ABSTRACT
The signage systems set forth in the ISO standards use graphical symbols as a key component, sometimes alone and sometimes in combination with text. Before reviewing these standards, it is helpful to step back and look at the use of symbols as a means of communication. First, suppose you were confronted by the sign shown in Fig. 35.1. If you do not read the language appearing on the sign, you will likely agree that text-based safety signage cannot be understood by those who are not literate in the sign’s language. It is important to note that, in this case, it is language skill that is the crux of the difficulty, not the ability to speak the language. It is a common assumption that people living in the United States that speak English can also read English at a level that permits them to adequately understand a safety message. This can be a wrong assumption depending on the sign’s target audience. According to the National Adult Literacy Survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education in 1993, 42 million adult Americans cannot read; 50 million can recognize so few printed words they are limited to a fourth-or fifth-grade reading level. Added to this is the issue worldwide of immigrants and refugees making homes in countries and forming communities that may never use the native language. With these facts in mind, the use of one or more graphical symbols on a safety sign represents an important method to potentially communicate all or a
FIGURE 35.1. A safety label with Chinese text.
