TS ISO 17724

TS ISO 17724 is a vocabulary standard for graphical symbols, defining terms used in this field with a focus on symbols for public information safety signs and symbols used on equipment. Graphical symbols are visual signs that communicate meaning quickly and consistently, often reducing the need for text and helping information remain understandable across languages and user groups.

What the vocabulary covers and excludes

The core purpose of this standard is to define and organise terminology for graphical symbols. According to the supplied scope, it is centred on safety signs for public information and symbols used on equipment. It explicitly excludes terms related to graphical symbols for diagrams, including technical product documentation (TPD) symbols. That distinction matters because safety pictograms, equipment markings and diagram symbols belong to different symbol systems, even though they are all part of visual communication.

Why a terminology standard matters

In general technical practice, a vocabulary standard provides a shared language for drafting, revising and harmonising other standards. Clear definitions help ensure that symbol-related concepts are interpreted consistently, which supports better documentation, fewer misunderstandings and more coherent standardisation work. TS ISO 17724 should therefore be understood as a conceptual reference for the terminology of graphical symbols, rather than as a document prescribing symbol designs or diagram conventions.

Its definitions are intended to serve as a basis for people involved in creating new standards or revising existing ones. In other words, the document supports consistency at the level of meaning: what a symbol category is called, how it is distinguished from related categories, and how terminology can be used in a controlled and internationally understandable way.