The design of safety signs for products has been influenced for many years by standards originally
developed for accident prevention signs to be used in the general environment. As product safety signs
evolved, some basic differences developed between their characteristics and those of environmental
safety signs: Environmental safety signs are usually larger, observed at longer distances, and frequently
contain lesser amounts of information for visual clarity at a distance. Product safety signs are likely to
contain more information within a smaller format, are usually observed at closer distances, and must
physically and visually integrate with a wide range of product size, shape, and color characteristics.
Attempts by product manufacturers to address these variable characteristics have produced numerous
approaches to the graphic treatment of such signs.
This standard sets forth a hazard communication system developed specifically for product safety signs and labels. It consolidates a number of previous graphic approaches into a common design direction
carefully selected to present product hazard information in an orderly and visually consistent manner for
effective communication.
The ANSI Z535.4 standard developed for Product Safety Signs and Labels complements the ANSI
Z535.2 standard developed for Environmental and Facility Safety Signs. These standards are similar in
many respects. However, they each address different physical and visual requirements as noted above.
As a result, the Accredited Standards Committee Z535 has recognized and affirmed the need for these
two separate standards.

ANSI Z535.4-2011 (R2017) sets forth performance requirements for the design, application, use, and placement of
safety signs and labels intended to identify potential hazards for persons using, operating, servicing, or in
proximity to, a wide variety of products.