Fire Equipment Location & Fire Door Signs Explained
Fire equipment is only useful if somebody can find it in the ninety seconds they have to reach it, and a fire door only works if it is shut. Both of those depend on signage, and both are governed by rules more specific than most sites realise. Extinguisher signs have a mounting height and a viewing distance set by an Australian Standard. Fire door signs have wording set by the building code, and the wording changes depending on how the door closes. This guide covers what each sign has to do and where it goes. It builds on our broader guide to fire safety signs for Australian workplaces, and you can browse the full fire signs range to see the formats.
What are fire equipment location signs?
A fire equipment location sign marks where a piece of firefighting equipment is, so it can be found from a distance and from any direction of approach. They cover extinguishers, fire blankets, hose reels, hydrants and fire indicator panels, and they follow the fire sign convention: white symbols and lettering on a red field.
The point of the sign is height. An extinguisher sitting on the floor disappears behind a pallet, a trolley or a stack of cartons within a week of anybody moving in. A location sign mounted well above it stays visible over whatever ends up in front of it, which is exactly why the standard puts a number on how high it goes. In a distribution centre it works the same way as the rest of your high-level marking; see our guide to warehouse warning signs for distribution centres.
What AS 2444 requires for extinguisher and blanket signs
AS 2444-2001 Portable fire extinguishers and fire blankets: Selection and location is the standard that governs where portable equipment goes and how it is marked. It was reconfirmed in 2021, so the 2001 edition remains current.
- Mounting height: the location sign goes directly above the extinguisher with its bottom edge at least 2,000 mm above the floor.
- Visibility: the extinguisher or its location sign should be clearly visible from up to 20 metres on approach, from every direction people arrive from.
- Colours: white symbol, border and lettering on a red field, with the colours to AS 2700.
- One sign per position: a single sign gesturing at a general “fire equipment area” does not identify each unit the way the standard intends.
Fire blankets follow the same logic in commercial kitchens and workshops: a location sign above the blanket, high enough to be seen over benches and racking. Servicing and record-keeping for all of this sits under AS 1851, which is a separate exercise from the signage itself.
Location signs vs identification signs vs fire door signs
Three different fire signs get lumped together as “fire signage”. They answer different questions:
- Location sign: where is it? The high-mounted red sign that leads someone to the equipment from across a room.
- Identification sign: what is it, and what can I use it on? Mounted at the extinguisher itself, it identifies the extinguisher type and the classes of fire it suits and does not suit. This is the one that stops somebody putting water on an electrical fire.
- Fire door sign: what must I not do to this door? Statutory wording on the door leaf, dealt with below.
Hydrants and hose reels have their own marking rules again. Under AS 2419.1, the words FIRE HYDRANT are marked on each hydrant cabinet, enclosure and recess in a colour contrasting with the background, at 75 mm lettering externally and 50 mm internally. Where a fire hose reel to AS/NZS 1221 shares the cabinet, the marking covers both, naming FIRE HYDRANT and HOSE REEL together. Exit and evacuation signage runs on a different standard again; see our guide to emergency and exit signs under AS 2293.
Fire door signs: the wording depends on the door
Fire door signage is set by the National Construction Code, in Volume One clause D3D28 Signs on doors (D2.23 in older BCA editions). The wording is not a matter of preference, because it changes with how the door is held:
- Self-closing fire or smoke door: FIRE SAFETY DOOR. DO NOT OBSTRUCT. DO NOT KEEP OPEN. The door is meant to sit closed, so wedging it is the risk being signed against.
- Door held open by an automatic closing device: FIRE SAFETY DOOR. DO NOT OBSTRUCT. The door is supposed to stand open and release on alarm, so “do not keep open” would contradict its function.
- Door discharging from a fire-isolated exit to a road or open space: FIRE SAFETY DOOR. DO NOT OBSTRUCT. displayed on both sides of the door.
The code sets the lettering as capital letters not less than 20 mm high, in a colour contrasting with the background. Note the exact phrase: the code says FIRE SAFETY DOOR, not simply “fire door”. Where a sign is doing statutory duty in a Class 2 to 9 building, use the code wording. Fire doors in tenancies and corridors are the ones that get propped open with a bin, so pair the signage with the rest of your office and workplace safety signage. Browse the fire door signs and text range for the compliant formats, including the door-identification text that goes alongside them.
Fire signage checklist
- Every extinguisher and fire blanket has its own location sign, not a shared one
- Location signs sit directly above the equipment with the bottom edge at least 2,000 mm above the floor
- Each position is visible from up to 20 m from every direction people approach from
- Identification signs at the extinguisher state the type and the fire classes it suits
- Hydrant cabinets and hose reel enclosures are marked with contrasting lettering at the right size
- Fire door wording matches how the door closes: self-closing, held open, or discharging to open space
- Fire door signs use capital letters at least 20 mm high in a contrasting colour
- Signs are fixed to the door leaf where possible, unobstructed by handles or glazing
- Nothing is stored under a sign, in front of equipment or against a fire door
- Signage is re-checked whenever racking, partitions or fit-out change the sight lines
* This checklist is provided as a general guide only. Fire safety requirements vary with building classification, occupancy and jurisdiction, and the standards and code provisions referenced here are revised from time to time. Always consult the current standard, your building surveyor or fire safety practitioner, and your state fire authority for your specific building.
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Extinguisher, hose reel, hydrant and fire door signs in metal, poly and self-adhesive, made in Australia.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended as general guidance only. Fire safety and signage obligations depend on building classification, occupancy and jurisdiction, and the Australian Standards and National Construction Code provisions referenced here are revised from time to time. Always consult the current standard, a qualified building surveyor or fire safety practitioner, and your state fire authority to ensure compliance for your specific building and circumstances.
