What are Regulatory Signs?

 A resident of the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, IL, Mike Loftus is a business leader with a career spanning two decades. He serves as the president of the Elmhurst-based company MLE Merchandising and Sign Solutions. Under Mike Loftus’ supervision, MLE has become a recognized provider of branding services, including printing, installation, and sign production.

Regulatory signs are a crucial part of organizing any service space, such as an airport, a factory, or a hospital. These are one of the four main categories of wayfinding signage and they primarily set boundaries and enforce safety and privacy measures. Such signs are generally bold, placed in highly visible locations, and unambiguously phrased, like a ‘Caution! High Voltage’ sign by a generator room or a ‘No Smoking’ sign at the entrance of and inside a restaurant.

A space needs regulatory signage if it is dealing with high-risk products or confidential information. Signs like ‘Employees Only’ and ‘Hard Hat Area’ demarcate where visitors are or aren’t allowed, and ensure that they can follow relevant safety instructions on-site, without needing full knowledge of the rules and regulations. They also control access and traffic, such as a ‘No Visitors after 7pm’ sign in a hospital. Even regular users of a space benefit from regulatory signage since one can implement instructions immediately instead of waiting on a company update, for instance. These also serve as liability protection in case someone does breach a restricted area or chooses not to comply with specified precautionary measures.