33

Table B1
Examples of Word Message Letter Heights and Minimum Safe Viewing Distances
Minimum Safe Viewing
Distance

Minimum Letter Height
for FAVORABLE
Reading Conditions
Recommended Letter
Height for FAVORABLE
Reading Conditions
Recommended Letter
Height for UNFAVORABLE
Reading Conditions

point
size
in mm
point
size
in mm
point
size
in mm
1 foot or less

(30 cm) 8
a
.08
a
2.0
a
8 .08 2.0 8.4 .084 2.13
2 feet (60 cm) 10 .10 2.5 16 .16 4.1 16.8 .168 4.26
3 feet (90 cm) 12 .12 3.0 19 .19 4.8 25.2 .252 6.40
4 feet (120 cm) 14 .14 3.6 22 .22 5.6 33.6 .336 8.53
5 feet (150 cm) 16 .16 4.1 25 .25 6.4 42.0 .420 10.67
6 feet (180 cm) 18 .18 4.6 28 .28 7.1 50.4 .504 12.80
7 feet (210 cm) 20 .20 5.1 31 .31 7.9 58.8 .588 14.94
8 feet (240 cm) 22 .22 5.6 34 .34 8.6 67.2 .672 17.07
a
8 point (.08 in, 2.0 mm) type is the suggested minimum type size for use on product safety signs, except for small products
where 6 point (.06 in, 1.5 mm) type size may be used.

Minimum Safe
Viewing Distance
1

Minimum Letter Height for FAVORABLE
Reading Conditions
Recommended Letter Height for
UNFAVORABLE Reading Conditions
(ft) (m) (point size) (in) (cm) (point size) (in) (cm)
4 1.2 16
2
0.16
2
0.4
2
33 0.33 0.8
6 1.8 24 0.24 0.6 50 0.50 1.3
8 2.4 32 0.32 0.8 66 0.66 1.7
10 3.0 40 0.40 1.0 83 0.83 2.1
15 4.6 60 0.60 1.5 127 1.27 3.2
20 6.1 80 0.80 2.0 168 1.68 4.3
30 9.1 120 1.20 3.0 251 2.51 6.4
40 12.2 160 1.60 4.1 336 3.36 8.5
60 18.3 240 2.40 6.1 504 5.04 12.8
80 24.4 320 3.20 8.1 672 6.72 17.1
100 30.5 400 4.00 10.2 840 8.40 21.3
125 38.1 500 5.00 12.7 1049 10.49 26.6
150 45.7 600 6.00 15.2 1258 12.58 32.0
200 61.0 800 8.00 20.3 1679 16.79 42.7
1
The minimum safe viewing distance refers to the closest distance a person can be to the sign and still have time to follow the
safety sign's message to avoid the hazard.

2
16 point (.16 in, 0.4 cm) type is the suggested minimum type size for use on environmental and facility safety signs.
a
8 point (.08 in, 2.0 mm) type is the suggested minimum type size for use on product safety signs, except for small products where
6 point (.06 in, 1.5 mm) type size may be used.

B4 The use of safety symbol s
Well-designed safety symbols can often communicate hazard information quickly and across language
and literacy barriers. This standard allows for signs with a word-message-only format, a symbol-only
format, or a combination of symbols and text. When deciding whether or not to use safety symbols to
complement or replace words, factors to consider include the risk of critical confusion, the clarity and