Extent and Introduction
The Obligations of Membership set out below and any alterations or additions thereto which may be made from time to time in accordance with the Articles of Association shall be binding on and be observed, in letter and spirit, by every Member and the word "member" in these obligations and any alterations or additions shall be construed accordingly.

Memorandum 3c of the Association states that one of its objects shall be to "promote a high standard of quality, design, workmanship and good commercial practice within the sign industry."

In compliance with this clause the Association will from time to time prepare and publish Technical Guidelines in regard to signs and materials used in the manufacture of signs and will take any other steps that may be desirable in order to provide standards of size, quality and practice for the guidance of sign makers.

1. BSGA Emblem
No emblem other than the BSGA emblem approved by Council shall be used by members to indicate membership of the Association. When used by Affiliate members the word AFFILIATE should appear immediately beneath the emblem. When used by Associate members the word ASSOCIATE shall appear immediately beneath the emblem. When used by independent installer members the word INSTALLER shall appear immediately beneath the emblem.

2. Planning - General
Members shall at all times ensure that customers are aware of their statutory obligations under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1994 or any regulations superseding those Regulations. Customers should be advised of any local regulations or controls of which the member has knowledge, but members are not expected to be responsible for customers’ obligations in respect of tenancy agreements, landlords’ controls and the like.

3. Statutory Requirements
Signs and work carried out on sign installations shall comply with the following legislation:
a) The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) (79/23/EEC) as amended by (93/68/EEC)
b) The Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMCD) (89/336/EEC) as amended by (92/31/EEC)
c) The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
d) Signs which may be described as electrical products (i.e. small portable signs) shall be CE marked indicating compliance with the LVD and EMCD

4. Standards
The design, construction and installation of signs shall conform to British Standard BS 559 – 1998. Conformance to BS 559 – 1998 implies compliance with the requirements of the following additional standards:
BS EN 50107 for high voltage signs and installations
BS 4533, Parts 101 and 102 for low voltage signs and luminaires
BS 6399 for calculating the effects of wind pressure on signs, and
BS 7671 (the IEE Wiring Regulations) for electrical installations
Note: other standards are referred to in BS 559 – 1998. The above is a list of principle requirements. Note: Where not otherwise specified in BS 559, all materials, structural members and fixing devices shall conform to the relevant British Standard.

5. Power Factor Correction
A Statement indicating whether or not power-factor correction is included shall be included in all quotations for illuminated signs. This applies to all signs illuminated by fluorescent lamps, cold-cathode (neon) tubing or floodlighting. Members shall include in each quotation for an illuminated sign a statement indicating whether or not power-factor correction is included. The statement should include either of the following:
a) The quotation includes for the provision of power-factor correction to better than 0.85 lagging; or
b) The quotation does not include for the cost of power-factor correction. If such correction is required by the local Electricity Supply Company it will be charged extra.
Note 1: Illuminated signs having inductive components such as transformers or chokes should include suitable power-factor correction. For small premises, the requirement for adequate power-factor correction is normally part of the customers agreement with the supply company. For larger premises, the customer may pay a premium based on KVA demand. The value of KVA is affected by the overall power factor of the premises.
Note 2: Power-factor correction may be included in the circuits of illuminated signs as part of a filter to reduce the amount of interference (generated by the lamp) reaching the mains-supply cables. This may be necessary to comply with the requirements of the EMCD.

6. Warranty
Members shall observe the accepted standard of the industry which is a warranty against all failures due to faulty workmanship or materials on the part of the supplier during the 6 months from the date of the completion of the installation. The exception to the above arises where a direct specification from the customer in open tender specifies some other term of guarantee where all tenderers are placed on the same footing.

7. Territory
These Obligations shall apply to signs sold for use in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, though members should be aware that many of the Standards referred to in 5 above have equivalent in force elsewhere in Europe.
In addition to the OBLIGATIONS above which are mandatory it is recommended that the
following Code of Practice be observed.

CODE OF PRACTICE

1. Planning – Application for Consent
Every member should attach to all estimates and quotations or acknowledgements of orders for signs subject to the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1994 or any regulations superseding those regulations, the Association’s printed sticker as amended and approved from time to time dealing with the cost of making applications under the act.

2. Technical Standards for the construction of signs
a) Signs should be constructed, installed and maintained in accordance with the advice given in the relevant BSGA Technical Guidelines
b) The luminance of signs should not exceed the limits recommended in the ILE Technical Report No. 5 "Brightness of Illuminated Advertisements." Lighting should be provided to achieve the eveness of illumination recommended in the relevant BSGA Technical Guidelines
c) The Relationship between BS 559 – 1998 and other UK and EU standards is illustrated by the chart shown at the foot of this page.
Note: Where not otherwise specified in BS 559, all materials, structural members and
fixing devices shall conform to the relevant British Standard.

3. Requirements for Installation
When working on site, members shall conform to the following legal requirements and HSE safety guidelines.

Legal Requirements
a) All installation work shall conform to the Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act, 1974. Guidance is given in HSE Guidance Note L1, ‘A guide to the Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act, 1974’.
b) Electrical work shall conform to the Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989. Guidance is given in the HSE Guidance Note HSR 25, ‘Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989’.
c) Lifting of sign parts and other heavy items shall conform to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, 1998. Guidance is given in HSE Guidance Note L113, ‘Safe Use of Lifting Equipment’.
d) Where appropriate, installation sites shall be properly signed to conform to the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations, 1996. Guidance is given in HSE guidance Note L64, ‘Safety Signs and Signals’
e) The use of any substance coming within the scope of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 (COSHH), (SI 1988 No 1657) shall be properly controlled in accordance with those regulations’. Guidance on specific hazardous substances may be obtained from the list of HSE Environmental Hygiene Guidance Notes.

Other Requirements and Guidelines
a) The use of ladders, scaffolds and other access equipment shall conform to the recommendations in HSE Guidance Note CIS 49, ‘General Access Scaffolds and Ladders, 1997’. The use shall also conform to the recommendations provided by the supplier of the access equipment.
b) Work on petrol stations shall conform to the recommendations in HSE Guidance Note HS (G) 41, ‘Petrol Filling Stations: Construction and Operation’.
c) Storage of paints or other flammable materials on site shall conform to the recommendations in HSE Guidance Booklet HS (G) 51, ‘The Storage of Flammable Liquids in Containers’.
d) Electrical installation and testing shall conform to the recommendations in the following HSE publications’.
HSG 141, ‘Electrical Safety on Construction Sites’.
GS38, ‘Electrical Test Equipment for Use by Electricians’.
HSG 107, ‘Maintaining Portable and Transportable Electrical Equipment’.

4. Maintenance Services
Maintenance Contracts or Agreements should include: -
a) A schedule of the equipment to be maintained.
b) Provision for the renewal or repair and replacement of all faulty luminous discharge tubes, all necessary transformers and other parts of the equipment being maintained except where the need for such renewal, repair or replacement is due to failures or damage arising from: -
(i) Work done on the installation by persons not directed by the Contractor, or
(ii) An Act of God, or
(iii) The actions or negligence of any third party.
The Contract should further state whether or not the charges to be made include such
renewals or repair.
c) Provision for apparatus, signs and tubes, ironwork and backgrounds to be checked and
cleaned as necessary on a regular basis.
d) A provision that the contractor shall not be responsible for deterioration due to fair wear and tear, nor for the corrosion of inaccessible sections of the installation.
NOTE (1) Reference can be made to the Association’s Model Maintenance Agreement which
is based on a minimum set of standards. Members are encouraged to offer higher standards than those specified.
NOTE (2) A maintenance Price Index (MPI) is compiled annually by The British Sign and
Graphics Association for members. Members who undertake maintenance contracts or
agreements are strongly recommended to use the MPI when negotiating with customers.