Water Safety Signs

Welcome to Shelley Signs. We are a leading supplier of external signs and panels with particular expertise in Water Safety Signs. Please explore the website – the Showcase Section has a large library of photographs illustrating signs, panels, framing structures and graphics. For a chat about the options phone Robert Shelley on 01743 460996.
As a leading supplier of signs and panels for country parks, nature reserves and other open spaces Shelley Signs understand the need for outdoor and external signs to be waterproof, robust and easy to clean. These benefits are particularly important for water safety signs which tend to be subject to vandalism. To comply with Health & Safety requirements water safety and water byelaw signs must be robust, easy to clean and colourfast – a failure in any of these requirements may leave Councils in breach of their obligations to enforce Health & safety around water, rivers and ponds.

Shelley Signs work in several materials for their outdoor signs and interpretive panels. Recommended for bye-laws, water safety and general safety signs in parks is Glass Reinforced Plastic, GRP or G.R.P. This robust material is the same construction as many sailing dinghies and with the graphics encapsulated into resin offers a really robust solution that is easy to clean and maintain.

Water safety signs need robust fixing structures. While some landowners install safety signs themselves and supply their own posts Shelly signs are often asked to provide the entire package including posts or lecterns. For robust challenging urban areas that may be prone to vandalism signs are supplied complete with mild steel posts, galvanised and sprayed to an agreed colour.  For rural areas timber is frequently used as a framing structure for safety signs around water, rivers, streams and ponds. Oak and pressure treated softwood both provide an attractive framing structure.

Graphic design is an important component of safety signs, especially water safety signs. There is a range of standard designs and logos that are approved and authorised by ROSPA. Using these standard water safety sign symbols ensures that a landowner complies with relevant water safety legislation. Consideration should also be given to using a cartoon approach for water safety signs – this approach may well make more impact with visitors and gives an opportunity to create a more dramatic impression.

Water safety messages are often also incorporated into full interpretive signs, interpretation boards and map boards giving details about the site. Incorporating a water safety sign message into a park entrance sign helps avoid clutter on the site but equally waters down the message being conveyed.
The most appropriate medium for safety signs and water safety sign messages will vary from site to site and will be heavily influenced by the necessary risk assessments.