The tragic death of a man at Big Church Festival in West Sussex in August has brought the safety of large-scale signage into sharp focus. Robert Guanco, a 41-year-old pastor from Eastbourne, died after a large overhead sign fell at the festival at Wiston Park, near Steyning, on Friday 28 August. Other people were also injured, and the remainder of the festival was cancelled.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation, and it would be wrong to speculate about why the sign fell or what contributed to the accident. However, for those responsible for buildings, estates and public spaces, the tragedy is a sobering reminder of something that can sometimes be overlooked: signage is not simply about branding, information or wayfinding. It is a physical asset, and like any other asset installed in or around a building, its condition and safety need to be considered throughout its life.
Signage shouldn’t be ‘fit and forget’
Commercial signage comes in many forms, from small wayfinding signs and window graphics to illuminated fascias, projecting signs, large totems and substantial external installations. Once installed, these assets can be exposed to wind, rain, temperature changes, vibration, accidental impact and general deterioration. Fixings, brackets and supporting structures can also deteriorate over time. This is why professional installation is only one part of good signage management.
A planned inspection and maintenance regime can help identify deterioration or potential problems before they become more serious. Depending on the type and location of the sign, this can include checking its physical condition, fixings and brackets, supporting structures, corrosion, movement, weather damage and electrical or illuminated components. Physical security checks, including appropriate pull or tug checks where relevant to the particular installation, can also help establish whether signs and their fixings remain secure. Importantly, competent people should undertake inspection and maintenance who understand the signage involved and can recognise when further investigation or remedial work is required.
What should facilities managers be asking?
For facilities and estates teams, signage should form part of the wider conversation around asset management and Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM). It is worth asking:
- When were our external and elevated signs last inspected?
- Are fixings, brackets and supporting structures included within those inspections?
- Do we have records of inspections and any remedial works?
- Are signs exposed to particularly challenging weather conditions?
- Have alterations to buildings or signage affected the original installation?
- Are illuminated signs and their electrical components being appropriately maintained?
- Do we have a process for reporting signs that appear loose, damaged or unstable?
The answers become particularly important across multi-site estates, where potentially hundreds or thousands of individual signage assets may be in use.
From installation to ongoing maintenance
At Westbury FM, we believe you should consider signage across its complete lifecycle. Our specialist signage service provides design, manufacture, installation and maintenance nationwide, covering branded and illuminated signage, sub-fascias, wayfinding, window graphics, totems and more. Our signage engineers also provide planned maintenance and nationwide 24/7 emergency response, helping clients ensure their signage continues to look good, perform as intended and, critically, remains properly maintained. This approach was recognised when Westbury’s self-delivered signage service was shortlisted for the Tomorrow’s FM Awards 2026.
As an FM provider, we also understand that signage doesn’t exist in isolation. It forms part of the wider management of a building or estate, where inspection, maintenance, accurate records and timely remedial action all contribute to safer, better-managed environments. The incident in West Sussex in August was a devastating loss of life, and the investigation must be allowed to establish what happened. It should not be used to draw conclusions about the cause before those facts are known. What it can do is prompt every organisation responsible for signage to ask a worthwhile question: When did we last check ours?
To find out more about Westbury FM’s nationwide signage installation, inspection and planned maintenance services, contact our team on 0203 405 8080 or info@westburyfm.co.uk.
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