The British Safety Council is nearly 40 years old and has spent nearly a decade as a government-regulated body. It has a history of overseeing health and safety in the workplace, offering qualifications and awarding best practice in workplace health and safety.

More recently, however, it revamped its visual identity to better communicate its essential health and safety work. The rebrand, carried out by Gilmar Wendt, includes both a logo and a series of illustration-based applications.

The logo derived from hazard stripes to form a recognisable, official icon. The design agency responded to the need to simplify the image of health and safety, which suffered from confusion and an overcomplicating image. While the new logo will help the Safety Council to solidify its place in the minds of its audiences, the series of health and safety based communications materials imbue the branding with personality.

Founder of the consultancy Gilmar Wendt says, “We created one overarching message but also one that’s fitting for each audience. We wanted to simplify things in an industry where everyone’s complicating things, so the graphics are like signs you can spot within a second. We had to humanise things.”

Design director Carina Hinze worked within the framework of the new identity to develop illustrations that communicate the organisation’s purpose. Boldly coloured icons of hard hats, ear protectors and exit signs proliferate across the informational material the Council produces. Health and safety regulations can be complex and difficult to communicate, but the new tone of voice and visual identity will improve the impact and relevance of such communications.