This part of ISO 20712 specifies requirements for the shape and colour of beach safety flags for the management of activities on coastal and inland beaches, to be used for giving information on wind and water conditions and other hazardous conditions, and to indicate the location of swimming and other aquatic activity zones extending from the beach into the water. It also specifies the colorimetric and photometric properties and the physical properties, including strength and colour fastness, of the materials from which beach safety flags are to be made.

It is not applicable to flags for use on firing ranges or to flags for use to indicate water quality or to signalling used for maritime traffic.