Overview
ISO 15870:2000 - "Powered industrial trucks - Safety signs and hazard pictorials - General principles" sets out the general principles for designing and applying safety signs and hazard pictorials permanently affixed to powered industrial trucks. The standard defines the objectives of safety signs, standard formats (two- and three-panel layouts), the safety alert symbol and triangle, guidance on pictorial design, and recommendations for location, colours and dimensions. It also addresses language use, avoiding overuse of labels, and use of signs in operator and service manuals.
Key Topics
- Objectives: Alert to hazards, identify and describe hazards, explain consequences, and instruct how to avoid them.
- Formats: Four standard formats - two-panel (signal + message or pictorial + message), three-panel (signal + pictorial + message), and two pictorial panels. Vertical and horizontal configurations are allowed.
- Signal panel: Contains the safety alert symbol and a signal word (DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION) that denotes relative seriousness of personal-injury hazards.
- Pictorial panels: Two types - hazard description pictorials (show the hazard and consequences) and hazard avoidance pictorials (show required actions). Pictorials may be combined but should generally address a single hazard. The safety alert triangle is used to enclose hazard description pictorials; an exclamation mark may be used as the outline symbol.
- Message panel: Text describing the hazard, consequences and avoidance instructions. Short, simple sentences are recommended when used.
- Colours, dimensions and layout: The standard provides guidance on colours for signal, pictorial and message panels, borders and separation lines, plus recommended dimensions to maintain legibility.
- Languages: Text signs should use the language(s) of the product’s market; multi-language and no-text options are covered.
- Performance guidance: Advice on placement, protection from damage, expected life and limiting the number of signs (overuse reduces effectiveness).
Applications and Users
ISO 15870 is practical for:
- Manufacturers of powered industrial trucks (designing permanent equipment signage)
- Product safety and compliance engineers (ensuring labels meet international principles)
- Technical writers and manual authors (selecting and placing safety signs in operator/service manuals)
- Maintenance and fleet managers (implementing consistent, legible safety marking)
- Safety officers and trainers (developing hazard communication and workplace signage)
Use cases include creating machine-mounted safety labels, designing pictorials that reduce language dependence, and selecting signal words and panel configurations that communicate risk effectively.
Related Standards
- ISO 5053 (Terminology for powered industrial trucks) is explicitly referenced for terminology.
- ISO 15870 includes informative annexes (A–E) with graphical design guidance, pictorial examples and recommended symbol/text sizes.
Keywords: ISO 15870, powered industrial trucks, safety signs, hazard pictorials, safety alert symbol, signal panel, pictorial panel, message panel, DANGER WARNING CAUTION.
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