Do Not Extinguish With Water Sign

Do Not Extinguish With Water Sign

An extinguish with water sign of this kind is fitted near electrical switchboards, transformer rooms, and chemical or flammable liquid stores to warn crew that water must never be used to fight a fire in that location. Using water on live electrical equipment risks electrocution, while applying it to burning oils, fats, or certain chemicals can cause the fire to spread violently rather than go out. Displayed above fire points, extinguisher cabinets, and equipment rooms where water-based suppression would be dangerous, the sign gives firefighting teams an instant warning before they reach for the nearest hose or bucket during an emergency.

The pictogram follows the ISO 7010 prohibition format: a black flame with a water droplet, crossed through with the standard red circle and diagonal bar on a white background. This extinguish with water sign is immediately understood by crew regardless of language, which is critical in the seconds after a fire is discovered. It carries IMPA code 33.8563 and ISSA code 47.585.63, the catalogue codes ship chandlers and marine suppliers rely on for reordering fire safety signage. Safety Sign Hub stocks this sign ready for despatch to vessels, agents, and marine equipment suppliers.

Marking Electrical and Chemical Fire Risk Areas

This sign is most often fitted in engine control rooms, switchboard rooms, battery lockers, and paint or chemical stores, anywhere a fire could involve live electrical equipment or reactive substances. It should be positioned so it is visible before a crew member reaches for a fire extinguisher or hose, ideally alongside instructions on which extinguisher type – typically CO2 or dry powder – is appropriate for that space instead. Fire teams conducting drills should treat the sign as part of their pre-emergency briefing, confirming its location during musters so the correct response is automatic under pressure. Fitting it as part of a vessel’s full range of prohibition signs helps keep fire safety signage consistent across every deck and machinery space.

Manufactured on fire-retardant material with a photoluminescent option, this sign remains visible even if power and general lighting are lost during a fire, exactly the moment its warning matters most. UV-stable printing and a protective laminate resist the heat, oil, and humidity typical of engine rooms and switchboard spaces, so the pictogram will not fade, bubble, or peel with age. This resilience is important because fire safety signage is inspected regularly during vessel surveys, and a damaged or illegible extinguish with water sign can raise questions during a safety audit that a durable, well-maintained sign avoids entirely.

Available as a self-adhesive label for direct application to switchboard doors and equipment casings, or as a rigid panel for bulkhead mounting near fire points, this sign carries the same IMPA 33.8563 and ISSA 47.585.63 codes in both formats. That means ship’s stores can reorder confidently using either code, without needing to specify which physical format was previously fitted, simplifying stock control for fire safety signage across a fleet of vessels with different mounting requirements.

Supporting Shipboard Fire Response Planning

Clear fire hazard signage supports the risk control guidance published by Safe Work Australia and mirrors the pictogram conventions of AS 1319 and ISO 7010, giving crew a single, internationally recognised way to identify fire risks that need special handling. Fitting the same sign style across sister vessels means a firefighting team transferring between ships already knows what a red circle-and-bar fire pictogram means, without needing to relearn a different local convention. This consistency is especially valuable during joint musters or when relief crew join partway through a voyage.

During annual fire safety surveys, many chief officers walk the vessel checking that every switchboard room, chemical store, and electrical space carrying this risk has the correct sign fitted and undamaged, updating the fire safety plan drawing if a space has changed use since the last inspection. It is also worth briefing new crew on sign locations during their onboard familiarisation, rather than assuming everyone will recognise the pictogram immediately in an emergency. Keeping spare signs in the fire locker alongside extinguishers and hoses means a damaged or missing sign can be replaced during routine rounds rather than waiting for the next port call.