Harmful Vapours Warning Sign HS0064

Harmful Vapours Warning Sign HS0064

The HS0064 harmful vapours warning sign alerts crew and visiting personnel to spaces where toxic or noxious vapours may accumulate and pose a health risk if inhaled without protection. Following the format used across most ISO 7010 hazard pictograms, the artwork is the standard ISO 7010 pictogram for Harmful Vapours, instantly recognisable to seafarers regardless of first language. It is intended for fitting at the entrance to tank spaces, chemical stores, paint lockers, battery rooms and any compartment where fumes from cargo, fuel or maintenance chemicals could build up to dangerous concentrations.

HS0064 is part of Safety Sign Hub’s Hazard Signs range, giving vessel operators a consistent signage language across engine rooms, cargo holds and deck stores. This particular harmful vapours warning sign is most often specified for tank cleaning bays, cargo holds, paint and solvent lockers, and enclosed spaces where gas testing is required before entry. Fitting the correct hazard sign at each of these locations supports the vessel’s enclosed space entry procedures and gives watchkeepers and visiting contractors an immediate visual cue before they open a hatch or door.

Like every sign in the range, HS0064 is produced on rigid, UV-stable marine-grade material or as durable self-adhesive vinyl, with a photoluminescent option available for spaces where lighting may fail during an emergency. The substrate is formulated to withstand saltwater spray, humidity and the temperature swings typical of engine spaces and open decks, so the pictogram stays legible for the working life of the vessel.

Why Harmful Vapours Matter

Vapours from fuel, cargo residues, cleaning solvents and refrigerants can displace oxygen or carry toxic compounds that cause dizziness, respiratory damage or loss of consciousness within seconds in a confined space. Without a clearly posted harmful vapours warning sign, crew members and contractors may enter an affected compartment unprepared, without testing the atmosphere or donning breathing apparatus, turning a routine task into a medical emergency. Marking these locations clearly also supports the vessel’s risk assessments and permit-to-work systems, giving officers on safety rounds a fast way to confirm every known vapour hazard is signed, and giving new crew a reference point during induction.

Compliance and Certification

HS0064 reproduces a registered ISO 7010 safety sign, the internationally recognised system of graphical symbols maintained by the International Organization for Standardization to ensure hazard warnings are understood consistently across languages and jurisdictions; full technical detail on the standard is published at iso.org. Shipowners are expected to fit signage like this in line with general IMO guidance on shipboard safety signs and the broader safety obligations set out under SOLAS, and a harmful vapours warning sign at the entrance to an affected space is exactly what Port State Control officers and classification society surveyors look for during survey. Keeping this signage current and legible helps a vessel demonstrate an active safety culture rather than a paper-only compliance record.

Installation Recommendations

Mount HS0064 at eye level directly beside the access point to the hazardous space, rather than on the door itself where it may be obscured when open, and repeat the sign at any secondary or emergency access. In enclosed spaces subject to gas testing, position the sign so it is the last thing a person sees before crossing the coaming, and pair it with the vessel’s enclosed space entry checklist where practicable.

• Reproduces the registered ISO 7010 pictogram for accurate, internationally recognised hazard communication
• Available in rigid marine-grade panel, self-adhesive vinyl or photoluminescent formats
• Resists saltwater corrosion, UV fading and the humidity typical of shipboard environments
• Compact sizing suits doorways, hatches and coamings without obstructing access or sightlines
• Well suited to tank spaces, paint lockers, refrigerant rooms and other vapour-prone compartments

Order the HS0064 harmful vapours warning sign to keep every vapour-prone space on board clearly marked, and browse the full Hazard Signs range or our Fire Fighting Signs for further shipboard safety signage.