Prohibition
Red circle, diagonal bar
No unauthorised entry, no smoking, no naked flame, no mobile phones, no pedestrian access.
Construction safety signs
Construction safety signs — what Abu Dhabi and Dubai require, and the sizes in use
Construction safety signs tell people on a site what is prohibited, what to watch for, what to wear and where to go in an emergency. In Abu Dhabi they follow ADOSH-SF CoP 17.0 — red for prohibition, yellow for warning, blue for mandatory, green for safe condition — in Arabic and English, and must be durable, fixed and maintained. Dubai’s construction code adds the workforce’s majority language, a symbol with every text, rounded corners and a minimum letter height for each viewing distance.
Four safety sign families: a red prohibition circle, a yellow warning triangle, a blue mandatory circle and a green safe-condition sign
- CoP 17.0
- ADOSH-SF Safety Signage and Signals, v4.0
- 4 families
- Red, yellow, blue and green, each with its own shape
- Arabic + English
- And the workforce’s main language
- Letter height
- Set by viewing distance in the Dubai code
The sign families, and the signs most used on UAE sites
Colour and shape carry the meaning before the words are read. These are the families both emirates use, with the signs that appear on almost every site.
Warning
Yellow, black triangle
Deep excavation, overhead load, men at work, high voltage, slippery surface, falling objects.
Mandatory
Blue circle, white symbol
Safety helmet, safety shoes, high-visibility vest, eye and ear protection, full PPE required.
Safe condition
Green rectangle
First aid, emergency eyewash and shower, emergency telephone, stretcher.
Assembly point
Green rectangle
The emergency assembly point and the arrows that lead to it — usually the largest sign on site.
Fire equipment
Red rectangle
Fire extinguisher, fire hose reel, fire alarm call point — identification and location.
Sizes and viewing distance
Neither emirate fixes a sign size; both require the sign to be large enough to be read where it stands. The Dubai code sets the minimum letter height by distance, and the sign is built around that text.
| Viewing distance | Minimum letter height (DM Code Table 1) | Sign size commonly used |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 m | 0.64 cm | A4 or 200 × 200 mm |
| 3 – 6 m | 1.25 cm | 200 × 300 mm or 300 × 300 mm |
| 6 – 9 m | 1.9 cm | 300 × 300 mm or A3 |
| 9 – 12 m | 2.5 cm | 400 × 400 mm |
| 12 – 18 m | 3.8 cm | 500 × 500 mm |
| 18 – 23 m | 5 cm | 600 × 600 mm and larger |
| 36 – 45 m | 10 cm | Banner or large panel |
| 60 – 75 m | 12.5 cm | Banner or large panel |
The sign sizes are the ones sold in the UAE, not a regulation. When a sign carries three languages, size it for the longest line of text, not for the symbol.
Materials and finish
| Material | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Aluminium sheet 1–3 mm | Outdoor, pole or fence mounted, long duration |
| ACP 3–4 mm | Outdoor boards and combined PPE panels |
| Rigid PVC / foam board | Indoor, site offices, short duration |
| Self-adhesive vinyl | Doors, machines, containers, existing boards |
| Engineering-grade reflective face | Signs read at night or in vehicle headlights |
| Fixing | Two holes for posts, U-clamps or cable ties on fences, chain, adhesive |
What the codes say
ADOSH-SF CoP 17.0 §3.6, Table 2
Red: prohibition and danger. Yellow or amber: warning. Blue: mandatory. Green: emergency escape, first aid, no danger.
CoP 17.0 §3.4(e)–(h)
Large and clear enough to be seen; in a language suited to the workforce including Arabic and English; durable, securely fastened, maintained; permanent unless the hazard is temporary.
DM Code §6.2 and §6.4 Table 2
Arabic, English and the majority language; symbol plus text; rounded corners. Prohibition: black on white in a red crossed circle. Warning: black on yellow in a black triangle. Mandatory: white on blue circle. Information: white on green.
DM Code §6.2(9), Table 1
Minimum letter height for each viewing distance, from 0.64 cm at 3 m to 12.5 cm at 60–75 m.
ISO 7010 symbols
The symbol set both codes refer to, so a sign reads the same on every site.
What to include in a request
A schedule beats a list of names: one line per sign.
- Each sign: type, wording and the symbol, or a photo of an existing one
- Where it goes and the distance it is read from
- Indoor or outdoor, and how long it has to last
- Material and fixing: post, fence, wall or chain
- Languages besides Arabic and English
- Quantity per sign and per site
Questions about construction safety signs
What colours do safety signs use in the UAE?
Red for prohibition and fire equipment, yellow for warning, blue for mandatory actions and green for safe condition and escape — ADOSH-SF CoP 17.0 in Abu Dhabi and Table 2 of the Dubai construction safety code.
Do safety signs need to be in Arabic?
Yes. Both codes require Arabic and English; Dubai’s also requires the language of the majority of the workforce, and every text with a symbol.
How big should a safety sign be?
Big enough to read from where people will be. The Dubai code sets the minimum letter height: 2.5 cm for 9–12 m, 5 cm for 18–23 m, 12.5 cm for 60–75 m. Signs of 200 to 500 mm square are the common sizes in the UAE.
Can temporary signs be used?
CoP 17.0 asks for permanent signboards unless the workplace or hazard is temporary — and even then they must follow the same colours and rules.
What lasts outdoors in the UAE sun?
Aluminium or ACP with UV-resistant print or an overlaminate. Foam board and rigid PVC are better kept indoors or for short periods.
More site signage
Site OSH notice boardADOSH-SF CoP 53.1Project QR code boardDMT, since October 2024Site hoardingTemporary fence licence · DM Circular 12-4-1Scaffold & facade meshDM Circular 12-4-1 · DM Code Ch. 8Work-zone traffic signs & barricadesWork-zone traffic management manuals · DM Code Ch. 6Oil & gas site signsCoP 17.0 §3.8 · project specificationsPhotoluminescent exit signsUAE Fire & Life Safety CodeDubai project signboardDM Circular 11-1-1
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