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December Is Coming — Is Your Signage Audit-Ready?

For many Indian factories, the financial year-end (March) or calendar year-end (December) triggers annual safety audits. Whether it is an internal EHS audit, a customer compliance audit, or a regulatory inspection, signage is one of the most visible — and most frequently cited — compliance categories. This checklist ensures you are prepared.

The Master Signage Audit Checklist

Gate and Entrance

☐ Factory name and emergency contact board
☐ "Safety First" or company safety policy display
☐ General PPE requirements for visitors
☐ Speed limit signs for vehicles
☐ Fire assembly point direction signs
☐ Factory map with emergency exits marked

Production Floor Entries

☐ Zone-specific PPE mandatory signs at every entry
☐ "Authorised Personnel Only" for restricted zones
☐ GHS signs at chemical handling zones

Emergency Equipment

☐ Fire extinguisher location sign at every extinguisher
☐ Fire hose reel location sign
☐ Fire alarm call point signs
☐ First aid box location signs
☐ Emergency shower and eye wash signs
☐ Assembly point boards

Evacuation

☐ Exit signs above every emergency exit
☐ Directional exit signs at every corridor junction
☐ Photoluminescent low-level signs along evacuation routes
☐ Evacuation plan boards on every floor

Electrical

☐ "Danger: High Voltage" on every HT/LT panel
☐ "Authorised Personnel Only" on electrical rooms
☐ LOTO signs at lockout points

Material Handling

☐ Forklift areas: warning signs, speed limits, pedestrian walkway signs
☐ Crane areas: SWL (Safe Working Load) signs, overhead hazard signs
☐ Storage areas: maximum rack load signs, no climbing signs

Welfare

☐ Toilet signs
☐ Drinking water signs
☐ Canteen/eating area signs
☐ "No Smoking" signs in all non-designated areas
☐ Smoking zone identification (if applicable)

Top 10 Audit Findings Related to Signage

Missing fire extinguisher location signs
No photoluminescent exit signs
PPE signs not displayed at zone entries
Faded/damaged signs still in place
Signs only in English (not bilingual)
Incorrect sign colours or shapes (non-IS 9457)
No assembly point board
Electrical panel Danger signs missing
No evacuation plan displayed
Chemical storage without GHS pictograms

We see these same 10 findings in factory after factory. If you fix just these 10, your audit score will improve dramatically.

Audit coming up? Our Audit-Ready Sign Bundles cover all the common findings in a single package. Contact us for express delivery — we prioritise factory audit preparation orders.

Year-End Factory Safety Audit Preparation: Signage Checklist for Indian HSE Officers