20 October 2024

UK Fire Door Signage: What You Need and How to Get It Right

Fire door signage is a small detail that matters enormously. Clear, durable, consistent signs help keep buildings compliant and people safe. This guide covers the common signs, the standards to be aware of, and how to specify signage that lasts.

Common fire door signs

• Fire door keep shut - for self-closing fire doors that should never be propped open.
• Fire door keep locked - for doors to cupboards, risers and stores that must stay locked.
• Automatic fire door keep clear - for doors held open on automatic closers.

We recently produced 1,000 stainless steel "Fire door keep locked" discs as a single consistent run - a good example of signage at scale.

Standards and responsibilities

In England and Wales, fire safety in most non-domestic premises falls under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and safety signage commonly follows BS 5499 / ISO 7010 conventions (for example, mandatory signs shown as white symbols on a blue circle). Responsibility usually sits with the building's "responsible person". Always check the current regulations and guidance for your building type, or consult a fire safety professional - requirements can change and this guide is general information, not legal advice.

Choosing durable signage

• Stainless steel or engraved laminate for a hard-wearing, professional finish.
• Self-adhesive or screw-fixed options to suit the door and surface.
• High contrast and legible at a glance, even in low light.

Consistency at scale

For estates, blocks and commercial buildings, consistency matters - every sign should match. Producing them together in one run keeps colour, size and finish identical. Our in-house printing and engraving make large, uniform runs straightforward.

Order fire door signage

Need compliant, durable fire door signs - a handful or a few thousand? See our signage service or tell us what you need for a quote and lead time.