ISO 7010 Pictograms: Complete List

ISO 7010 is published internationally by ISO. It is adopted without substantive change at European level as EN ISO 7010, then transposed by each member country's standards body: NF EN ISO 7010 in France (AFNOR), DIN EN ISO 7010 in Germany, ÖNORM EN ISO 7010 in Austria, BS EN ISO 7010 in the United Kingdom. These titles designate the same set of pictograms: a symbol that complies with ISO 7010 complies throughout Europe.

ISO 7010 standardizes the shape, color and alphanumeric code of each pictogram; it says nothing about the document it appears on. NF X08-070 covers the content and layout of evacuation and intervention plans, and ISO 23601 their structure. The legal obligation does not come from the standard itself but from the French Labor Code (articles R. 4224-23 and R. 4224-24) and the order of 4 November 1993, which set the characteristics of safety signage.

Before ISO 7010, France used its national NF X 08-003 standard, whose symbols differed from international norms. Today, workplace safety signage follows the order of 4 November 1993, issued under article R. 4224-24 of the French Labor Code, and ISO 7010 pictograms, transposed as NF EN ISO 7010, are the reference. Older NF X 08-003 signs should be replaced whenever signage is renewed.

Standardized safety signage applies to any professional or public setting: Public-Access Establishments (ERP), workplaces under the French Labor Code (article R. 4224-24), High-Rise Buildings (IGH), classified industrial facilities (ICPE), construction sites and public transport. On an evacuation plan designed to ISO 23601 and NF X08-070, the symbols used are ISO 7010 pictograms.

ISO 3864-1 defines the color code applied by ISO 7010. Each color carries a specific meaning and is never interchangeable. Pantone and RAL values are strict to ensure immediate recognition under low-light conditions and for color-blind users (with shape contrast as a complement).

• Green (RAL 6032 / Pantone 348) : Indicates safety, return-to-normal, emergency exits, rescue and first aid. Reserved exclusively for evacuation and personal rescue.
• Red (RAL 3001 / Pantone 485) : Indicates danger or prohibition. Used for fire safety equipment (extinguishers, hose reels, alarms) and prohibition pictograms (crossed circle).
• Blue (RAL 5005 / Pantone 286) : Indicates a mandatory action or PPE requirement (helmet, goggles, safety footwear). Exclusive to M (Mandatory) pictograms — white symbol on a solid blue circle.
• Yellow (RAL 1003 / Pantone 109) : Indicates a warning or potential risk requiring attention without immediate action. Yellow triangle with black border and black symbol. Covers chemical, electrical, biological, mechanical and thermal hazards.

Shape reinforces the color code and enables immediate identification even when colors cannot be distinguished (useful for color-blind users and emergency lighting).

• Green square or rectangle : Evacuation, rescue, first aid. White pictogram on solid green. Category E.
• Red circle with diagonal bar : Prohibition. Black pictogram on white background, red circle and bar. Category P (Prohibition).
• Solid blue circle : Obligation. White pictogram on solid blue. Category M (Mandatory).
• Yellow triangle with black border : Warning. Black pictogram on yellow. Category W (Warning).
• Red square or rectangle : Fire safety equipment (extinguishers, hose reels, alarms). White pictogram on solid red. Category F.

Beyond color and shape, ISO 7010 imposes strict proportional rules: the pictogram must occupy roughly 80% of the usable surface, the border thickness must be proportional (typically 8-10% of diameter for circles), and any associated text is supplementary and never replaces the pictogram. Minimum display size depends on viewing distance: practical rule = 1 cm height per 1 m of distance (minimum 100 mm side for pictograms displayed at 10 m).

Four quick verification criteria: 1) The pictogram code (E001 to E024, F001 to F010, P001 to P063, M001 to M060, W001 to W085) must be recognized by the standard. 2) Colors must match the listed Pantone/RAL values. 3) Shapes (square E/F, crossed circle P, solid circle M, triangle W) must be strictly applied. 4) The pictogram must be legible at the planned viewing distance. Pictograms downloaded online without an official source are rarely compliant: approximate colors, modified proportions, non-existent codes. Use a reliable library such as the one built into Fabrik (250+ pictograms, including the ISO 7010 evacuation, fire and mandatory action signs).

Missing or non-compliant safety signage exposes the operator on several fronts. The safety commission may issue an unfavorable opinion, delay the opening of an ERP or lead to its closure until compliance. In workplaces, an employer who personally breaches the rules on the use of workplaces, signage included, faces a €10,000 fine applied once per worker concerned (Labor Code article L. 4741-1). In the event of an accident, criminal liability may be engaged (Penal Code article 121-3).