How to Pass UAE OSHAD Safety Sign Inspections (CoP 17.0)
What OSHAD CoP 17.0 expects from UAE workplace safety signs: Arabic-above-English layout, ISO 7010 colours, sizes, where inspectors look and a checklist.
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Safety signs are the first thing an inspector checks on a UAE site walk: they show whether anyone can find an exit, an extinguisher or the assembly point without asking. In Abu Dhabi the reference is OSHAD-SF Code of Practice 17.0, Safety Signage and Signals; Civil Defence and municipal inspectors in the other emirates expect the same ISO 7010 basis. Here is what the Code asks for and what inspectors check.
What OSHAD CoP 17.0 covers
- Part of the Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health System Framework (OSHAD-SF), now run by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre; other emirates apply the same ISO-based approach through Civil Defence and municipal codes.
- The employer identifies where signs are needed from the risk assessment, uses standard shapes and colours, and provides Arabic and English text with pictograms that workers of any language understand.
- It covers the five sign families, supplementary text and arrows, illuminated and photoluminescent signs, and hand, acoustic and verbal signals.
- Signs must be maintained, unobstructed, replaced when faded and explained at induction; the Code sets no fixed number of signs per building, so inspectors judge whether signage matches the hazards on site.
The Arabic-above-English rule
- UAE workplace signage is bilingual with Arabic first: on the top line (or on the right in a side-by-side layout), in an equal or larger type size than the English.
- The pictogram stays the largest element; inspectors flag English-only signs, Arabic added as an afterthought, and translations that do not match the pictogram.
- Qalib's safety templates are built Arabic-first: the Arabic label sits under the ISO 7010 pictogram, the English line beneath it, and the order cannot be swapped, so every export follows the rule.
Sign families and colours (ISO 7010)
| Family | Shape and colours | Code prefix | Typical signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warning | Yellow triangle, black border and symbol | W | Electrical hazard (W012) |
| Prohibition | Red circle and diagonal bar, black symbol on white | P | No smoking (P002), no entry (P004) |
| Mandatory | Blue circle, white symbol | M | Wear PPE, wash hands |
| Fire equipment | Red square, white symbol | F | Fire extinguisher (F001), fire equipment (F004) |
| Safe condition | Green square, white symbol | E | Emergency exit (E001/E002), assembly point (E007), first aid (E003) |
Where inspectors look
Exits and escape routes
- An emergency exit sign above every final exit and at every change of direction, with the arrow pointing the right way.
- An emergency door sign on the door leaf itself, stating it stays clear and unlocked during working hours.
Extinguishers and fire equipment
- A fire extinguisher sign above every extinguisher, visible over furniture and stock.
- A fire equipment sign on hose reel cabinets, fire blankets and grouped fire points.
Assembly points
- An assembly point sign on a post outdoors, away from the building and clear of fire-vehicle access.
Electrical rooms and plant
- An electrical hazard sign on every distribution board, switch room door, generator and transformer.
- A no entry sign on plant rooms and roof access restricted to authorised staff.
First aid and welfare
- A first aid sign above every first aid box, and a no smoking sign at entrances, enclosed areas and stores.
Sizes and viewing distances
| Size | Dimensions | Viewing distance | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| A5 | 148×210 mm | up to 3 m | Above extinguishers and first aid boxes, on doors and panels |
| A4 | 210×297 mm | 3 to 5 m | Corridors, offices, shop floors, exit doors |
| A3 | 297×420 mm | 5 to 8 m | Halls, warehouses, car parks, assembly points |
- ISO 3864-1 rule of thumb: sign area in square metres of at least the viewing distance in metres squared, divided by 2000.
- Mount exit signs 2.0 to 2.5 m high, prohibition and warning signs at eye level and equipment signs directly above the equipment; print at 100% ("Actual size"), never "Fit to page".
Pre-inspection checklist
- Walk every escape route from its furthest point; an exit sign must be visible at each decision point.
- Every extinguisher, hose reel and first aid box has its sign directly above it.
- The assembly point is signed outdoors, known to all staff and matches the emergency plan.
- Electrical and plant rooms carry warning and no-entry signs on the door.
- Arabic above English on every sign, pictogram unchanged, sizes matching the table, nothing hidden behind doors, stock or notices.
- Faded or hand-written signs replaced, and induction records show workers were briefed on the signs.
Common failures
- English-only signs, or Arabic squeezed in below the English.
- Exit arrows pointing toward a locked or blocked door.
- Extinguisher removed for service while its sign stays, or a new one added without a sign.
- Signs printed with "Fit to page", or pictograms downloaded from the web, especially first aid signs using the protected red cross or red crescent emblem.
- Assembly point signs on the building wall instead of in the open, or blocking fire-vehicle access.