies to orders over £25 excluding VAT

What type of health and safety messages should you use to keep people safe and reduce safety risks?

This is The Sign Shed guide to UK safety signs and their meanings.

What is a warning sign ?

Warning signs indicate a hazard or a danger to be aware of such as a chemical danger an electrical hazard or with our countryside and agriculture sign range, a sign warning of a bull in a field. These signs appear as a triangular symbol with a yellow background and a black border. As with all of our warning signs, the text is clear and concise in a black, bold Helvetica font. 

What is a mandatory sign ?

Our mandatory signs range complies with the Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and the latest UK and EU legal requirements. Mandatory signs prescribe a specific behaviour. In other words they tell you that you must do something, such as Drive Slowly, Keep gates closed, or Safety helmets must be worn. The sign must include a round shape blue circle with white pictogram. As with all of our mandatory safety signs, the text is clear and concise. Mandatory sign text is white in a bold Helvetica font with a blue background.

What is a prohibition sign ?

All Prohibition signs available at The Sign Shed can be used both indoors and outdoors and in a range of sizes and materials such as self adhesive vinyl stickers, on rigid plastic, or a hard wearing composite aluminium.
Prohibition signs are signs prohibiting behaviour likely to increase or cause danger. They tell you something that you must not do. Prohibition signs feature a black pictogram inside a circle with red edging and a red diagonal line running through it. Our Prohibition signs range features Access Restricted signs such as No access for unauthorised personnel, Machinery prohibition signs like Do not operate, Smoking prohibition signs like No smoking beyond this point, and general prohibition signs e.g. Do not use mobile phones. These signs are used in a vast range of areas such as schools, colleges, offices, factories, construction sites, kitchens, shops and in agriculture.

What is a safe condition sign ?

Safe condition signs indicate the presence of safe exit routes or the location of safety equipment. Examples include first aid points and emergency exits. All our safe condition signs comply with the Health & Safety Regulations 1996. These signs appear as a rectangular symbol with a green background. As with all of our warning signs, the text is clear and concise in a white, bold Helvetica font. 

Safety Signs Size Conversion Guide

Whether you use metric or imperial measurements, you can use our handy millimetres (mm) to feet (ft) and inches (") conversion guide to choose the right size of sign.

300 x 100 mm (12" x 4")

200 x 150 mm (8" x 6")

297 x 210 mm (12" x 8")

400 x 150 mm (16" x 6")

400 x 300 mm (16" x 12")

420 x 594 mm (17" x 24")

600 x 200 mm (24" x 8")

800 x 600 mm (32" x 24")

Sizes in inches (") are approximate

Your guide to Safety Signs viewing distances

Here's some useful information to help determine the sign size to choose that would suit the location the best.

Viewing distances are not an exact science and are used as a guide to determine the approximate height and width of sign needed for a member of the general public with good eyesight to be able to determine the image and text on the signage.

Landscape signs viewing distances

Portrait signs viewing distances

We want to make sure that you're happy with your order.

Customer service to be proud of

Our customer reviews confirm that we always go out of our way to provide excellent products and customer service when you need them. We're rated 5 stars and we're proud of it.

Pay by invoice - The Sign Shed Accounts

The Sign Shed supplies signs to local authorities, schools, NHS Trusts, universities, registered charities and other public sector customers throughout the UK.

To place an order online, simply select the "PAY BY PRO-FORMA INVOICE" option at the checkout.

We'll email confirmation of your order, your signs will be with you within 3 working days and we'll email a copy of your invoice to you once your signs have been dispatched. You've up to 30 days to pay.

You can also email, telephone or post your order to us.

We accept payments through SagePay, online banking, or by credit/debit card over the phone.

Buy Your Signs Using Our Business Credit Account

We provide a Business Credit Account payment option for UK companies, whatever your size, subject to status. We can set up a 30 day credit account for your business within 24 hours* in most cases.

To place an order online, simply select the "PAY BY PRO-FORMA INVOICE" option at the checkout.

Once we've received your order, we'll email a 30 Day Account Application to you. Return it to us by email or post it to us, together with a copy of your company letterhead to The Sign Shed, 27 Low Street, Sherburn In Elmet, Leeds, LS25 6BB. 

We'll try and process your application the same day*, and subject to references and credit checks, we'll aim to get your account up and running within one working day*.

We'll email an invoice to you once your account is open. We normally request payment on a pro-forma (pre-pay) basis for first orders and will dispatch your order once your payment has been received.

For companies that have ordered from us previously, we may dispatch your order before payment has been received. We'll let you know if this is the case. You've then up to 30 days to pay, either through SagePay (the invoice will include a link to pay by this method), online banking, or by credit/debit card over the phone.

*Normal business hours, Monday to Friday

The Safety Signs Hub from The Sign Shed aims to help you stay safe in your workplace, including food safety in catering, first aid tips, employee safety & more

Reducing waste at work

It’s likely that your household recycling is taken care of through your local council. But what happens at work?

Food safety in catering

With risks such as food poisoning ever-present as a threat, not just to the health of customers, but to the reputation of the business you’re employed with, it’s extremely important to become suitably qualified and tuned in to the potential risks.

First aid tips that everyone should know

While every workplace has a dedicated and trained health and safety person to administer First Aid, it is very useful if everyone knows some basic procedures.

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a process in which you thoroughly examine any factors in the workplace that could cause harm to your employees….

WORKING WITH ASBESTOS

Asbestos is one of the most significant health risks in the building trade, with the Health and Safety Executive estimating that around 5,000 workers a year die…

How your business can help protect the environment

No matter how small or large your organisation, all businesses have a responsibility to manage their impact on the environment….

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EMPLOYEE SAFETY ?

Safety at work should be a priority for any business, particularly in high risk environments such as building sites or warehouses, but who is ultimately responsible for well-being?

FORKLIFT SAFETY

Safety is paramount when operating a forklift, and while there are numerous health and safety regulations in place to ensure proper and secure use of machinery…

Car parks: packed full of hidden hazards

It's not just fast-moving traffic that you have to watch out for when it comes to health and safety; even slow-moving…

WORKPLACE VISION PROBLEMS

Isaac Newton was a physicist who thought that, by staring up at the sun, he could better understand how the universe worked….

STRESS CAN ACTUALLY SHRINK YOUR BRAIN

In any business environment – from corporate to retail – stress is the biggest threat to satisfactory health and safety provision…

THREE WAYS SAFETY SIGNS CAN HELP BOOST PRODUCTIVITY

Many people think that health and safety is just red tape put in place to stop businesses being productive and making money - but this is the opposite of the truth….

Don’t let a lack of water safety signs dampen your business!

Safety signs play an important role in protecting a business’s employees and customers. But for those of us operating within an environment around water…

Don't let your business go up in flames

Since July 2007, smoking has been prohibited in public areas and the regulations have required businesses to implement very specific signage in order to comply with the new laws…

How warning signs can support your CCTV system

Faced with the threat of criminal activity such as burglary and vandalism, increasing numbers of property owners and businesses are installing CCTV systems to provide…

Wet floors: your responsibilities to keep customers safe

Highly visible ‘Caution: Wet Floor’ signs are frequently seen in public areas such as shops, schools and local authority buildings…

Farm signs: a serious matter

Although you'll hear people grumble about health and safety strictures, there are many really serious hazards in the world that it pays to be aware of…

Go green with custom signs

With the green agenda high on the list of every set of corporate objectives, making sure that your business operates in an environmentally friendly and energy efficient way doesn’t just help the planet…

Are first aid signs really necessary?

If you're a business owner, you'll no doubt be aware that there are plenty of regulations regarding which signs are vital on your business premises…

Why signs reminding people to wash their hands are so important

We're all aware that we should wash our hands at certain points in time: before handling food, after handling raw meat, after using the toilet and so on…

Are your health and safety signs big enough?

No business buys health & safety signs as decorative items: they're there to be noticed. Some businesses may be tempted to buy the cheapest possible signs in order to save money…

Safety on the farm: How signs can help agricultural workers

Few areas are as dangerous as a farm. Agricultural operations often utilise vast amounts of land, dangerous chemicals and machinery…

Further reading

For more information on the latest Health & Safety Executive legislation on safety signs, visit the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk and download the HSE Safety signs and signals Guidance on regulations publication. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l64.pdf