No Open Flame Sign

No Open Flame Sign

Naked flames, matches, cigarette lighters and other open ignition sources are among the most consistent causes of fire and explosion aboard ships, in engine rooms, tank spaces and cargo holds. A no open flame sign gives crew, contractors and visiting personnel an instant, language-independent warning that any source of open fire is strictly forbidden in the area, whether that risk comes from flammable vapours, oxygen-enriched atmospheres, stored fuel, paint lockers or explosive cargo residues.

This sign follows the internationally recognised ISO 7010 pictogram format: a red circular band and diagonal bar over a black flame symbol on a white background. Because the design is standardised worldwide, a no open flame sign is understood by seafarers, stevedores and port workers regardless of their first language, which is exactly why the pictogram approach is favoured over word-only notices on multilingual vessels and in busy Australian ports.

Where This Prohibition Sign Belongs Onboard

Fit a no open flame sign at the entrance to fuel bunkering stations, paint and chemical stores, battery charging rooms, gas cylinder lockers, tank tops, pump rooms and anywhere flammable or explosive atmospheres can accumulate. Under AS 1319, the Australian Standard for safety signs in workplaces, prohibition signage of this kind must be positioned where it is clearly visible before a person enters the hazardous zone, not after, so mount it at eye level on doors, bulkheads or hatch coamings leading into the restricted space.

Safety Sign Hub manufactures this no open flame sign in a durable, fire-retardant photoluminescent substrate that charges under ambient or emergency lighting and continues glowing for hours if power is lost, smoke fills a compartment, or a generator fails during an incident. That self-luminous performance matters most in the exact moment an open flame ban matters most: a blackout during a fire or gas release, when standard printed signage becomes invisible and crew must still identify safe routes and hazard boundaries by sign alone.

Ordering by IMPA and ISSA Code

Ship chandlers, marine suppliers and vessel superintendents typically order safety signage against a recognised marine catalogue code rather than a product description, which is why this no open flame sign is listed against IMPA code 33.8501 and ISSA code 47.585.01. Quoting either code when placing a purchase order through a chandler or procurement portal ensures the correct pictogram, size and material specification is supplied without ambiguity, which is particularly useful when signage is being reordered for sister vessels or restocked during a scheduled dry dock.

Safety Sign Hub supplies this no open flame sign to Australian-flagged vessels, port facilities, marinas and shore-based industrial sites that store flammable liquids or operate in classified hazardous zones. For further background on how prohibition pictograms are structured and applied under the international standard, see the ISO 7010 safety sign standard overview. Choosing a compliant, photoluminescent no open flame sign is a small investment against a fire risk that can otherwise escalate very quickly in an enclosed marine environment.

Vessel safety officers conducting pre-departure inspections, port state control reviews or internal ISM audits will typically check that a no open flame sign is present, legible and correctly positioned at every identified ignition-risk boundary, since missing or faded signage is a common finding during compliance checks. Rigid PVC and self-adhesive vinyl formats are both available so the sign can be fixed to painted steel bulkheads, glass partitions, or hatch covers without corroding fasteners or trapping moisture behind the substrate, a detail that matters in the corrosive, humid conditions typical of engine spaces and tank decks.

Because flammable atmospheres rarely announce themselves visually, consistent use of the same no open flame sign across sister ships, terminals and contractor sites builds recognition over time, reducing the chance that a fatigued or unfamiliar crew member misreads or overlooks the warning. Ordering a full set for a vessel refit or new-build fit-out is straightforward once the IMPA or ISSA reference is on hand, letting procurement teams standardise signage across an entire fleet from a single catalogue line.

Browse our full range of prohibition signs for more IMO-compliant maritime safety signage.