Breathing Apparatus Sign

Breathing Apparatus Sign – SOLAS Life Saving Appliance LA0060

Emergency breathing apparatus is one of the most time-critical pieces of safety equipment carried aboard a SOLAS-classed vessel, and crew must be able to locate a set the instant smoke, toxic fumes, or an oxygen-deficient atmosphere is detected. The LA0060 breathing apparatus sign is the photoluminescent marker that identifies its stowage point: a green background carrying the internationally recognised full-face mask pictogram paired with the bold “BREATHING APPARATUS” text designation, glowing brightly enough to guide a crew member to the equipment even after main lighting has failed.

Combining pictogram and wording removes any ambiguity about what is stowed at that locker, which matters enormously in an emergency where seconds count and a crew member may only get a quick glance while moving through a smoke-filled alleyway. That dual clarity is exactly why SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code call for this style of marking at every life-saving station aboard a vessel, and it is why shipowners standardise on the same sign fleet-wide.

Why Breathing Apparatus Signs Matter

Breathing apparatus is only useful if it can be found and donned within seconds of an alarm. In a fire, chemical release, or confined-space emergency, a crew member searching a corridor or engine-room platform should not have to guess which locker holds the nearest set. The breathing apparatus sign removes that guesswork, turning a frantic search into a direct sightline to lifesaving equipment. This is especially critical on vessels where breathing apparatus lockers are distributed across multiple deck levels and machinery spaces.

The sign also plays a role well beyond the moment of an incident. During musters, fire drills, and flag-state or class surveys, inspectors check that every breathing apparatus stowage point is correctly marked and matches the vessel’s fire and safety plan. A missing or faded breathing apparatus sign is a common finding on port state control inspections, and rectifying it after the fact is far more disruptive than fitting a compliant sign during the original outfit.

Compliance and Certification

This sign is manufactured to the pictogram-and-wording format required under SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code, which set out the equipment carriage and marking requirements for life-saving appliances on ships of all classes. The photoluminescent substrate meets IMO photoluminescence performance standards, meaning the sign continues to glow for an extended period after the loss of ambient light, satisfying low-location and emergency-lighting marking expectations that class societies look for during survey.

Using the correct, unaltered pictogram and wording also keeps a vessel’s fire and safety plan consistent with what is physically fitted onboard. Safety plans, muster lists, and crew familiarisation drills all reference standard symbols, so a sign that departs from the recognised breathing apparatus icon can create confusion during an audit or, worse, during an actual emergency response.

Installation Recommendations

Mount the LA0060 sign directly above or immediately adjacent to the breathing apparatus locker it identifies, at a height and angle that keeps it visible from the main walking line in that alleyway, engine room platform, or machinery space. Position the sign clear of pipework, cable trays, or ventilation trunking that could shadow it, since photoluminescent material needs direct exposure to ambient or emergency lighting to charge properly.

Clean the surface before fitting with marine-grade adhesive or mechanical fixings appropriate to the substrate — painted steel, GRP, or aluminium bulkhead — and avoid overlapping the sign with cabling, fire hoses, or other equipment that could obscure it in service.

• Standard sizing to match IMO sign format requirements, with larger formats available for engine rooms and machinery spaces
• Photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) pigment for visibility during blackout or smoke-obscured conditions
• UV-stable and saltwater-resistant construction rated for continuous exterior marine exposure
• Self-adhesive backing plus optional screw-fixing points for secure mounting on vertical or curved surfaces
• Rigid, corrosion-resistant substrate that resists cracking and fading through repeated weather cycling

Fit LA0060 wherever breathing apparatus is stowed and keep a spare in the ship’s safety locker so a damaged sign can be replaced without delay — a small, inexpensive item that keeps a vessel’s life-saving equipment easy to find and audit-ready.

Breathing apparatus signage is one part of a complete life-saving and emergency marking package. Explore our Hazard Signs range for onboard hazard identification, or the Fire Fighting Signs range to complete marking of fire-fighting stations and appliances throughout the vessel.