The BSGA Corner
What is a British Standard? B
ritish Standards provide an agreed framework for good practice, safety
and consistency. They are not legislation, and compliance with a standard does not replace applicable legal duties. BS 559 is an important British Standard
for the signage industry, providing requirements and recommendations for the design, manufacture and installation of interior and exterior signs. BS 559-1:2023 is the current published
standard, covering design, manufacture and installation. BS 559-2 will extend the series to inspection and maintenance once signs are in service. The draft is progressing through the BSI standards process and, until published, should be treated as proposals rather than established requirements – together setting out a developing framework for signage from design through to ongoing maintenance.
BS 559-1: design, manufacture and installation BS 559-1:2023 replaced BS 559:2009 and came into effect in February 2023, covering the sign making process from pre-manufacture surveys and material selection through to design, manufacture and installation, considering factors such as service life, safety, environmental conditions and documentation. In practice, this means considering the
sign as a whole and how it will perform in its intended environment – material suitability, structural loading, fixings, foundations, working at height, weather conditions and the structure to which the sign is attached. Documentation is also important, providing a record of the sign and supporting its management throughout its service life.
BS 559-2: inspection and maintenance The BS 559-2 draft addresses what happens after signage has been installed, covering illuminated and non-illuminated signs, fixed and portable signs, digital displays and electronically changeable signs. Road traffic, fire safety, railway
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trackside and airside airport signs are excluded, as these are covered elsewhere. Signs, fixings and supporting structures
can deteriorate or change over time, and part two puts the condition of an in-service sign under much sharper focus, proposing a more structured approach to inspection and maintenance.
What could inspection and maintenance mean in practice? The draft takes a risk-based approach, with the level of inspection depending on the type and location of the sign, its age, condition, environmental exposure, accessibility and associated risk. A minimum physical, on-site inspection
is proposed annually, or within 12 months of the previous inspection or installation, with frequency increased where circumstances require. This is not simply about whether a sign remains presentable – it can extend to the sign itself, fixings, supporting structures, foundations, electrical systems and the surface it is fixed to, wherever deterioration could affect safety or stability. Competence is another key theme.
Inspectors would need: training, skills, experience and knowledge appropriate to the type, scale and complexity of the installation. Existing signage brings its own
challenges: where installation date, service life or inspection history cannot reasonably be established, an enhanced inspection regime is proposed – particularly relevant to those managing
larger or older signage estates with incomplete records.
What does this mean for sign owners and duty holders? One of the draft’s most significant aspects is its focus on responsibility once a sign is installed, through the concept of the sign holder – the person or organisation that assumes legal responsibility, whether a building owner, occupier, tenant or other appointed party. Where responsibility is shared
between landlord and tenant, sign safety and inspection duties should be clearly defined in writing through the relevant lease or management agreement. The practical starting point: know
what signs you have, their location, construction, installation date, condition, and who is responsible for their ongoing management. The draft also proposes that the
principal contractor or supplier provide information on recommended inspection frequency, scope and maintenance following installation, linking a sign’s design to its ongoing management as an asset, rather than something left until a problem arises. David Derbyshire, chair of the BSI
CPL/34/11 Electric Signs Committee, which oversees the BS 559 series, said: “Standards are most effective when they reflect the realities of how an industry operates. BS 559-2 has been developed with practical application in mind, helping to support safer outcomes, clearer responsibilities and improved long-term management of sign assets.”
September/October 2026 | 41 |
In this issue’s BSGA Corner, the BSGA’s technical committee helps shed light on what a British Standard is and how these frameworks affect the signage industry.
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