TS ISO 3864-3

TS ISO 3864-3 sets out the principles, criteria and guidance for designing graphical symbols used in safety signs. It focuses on how a symbol should be conceived so that a safety message can be communicated quickly, consistently and with less risk of misunderstanding, making the graphic element itself clear, distinctive and fit for its intended warning or instruction purpose.

Relationship to safety signs and product safety labels

The standard applies to graphical symbols used in the safety signs defined in ISO 3864-1, and to the safety sign element of product safety labels defined in ISO 3864-2. In general technical terms, safety communication relies on the combined effect of colour, shape and symbol, so even small design choices can influence legibility, recognition and meaning. TS ISO 3864-3 provides design-oriented guidance for shaping those symbols within that broader signalling system.

Why design consistency matters in safety communication

Safety symbols are used to communicate across language barriers, especially in industrial sites, public spaces, machine areas and product labelling where quick decisions may be needed. From a general technical perspective, an effective symbol should be simple, distinctive, easy to recognise and sufficiently different from similar symbols to avoid confusion. This standard supports that objective by setting out design principles that help develop symbols appropriate for safety use.

• Provides principles, criteria and guidance for the design of graphical symbols for safety signs.
• Relates to safety signs within ISO 3864-1.
• Also applies to the safety sign element of product safety labels within ISO 3864-2.
• Addresses symbol design for fast, language-independent safety communication.