Technical Guidelines
The ISA-UK Powered by the BSGA Technical Guidelines provide a definitive source of information on every aspect of signmaking and are an invaluable tool for every signmaker. The guides have been produced over a great many years and are constantly updated and upgraded by the Technical Committee and its advisors.
Here, in this section, we provide a synopsis of the contents. Full contents are available to members only and can be accessed, as downloadable PDFs, in the secure Members Area of this site. If you are a Member of the ISA-UK , please log in to access and download the Technical Guidelines of your choice.
A1: ISA-UK Obligations of membership
A2: Acknowledgements
A3: Glossary of terms
B1: Investment Cost – Purchase or Lease
B2: Forms of Sub-contract
B3: Terms and conditions of sale
B4: Insurance
B5: Model Maintenance Agreement
B6: Maintenance Price Index
B7: Bribery Act 2010 – A Practical Guide
B8: BSGA Recommended Code of Practice for Internet Auctions
B9: Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) Guidance Notes
C1: The sign function… concepts and types
C2: Design considerations
C2.1: Legibility
C2.2: Internal illumination
C2.2 (a) Box signs
C2.2 (b) Letters and logos
C2.2 (c) Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
C2.3: External illumination (floodlighting)
C2.3 (a): General criteria
C2.3 (b): Compact luminaires
C2.3 (c): Slim luminaires
C2.3 (d): Linear reflectors
C.4: Animation
C2.5: Structural design
C2.5 (a): Poles and structures
C2.5 (b): Acrylic panel structural design
C2.5 (c): Retaining plastic sign panels
C2.6 Electrical design
C2.7: Cold Cathode lighting design
C2.8: Fire safety design
C2.9: RNIB Series
C2.9a: Signage (this is an RNIB document)
C2.9b: Lighting (this is an RNIB document)
C2.9c: Visual Contrast (this is an RNIB document)
C3: Variable Information Signs
C4: LED guideline – A history and guide to the development and correct use of LEDs within the Sign Industry
C5: LED Flexface Report – LED back lighting of flexface signs as an alternative to fluorescent tubes
D1.1: Metals, types and sources of information
D1.2: Plastics materials, types and sources of information
D1.2 (a): Rigid plastics materials
D1.2 (b): Flexible plastics materials
D1.3: Wood and wood laminates
D2: Fabrication
D2.1: Cutting and routing
D2.2: Fixing methods
D2.2 (a): Adhesives and sealants
D2.2 (b): Fastenings
D2.3: Soldering and welding
D2.3 (a) Welding of metals
D2.3 (b): Welding of plastics materials
D2.3 (c): Soldering
D2.4: Finishing processes
D2.4 (a): Corrosion
D2.4 (b): Pre-treatment, lead coating and galvanising
D2.4 (c): Anodising
D2.4 (d): Powder coating
D2.4 (e): Finish coating
D2.5: Vinyl graphics
D2.5 (a): Types of vinyl sheet
D2.5 (b): Working with vinyl sheet
D2.6: Signwriting
D2.7: Engraving
D3: Light sources
D3.1: Cold-cathode tubes
D3.1 (a): Types and characteristics
D3.1 (b): Pumping
D3.1(c): Operation of cold-cathode tubes
D3.2: Hot-cathode fluorescent lamps (MCF) and their control gear
D3.3: Lamps other than MCF lamps and their control gear
D3.4: Fluorescent lamps; (a) Mercury reduction, (b) Amalgam lamps (LIF Technical Statement 24)
D3.5: Starting of discharge tubes and starting aids
E1: Ballasts for cold-cathode tubes
E1 (a): High-voltage transformers
E1 (b): High-frequency ballasts
E2 Control gear and wiring of fluorescent lamps in box signs
E3: Suppression of interference
E4: Lamps and control gear operating at medium voltage
E5: High-frequency luminaires (LIF Technical Statement 15)
E6: Use of high-frequency ballasts in outdoor signs
F1: Access equipment
F2: Sign installation and fixing
F3: High-voltage installations
F4: Active protection
F5: Mains-supply wiring
F6: Sign fixing to cladding panels
F7: Sign fixings
F8: Sign fixing to Wall Panels
UNDER REVIEW
H2: BSGA quality manual – SUSPENDED PENDING REVIEW
J1: Waste management
J2.1: Disposal of lamps (LIF Technical Statement 10)
J2.2: Disposal of mercury
J3: Photo-biological impact of ultraviolet and visible radiation (LIF Technical Statement 8)
J4: Removal of waste from installation sites
J5: Enhanced Capital Allowances
K1.1: The Control of Advertisements Regulations (England)
K1.2: The Control of Advertisements Regulations (Wales)
K2: The brightness of illuminated advertisements (ILE Report N05)
K3: British Standard BS EN 50107: ‘Signs and luminous-discharge-tube installations operating from a no-load output voltage exceeding 1,000 V but not exceeding 10,000 V’
K3.1: A Guide to British Standard BS EN 50107
K4: British Standard BS 559: ‘Specification for the design, construction and installation of signs’
K4.1: A guide to British Standard BS 559
K5: British Standard BS EN 50143: ‘Cables for signs and luminous-discharge-tube installations operating from a no-load output voltage exceeding 1 kV but not exceeding 10 kV’
K5.1 Guidance notes on BS EN 50143 DEC 2016
K6: British Standard BS 7671: ‘The IEE Wiring Regulations’
K6.1: A Guide to British Standard BS 7671
K7: British Standard BS 4533 (EN 60598): ‘Luminaires’ (i.e. low-voltage signs)
K7.1: A Guide to British Standard BS 4533 (EN 60598)
K8: Fire Regulations
K9: A guide to the Electricity at Work Regulations
K10: CE marking
K10.1: Technical documentation supporting a CE mark
K10.2: A guide to the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMCD)
K10.3: A guide to the Low Voltage Directive (LVD)
K11: The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations
K12: British Standard BS EN 60529: ‘Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP code)’
K12.1: A guide to British Standard BS EN 60529
K13: British Standard BS 6399: ‘Loading for buildings’ Part 2: ‘Code of practice for wind loads’
K13.1: A guide to British Standard BS 6399, Part 2
K14: European voltage harmonisation (LIF Technical Statement 15)
K15: Use of energy efficient ballasts
K16: Measurements Units Style Guide
K17: Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) Guidance Notes
This Guideline is now published under Section B – Commercial Factors and renumbered B9: Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) Guidance Notes.
K18: Vehicle Wrapping
European Sign Federation