What is ISO 20712-3 about?
ISO 20712 discusses water safety signs and beach safety flags. ISO 20712-3 is the third part of the multi-series on water safety signs and beach safety flags that gives guidance for the selection and use of water safety signs as specified in ISO 7010 and beach safety flags as specified in ISO 20712-2 in aquatic environments.
ISO 20712-3 provides guidance on their location, mounting positions, lighting, and maintenance. ISO 20712-3 also provides guidance on the design and location of multiple signs.
Note 1: ISO 20712-3 does not apply to traffic signs for use on the public highway or maritime signalling.
Note 2: ISO 20712-3 does not apply to flags for use on firing ranges or to flags used to indicate water quality.
Note 3: ISO 20712-3 does not cover means of escape signs and their illumination which may be present.
Who is ISO 20712-3 for?
ISO 20712-3 on water safety signs and beach safety flags is useful for:
- Beach management bodies
- Water park management
- Swimming pool management
- Safety bodies
- Government bodies and civic authorities
Why should you use ISO 20712-3?
ISO 20712-3 reflects best practices in the use of water safety signs and beach safety flags. The illustrations in the document show examples of the selection and location of water safety signs and beach safety flags designed to provide information about aquatic hazards and the action necessary to avoid those hazards. ISO 20712-3 ensures a uniformity of application of water safety signs and beach safety flags that leads to increased familiarity, and therefore improved safety, for the users. These include visitors and the public.
ISO 20712-3 provides illustrations that are based on assumptions that some of the people may be unfamiliar with the features of indoor or outdoor swimming pools or of the beach. The use of water safety signs and beach safety flags does not replace the need for proper working methods and safety instructions or for training in accident prevention and the actions to be taken in the event of an emergency, or for the provision of lifeguards.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS ISO 20712-3:2020 supersedes BS ISO 20712-3:2014, which is withdrawn. The main changes compared to the previous version are as follows:
- References to ISO 20712-1 replaced with ISO 7010 as water safety signs with new registration numbers have been incorporated in ISO 7010
- All four references in Clause 2 moved to the Bibliography as these are informative
- 3.3, 'distance factor’ added as an admitted term
- Notes in 5.2, 6.5, Annex D and Annex E changed to the body text
- Minor editorial changes
