High voltage symbol
A warning of electrical danger, such as high voltage.
Easily confused with
How to read it
In Great Britain the sign is a warning triangle, Danger: electricity. In the United States, OSHA requires permanent warning signs reading substantially “DANGER - HIGH VOLTAGE - KEEP OUT” at the entrances to spaces with electric equipment over 600 volts, and “High Voltage” is one of its examples of the message on an accident prevention tag.
Also searched as: danger high voltage, electrical hazard symbol.
These identify the hazard a sign warns of. For what to do in a hazard area, follow the site’s own signs, instructions and trained staff.
Danger or caution
On US workplace signs the signal word sets the level. OSHA's construction rule allows danger signs only where an immediate hazard exists: red predominates in the upper panel, with a black outline and a white lower panel for the wording. Caution signs warn of potential hazards and are yellow with a black upper panel. Both follow designs in ANSI Z535.2-2011 or the older ANSI Z35.1-1968.
Words or picture
OSHA's tag rule gives "High Voltage" as an example of a tag's main message, written out or shown as a pictograph, with text or alone. The British regulations define the sign by its picture: a black pictogram on a yellow triangle with black edging, yellow at least half its area.
Read next
More hazard warning signs
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with arrows or triangles.
Sources
- The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, Schedule 1, SI 1996/341, legislation.gov.uk (UK Government)
- Electrical: general (29 CFR 1910.303), 29 CFR 1910.303, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1910.303(h)(5)(iii)(B)
- Specifications for accident prevention signs and tags (29 CFR 1910.145), 29 CFR 1910.145, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1910.145(f)(2); 1910.145(b), (f)(2)
- Accident prevention signs and tags (29 CFR 1926.200), 29 CFR 1926.200, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1926.200(b), (c)
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed October 3, 2026. How we research
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