Test themes
Safety signs and pictograms: recognise them at a glance
The quiz mixes sign and hazardous product questions from the R489 bank. Signs are described by their shape, colour and symbol.
Independent site, not linked to the French Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie), the INRS, testing bodies or training centres.
Your score · R489 · forklifts
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Questions written by Radif Partners from the French Health Insurance recommendations. This is not the official test, which is sat at a certified testing body and is in French. Your answers stay in this browser.
In the theory test, signs are answered in a few seconds each, provided you know the code. Two families come up. Workplace health and safety signs, set by the French order of 4 November 1993, combine a shape and a colour: a circle crossed in red for a prohibition, a yellow triangle edged in black for a hazard, a blue circle for something mandatory, a green square or rectangle for first aid and escape, a red one for firefighting equipment. Hazard pictograms for chemicals, required by the European CLP regulation that applies the Globally Harmonised System (GHS, SGH in French), are red-bordered diamonds on a white background, nine in all. In R489, these topics are worth 6 points of the operation theme, which totals 50; in R486, signs and pictograms alone carry 4 points. The questions on this page were written by us and describe each sign in words.
How many points per theme in the R486 test?
Points in the test
54 / 100
| Minimum to score | 27 points |
| Syllabus points | 21 |
| Heaviest | Safety signs and pictograms (4) |
Questions, explanations and calculations by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Workplace safety signs
| Family | Shape | Colours | Examples on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prohibition | Round | Black symbol, white background, red edge and bar | No pedestrians, no smoking |
| Warning (hazard) | Triangular | Black symbol, yellow background, black edge | Forklift traffic, suspended loads |
| Mandatory | Round | White symbol on blue | Helmet, safety shoes, high-visibility vest |
| Rescue, first aid | Square or rectangular | White symbol on green | Emergency exit, first aid, safety shower |
| Firefighting equipment | Square or rectangular | White symbol on red | Extinguisher, fire hose reel |
Read the shape before the drawing: a triangle always announces a hazard, a circle a rule (forbidden in red, required in blue), a square useful information. Colour alone answers many questions. The reference text is the order of 4 November 1993, which transposes the European directive on workplace signs. Road signs found on building sites and traffic routes are covered on the traffic and signs page.
The nine hazard pictograms for chemicals
| Code | Symbol | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| GHS01 | Exploding bomb | Explosive |
| GHS02 | Flame | Flammable |
| GHS03 | Flame over a circle | Oxidising, feeds a fire |
| GHS04 | Gas cylinder | Gas under pressure |
| GHS05 | Liquid eating into a hand and a surface | Corrosive |
| GHS06 | Skull and crossbones | Acute toxicity |
| GHS07 | Exclamation mark | Irritant, harmful, narcotic effect |
| GHS08 | Silhouette with a starburst chest | Serious health hazard (carcinogenic, mutagenic…) |
| GHS09 | Dead tree and fish | Hazardous to aquatic life |
A forklift driver meets these labels on drums, cans, fuel tanks and batteries. The CLP regulation requires the red diamond on every package sold in the Union. For handling, two habits: check that containers are sealed and secured before lifting, and know what to do after a spill. A corrosive leaking onto a pallet is never cleaned with bare hands; a flammable product is kept away from heat, including a combustion engine.
How many points, recommendation by recommendation
| Recommendation | Syllabus points concerned | Points in the test |
|---|---|---|
| R489 | Safety signs and pictograms; Hazardous product pictograms; Handling hazardous products | 6 |
| R485 | Safety signs and pictograms; Hazardous product pictograms; Handling hazardous products | 4 |
| R486 | Safety signs and pictograms | 4 |
| R482 | Pictograms and warning signal words; Signs and signals | 4 |
The mini tool below shows, theme by theme, the weight of each part of the R489 test and the minimum to score in it. These few sign points are among the easiest to secure: a handful of sessions is enough to stop dropping any. The R489, R485, R486 and R482 recommendations all include them in their syllabus.
How many points per theme in the R489 test?
Points in the test
50 / 100
| Minimum to score | 25 points |
| Syllabus points | 19 |
| Heaviest | Main causes of lift truck accidents (5) |
Method for test day
- Read the shape: triangle, circle, square or diamond. It rules out half the answers.
- Read the colour: red with a bar, blue, yellow, green or solid red.
- Only then look at the symbol to choose between the remaining answers.
The real test is in French, so learn the key words: interdiction (prohibition), obligation (mandatory), danger (warning), secours (first aid). To practise across the whole bank, use the questions and answers or the mock exam for your recommendation.