Reflective safety signs

How retroreflection actually works

A reflective sign is not lit and does not glow by itself. Tiny beads or prisms in the film send light back towards the source, so it appears bright to a driver whose headlights are hitting it. That suits vehicle routes and yards, but gives less benefit to someone walking through an unlit area with no torch. Think about who needs to see the sign, from where, and with what light source. Extra site lighting or an illuminated sign might be the better answer in some places.

Regulated signs need a specification first

Safety and traffic signs may be covered by regulations or standards on wording, symbols, colours, sizes and reflective grades. Those rules vary with where the sign is used, particularly on a public road, so do not assume a design from the internet is right. Get the requirement from your health and safety adviser, highway authority or principal contractor, then pass that specification to us. We can talk through reflective signs and materials against it, but compliance rests with whoever is responsible for the site.

Position and upkeep on a working site

Set signs where headlights actually reach, and check them from the driver's seat at night. Dirt, diesel film and scratches reduce the effect, so add reflective safety signs to your regular cleaning and inspection rounds. A rigid, weather-resistant base such as aluminium is common for longer-term outdoor use, while correx may suit a short temporary need. Fix signs so they cannot twist in the wind, because one turned away from traffic reflects very little.