Elevator Fire Sign

Do Not Use Elevator In Case Of Fire Sign

This elevator fire sign is a worded prohibition notice fitted beside lift call buttons and lobby doors on vessels equipped with a passenger or crew elevator, instructing everyone to use the stairs rather than the lift if a fire alarm sounds. It is typically mounted at every deck landing where the elevator door opens, at a height easily read while approaching the call button, so anyone reaching for the lift during an emergency is redirected to the nearest stairwell instead. Cruise ships, ferries, and larger vessels with multi-deck accommodation blocks rely on this sign to reinforce evacuation procedures at the exact point a mistaken choice could trap someone between decks.

Unlike a pictogram-only prohibition symbol, this is a worded rectangular sign that pairs a crossed-out lift graphic showing flames with the explicit text “Do not use in case of fire”, spelling the instruction out in full rather than relying on the symbol alone. This combined text-and-graphic format is used specifically because the consequence of misreading a pictogram-only version in a smoke-filled corridor is far more serious than for a routine prohibition, so the wording removes any doubt about what action to take. Safety Sign Hub stocks this worded version separately from the plain pictogram design, and it is held ready for despatch to marine suppliers and ship chandlers outfitting evacuation signage packages.

Positioning This Sign Near Lift Lobbies

This elevator fire sign belongs at every deck’s lift lobby, not just at the main embarkation deck, since a fire could break out on any level and passengers or crew need the same reminder wherever they happen to be standing when the alarm sounds. It is often installed alongside a deck evacuation plan and directional signage pointing to the nearest stairwell, giving anyone reading it both the prohibition and the alternative route in one glance. On passenger vessels in particular, where guests may be unfamiliar with the ship’s layout, this worded reminder is considered more effective than a pictogram alone because it removes any ambiguity for someone who has never seen a maritime prohibition symbol before and is reacting under stress.

Safety Sign Hub produces this elevator fire sign from fire-retardant, self-extinguishing material, an appropriate specification given the sign’s own purpose is tied directly to fire safety and evacuation. The printed text and pictogram are set in UV-stable ink so the wording remains crisp under the frequent lighting found in accommodation lobbies and stairwells, and a photoluminescent version is available so the instruction stays visible if main power and emergency lighting are both compromised during an incident. Panels are sized to sit neatly beside standard lift call button plates, and the surface is finished to resist scuffing from passenger traffic passing close by every day.

This sign is available as a self-adhesive label suited to direct application beside a lift door frame, and as a rigid panel for a more permanent fixing on a bulkhead or lobby wall. Both formats carry identical wording and pictogram artwork, so replacing a damaged sign on any deck is a simple matter of reordering the same item. Vessels reviewing their evacuation signage often check the wider prohibition signs range at the same time, since fire safety notices are frequently updated together during a signage audit.

Supporting Fire Evacuation Procedures

Fire evacuation signage that follows consistent graphical and textual conventions, in line with the approach detailed by Safe Work Australia for emergency signage, helps ensure passengers and crew respond correctly under the stress of an actual alarm rather than pausing to interpret an unfamiliar notice. Fleet operators running multiple vessels with different deck layouts benefit from specifying the same worded elevator fire sign throughout, so crew transferring between ships and returning passengers on sister vessels encounter an identical instruction at every lift lobby they pass.

During fire drills, crew often walk passengers past these signs as part of the muster demonstration, reinforcing why the lift must never be used during a real fire, since power to the shaft can fail mid-transit and trap occupants between decks. Checking that every lift lobby still displays a legible sign is a routine item on many vessels’ monthly safety rounds, since these signs sit in high-traffic areas and suffer more wear than notices in crew-only spaces.

Mount this elevator fire sign beside elevator entrances to instruct occupants to use stairwells during a fire emergency instead. Browse our full range of Prohibition Signs for more IMO-compliant maritime safety signage.