Safety Signs

By the time an employee feels the burn of a corrosive material or inhale the first gasp of noxious fumes, it is too late. As an employer it is your responsibility to look out for the welfare of your employees, and when an injury occurs the moment to take proper precautions has passed. More often than not, workplace injury debriefings typically reveal something both an employer and employee could have done better to prevent the injury. Lessons learned are applied to the future. What you do not want to see in an injury debriefing is that you as the employer failed to take the most basic precaution available. 

When a worker becomes injured at work, it is easy for panic to become commonplace. That’s panic among the frontline employees who may have witnessed the injury as well as panic among leadership who have a natural obligation to do something. Not to mention, the injured employee has a reasonable right to a certain amount of panic themselves. That’s why leaders have to be prepared for the worst, though they work diligently to prevent worker injury. That’s why adding appropriate signage to warn of danger as well as direct panicked employees towards life saving equipment is essential. The “fog of war” as they call it can cloud the mind and make otherwise normal decisions very difficult. By adding a little signage, you can cut through the fog and potentially save another’s life.

It can often be said that a good process will save your best employee on their worst day. All employees make mistakes with some just heading down that road a little more often than others. Many times the patterns of behavior exhibited by the troublesome staff are clear reasons for termination. However, what does an organization do when one of your stellar employees makes a costly decision that puts both life and profit at risk? 

It has long been said that there is a time and a season for everything that takes place under the sun. A time to plant and a time to reap. A season to labor and a season to rest. Fortunately for the great American worker, we spend our time trying to envision every season of danger that might threaten the workplace. The threats are many and they come in a variety of different forms. Fire, electricity, water, chemicals and good old fashioned machinery in action hold the potential to cause great harm. That’s why appropriate signage can serve as the first line of defense when a lack of training or common sense comes into play. It might sound simple, but don’t underestimate the value a good sign in the right place at the right time.

The United States Marine Corps has two leadership principles that guide its operations. Ranked first and taught to all leaders is “mission accomplishment.” This, above all other priorities, is to be pursued. That’s why Marines storm the beaches of Iwo Jima or slug away from house to house in the streets of Fallujah. 

Not every measure of good judgement in the workplace has to be dictated by OSHA. There are times when a good measure of common sense would do just fine and as such, OSHA doesn’t dictate every action under the sun when it comes to the workplace. That’s why we have a huge demand for workplace signage that speaks to the commonsense needs around you every day. One of the biggest needs facing the workplace revolve around simply keeping the earth a little greener each day.

There are two types of industrial workplaces when it comes to safety. There are those who look at the OSHA guidelines and think to themselves, “good enough.” Then, there are those who look at their employees, their families and the future ahead of them and think, “not good enough” when it comes to their safety. Beyond a legal obligation enforced by OSHA, good employers have a moral obligation to do everything in their power to send their workers home in one piece at the end of a shift. That’s why personal protection required signs matter. They matter because the lives of your employees matter and there is no such thing as “too safe” in the workplace.

Each industry comes with it an implicit list of dangers that have in times past caused bodily harm and even death. Fortunately for the modern American worker, we have the ability to learn from these past mistakes and take every effort to mitigate risk going forward. Not to mention the fact that OSHA demands we do and running afoul of OSHA is a less than pleasant affair. Seizing upon these past lessons, we here at The Safety Factory have created pre-written operational safety tags for just about every danger under the sun. 

The modern American workforce has done a pretty good job of predicting and addressing the most common threats to worker safety. Certainly accidents happen and in some industries they are more prevalent than others. That being said, the past 100 years has been virtual revolution for worker safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the expressed purpose “to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America’s workers.” OSHA, as the are more commonly called, is serious about its mission. To run afoul of OSHA as an employer is to gift yourself a really bad day. However, to watch one of your employees suffer injury that could have been prevented is the worst. You know about many of the threats facing your team and yet, it is the threats you have yet to foresee that keep you up at night.

In the field of industry, there is a phenomenon known as practical drift. Policy dictates a process be completed a certain way, but on the front line where the real work is done employees tend to show new employees a “better way.” What happens then is that real time operations deviate from established safety protocols and the scope of the problem is only discovered after a tragic accident. Sadly, it is an accident that could have been avoided had managers not assumed policy and protocol was being followed on the front lines. If you fear that might be your organization, then take a look at two of the most commonly overlooked safety feature solutions we offer. From magnets to mirrors, we’ll show you what it takes to make your workplace safe again.

There is an unspoken contract one has with mayhem when it comes to investing in the safety and security and those around you. Namely, pay me now or pay me later, but you will pay me. If you are trying to save a few bucks by forfeiting your responsibility to post some common sense signage for the day mayhem shows up at your workplace or school then you will pay big. Not to mention a great deal of safety and security signage is required by the federal government who won’t mind dropping a big fine on you as well. Posting appropriate signage to warn of dangers or direct others to safety is one of the most common sense safety measures an organization can take. If that’s your responsibility then don’t fret. We’ve got you covered with just about any sign you can imagine.

When launching a business, you want to make sure your customers know you take their safety and security seriously. Especially after the past few year's Pulse Nightclub shooting, London Bridge violence and San Bernadino workplace bloodshed, the increase of violence has people on edge. When walking onto my daughter's school campus, I now take note of signs indicating I need to sign in at the office, and I sleep more soundly knowing safety procedures are in place. Just last weekend, my family and I visited the US National Whitewater Center, and our visit was smooth, should I even dare to say - it flowed well (pun intended) because of the signage. We knew where to go, that weapons of any kind were not allowed (and they checked bags too), but unlike our recent theatre experience, cameras and cell phones were permitted, even encouraged if they were waterproof!

Imagine this scenario: A worker is badly injured on your job site. Not only is this a tragic event for the worker and his or her family, it’s also a huge risk for a lawsuit that could have debilitating fiscal ramifications for your company.

Fortunately, correctly designed signage can go a long way toward preventing injury and even death in the workplace. But how can you know that the signs you are posting are compliant with the standards set by Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)? Here’s how to be sure that the safety signage you are posting is doing its utmost to help prevent injury or death: 

Workplace, industrial, transportation, commercial, and public-space security is increasingly important in our complex world. Highly mobile societies and international commerce move quickly and depend on security standards and communication that enable public safety, sound commercial relations, efficiency, and reliability. Properly and clearly communicating about workplace and public-space security rules, standards, permissions, requirements, etc. is a subject for regulatory agencies worldwide. It’s also – for better or worse – a subject of intense lawyer-class scrutiny.

Going out to a nightclub is supposed to be an occasion of joyful celebration, full of the promise of meeting new people, dancing, laughing and blowing off some steam with friends. However, in the aftermath of the shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, what began as a night of fun ended in tragedy.

Sadly, the last century has seen some of the deadliest nightclub and assembly fires known to man.  Many were the result of attendees getting trapped inside of buildings where they were gathered to hear music and socialize during the prohibition and post prohibition era. The deadliest of these disasters was the fire at Boston’s Cocoanut Grove Theater –the second worst single building fire in American history (second only to the Iroquois Theatre fire). The space was over its authorized capacity by 32 people, and they all lost their lives to the deadly blaze. The enormity of the event was so shocking that it briefly replaced the news of World War II in papers, and it led to a reform of safety standards and codes across the country.

Safety signs may be considered one of the most basic and fundamental forms of safety equipment. For over 100 years, safety signs have been encouraged or required in specific parts of the workplace, spelled out in the primary language(s) of the workers. They save thousands of lives every year and continue to play an important role in preventing injuries in the workplace.

In 1941, standards for safety signs were introduced by the American Standards Association (later to become ANSI). These standards introduced formats for DANGER, CAUTION, NOTICE, and EXIT signs, to name a few. While many aspects of those early standards still hold today, globalization now has more of an effect. In 2007, ANSI published guidelines that coordinated with ISO label formats, ushering in a new era of global best practices in safety signs for the workplace.

When excessive continuous pressure is placed on the medium nerve, the nerve that allows feeling to parts of the hand, the condition known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome develops. The primary symptom of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is numbness of the thumb, index finger and ring finger.  When one bends a wrist forward for any length of time and feels pain it is a sure sign that CPS is present. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have identified work related repetitive tasks, force, posture and vibration as major causes of CTS. A recent study showed that there is in many instances, a greater risk for CTS to affect worker production, than basic physical factors such as obesity. It should be noted that similar injuries caused by falls, slips, motor vehicle accidents or other similar accidents are not recognized as work-related causes of CTS by OSHA.

Fork Lift Trucks are used to raise, lower or move large objects or several smaller objects at the same time. They can be driven by an operator or mechanically controlled. In either case, identifying the hazards of moving heavy materials in this manner is of prime importance.

When heavy objects are moved from place to place, there is the possibility of at least some of the objects falling off the forklift. And as the objects can be well off the ground in a fork lift truck, it can lead to a serious accident. There is also the possibility as with all moving vehicles that someone walking nearby can be hit by the fork lift. Also, the driver may inadvertently make a wrong turn and crash into a wall, equipment or even another vehicle.

 

June is National Safety Month and there are many things we can do as employers and employees.

In the workplace Ergonomics is an important key to safety. This month is a good time to identify and abate musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs.) These include strains, sprains and tears, inflammation, pinched nerves and spinal disc problems. 

The OSHA Regulation CFR1910.1200 “Toxic and Hazardous Substances” is intended to address comprehensively the issue of classifying the potential hazards of chemicals and communicating information concerning hazards and appropriate protective measures to employees, and to preempt any legislation or regulatory enactments of state, or political subdivision of a state, pertaining to the subject.

Toxic Industrial chemicals are manufactured, stored, transported and used throughout the world. They can be found in the form of gas, liquid or solid state. The hazards they contain include carcinogens, corrosives and reproductive hazards. Toxic chemicals can also be highly flammable, combustible, explosive or reactive.

     The Personal Protective Equipment regulation, CFR 1910.136 has a very comprehensive set of requirements when addressing employee’s foot protection. It states that “The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses protective footwear when working in areas where there is a danger of foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects piercing the sole, and where such employee’s feet are exposed to electrical hazards. The ruling continues with the statement that protective footwear must comply with The American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM) regulation “Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective Footwear. And, by definition, that standard meets the qualifications established by The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) regulation.

     Hazardous Materials in the form of solids, liquids or gases can be a danger to all living things, property and our environment.  Because they are used in the manufacture and the shipment of all types of products they are very closely regulated. Within the regulations are the specifications for the clear labeling of these materials to announce their presence and thus to avoid the possibility of injury or damage. Developed by The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Hazardous Material Symbols have become the international standard involved in identification labeling. Each hazardous material has its own specific symbol, colors, borders and printed information to help readily identify the danger one may encounter when coming in contact it. Besides the ANSI standard, many federal, state and local laws as well as international laws require Hazardous materials to be identified. Here is a listing of some of the basic Hazardous Material Symbols:

Employer Safety is the most important concern on the job. And Hard hats play an important role in worker protection. They are a relatively inexpensive way to protect against serious injury. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA has very strict regulations regarding the use of Hard Hats for employees. Typical employees who must wear hart hats include but are not limited to: carpenters, electricians, lineman, mechanic, plumbers, assembler’s sawyers, welders, laborers, freight handlers, timber cutters and loggers and warehouse personnel.  CFR 1910 135 (a) (1) states that each affected employee shall wear protective helmets when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects. Furthermore, 135 (a) (2) states that Protective helmets designed to reduce electrical shock hazard shall be worn by each such affected employee when near exposed electrical conductors which could contact the head.

     The OSHA Confined Space Regulation, CFR1910.146 is designed to prevent accidents to employees when working in a space where one has limited or restricted access for entry or exit and while in that area might meet up with liquids, gases or obstacles. Thus, a person entering a confined space must be fully trained in the hazards to be faced and must wear the appropriate protective clothing. The area is also constantly monitored for air quality. Before entering a confined space area, one has to receive a “Confined Space Permit.” To help the process along, a series of signs and tags have been created. They contain proper procedures to follow, Caution and Danger announcements as well as directions for those both entering the area or assisting in the operation.

A smoke-free workplace has many advantages. It reduces the amount of smoking by employees. It also protects others from the dangers of second-hand smoke. Furthermore, for the employer, it significantly reduces health care costs. People exposed to smoke in the workplace are 17% more likely to develop lung cancer.

OSHA does not have any regulations that apply directly to smoking in the workplace. However OSHA does have standards which limit the exposure levels of a number of chemicals. And many of the chemicals are found in tobacco smoke. They include but are not limited to limits on carbon monoxide, nicotine, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, nitric oxide, formaldehyde and arsenic. So essentially these require that is no smoking or very limited smoking take place in the workplace. In addition, employers do have a legal right to both restrict and also prohibit completely the use of tobacco.  In some cases, of course, especially when flammable materials or hazardous machinery is present, it is imperative that smoking be prohibited.

To ensure regulations are followed and workplace safety improved, a number of workplace signs have been created. For example where chemicals are used the following essential signs should be posted: DANGER, OXYGEN, NO SMOKING, NO OPEN FLAMES; DANGER, BENZENE, CANCER HAZARD, FLAMMABLE – NO SMOKING, AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. RESPIRATOR REQUIRED!

In areas where lead is present: WARNING, LEAD WORK AREA, POISON!! NO SMOKING OR EATING. That sign may also include a skeleton symbol.

When smoking is allowed in some places, a sign may announce: NO SMOKING EXCEPT IN DESIGNATED AREAS. 

Or some prefer low-key signs, such as:  THANK YOU FOR NOT SMOKING. Those signs may include the standard symbol of a cigarette within a circle with a diagonal red line going through it.

In work areas populated by multilingual employees the sign may be in more than one language. An example of that kind of sign might state: NO SMOKING, NO FUMAR.

Signs may be constructed of durable vinyl, with pressure-sensitive backing (for adhering to walls or doors), tough rigid plastic, or the most durable of all, anodized aluminum signs.

Each year, there are countless work-related eye injuries. With the kind of eye protection available today and the comprehensive OSHA regulations in place these injuries could be and should be avoided. And along with the painful and serious injuries to the workers involved comes the cost of medical expenses, lost production time and worker compensation.

The OSHA regulations required employers to provide both eye and face protection against chemical, environmental, radiological as well as mechanical irritants and hazards. In addition, to protect against flying objects, workers must have side protection. Workers must use filtered lenses with a shade number that is appropriate for the type of work being performed. For example, there are a number of different welding operations. Each one requires its own minimum shade protection.

     There is little or no warning that a fire has started and that it has quickly gone out of control.

So it is extremely important that all preparations for proper egress be made, including signage well in advance and then practiced (drilled) over and over so that there be no mistakes should there actually be a fire. With that in mind, OSHA created the Means of Egress Standard.

     The first set of signs to be placed would include the name of the WARDENS.They are the people that the employer or someone designated by the employer selects to act as the leaders of groups of employees to assist in leading them to safe locations.

     Other signage that should be placed at key locations throughout the facility is “Floor Plans” which clearly show the emergency escape routes. The use of color-coding for various groups can aid in knowing exactly where to go to leave the facility quickly. Another important sign would indicate the SAFE AREA to exit to. An exit sign has to be made to withstand harsh conditions, so they should be made from heavy-duty laminated plastic.

ADA signs are designed and manufactured for Handicap persons. They follow the guidelines set up under the Americans with Disabilities Act. And with so many more handicapped employees now being hired under that act, these signs are becoming more and more prominent.

     ADA signs can be found wherever a handicap individual will have to negotiate an entrance, a restroom or a walkway. The signs are generally made with heavy-duty lamination, or from steel or aluminum. All signs must have non-glare backgrounds and characters to help ease the way for the elderly and those with little or perhaps no vision.

      While these signs are now beginning to be seen in and around factories, they are not the only type of ADA signs. There are also signs for the hearing impaired, people who are deaf and those that may have a mental disorder of some kind.

When evaluating the potential for injury to hands while working on equipment, if it is determined that general workplace practice will not in itself provide enough protection then protective equipment must be provided. This includes gloves, finger guards and arm coverings or elbow-length gloves. Machine guards can be shown to provide some protection, but certainly not enough to ward off possible injury.

     There are many types of hazards that a worker’s hands may encounter and there are many types of gloves that are available for each of the hazards. It is extremely important that workers use the gloves that have been specifically designed for the type of hazard they face. When making the decision of what type of gloves to choose, the following must be considered: the type of chemicals handled, what type of contact will be encountered, the duration of the contact, what part of the hands or arms are involved, what type of grip is necessary, thermal protection, abrasion protection and the size and comfort needed by the worker.

J49 CFR 192.707 – Line Markers for Mains and Transmission Lines states: that when a pipeline is above ground that Line Markers must be placed and maintained along each section of a main and transmission line that is located above-ground in an area accessible to the public. Furthermore the following must be written legibly on a background of sharply contrasting color on each line marker: the work “Warning,” “Caution,” or “Danger” followed by the words “Gas” (or the name of the gas transported) Pipeline.” Furthermore, all markers, except those in heavily developed urban areas must be in letters at least 1 inch high with a ¼” stroke. In addition, the name of the operator and the area code and telephone number where the operator can be reached at all times must be included on the sign.  The National Electrical Code also has very specific rules governing underground signage. Underground signs are also used to indicate water lines and phone cables.

 According to OSHA 1910.134, Personal Protective Equipment, when engineering controls are neither feasible, available nor effective in preventing the breathing of harmful dusts, fumes, gases, vapors, sprays, etc., then appropriate respirators must be worn.  The regulation goes on to say that the employer must provide each employee with respirators that are suitable and applicable for the purpose intended. There are respirators for virtually every type of operation. For example there are Air-Purifying -Atmosphere-Supplying; Escape Only Respirators to name just a few.

     Wearing a respirator does not automatically mean that an employee is completely safe from the atmospheric conditions he or she is working in. The maximum use concentration (MUC) is determined by multiplying the assigned protection factor specified for a respirator by the required OSHA permissible exposure limit.

 

Spotting a safety sign is hard to miss. They are practically everywhere you see them. They can be found under the sink, on appliances and on the road. The main purpose of a safety sign is to warn the viewer of a hazard or potential danger. You are likely to see several dozen different types of safety signs along roads and highways when traveling. Most safety signs are symbol based, therefore allowing for rapid recognition when driving or reading quickly.

In this modern age of health and safety awareness, a lot of people are skeptical about most health and safety rules. Some people may see it as overkill, bureaucracy gone mad and a pointless creation of jobs. But, these signs if properly installed and observed will prevent countless accidents both at work and at home, and the proper implementation of personal protective equipment rules will minimize the risk of injury at work in a variety of environments.

Lasers have many applications these days. They are often used in scanners and detectors, night vision optics, medical applications and industry. However, radiation exposure from lasers can be a serious health risk and it does exist in many items that we come in contact with on a regular basis, such as microwave ovens and cellphones.

     The OSHA Confined Space Regulation, CFR1910.146 is designed to prevent accidents to employees when working in a space where one has limited or restricted access for entry or exit and while in that area might meet up with liquids, gases or obstacles. Thus, a person entering a confined space must be fully trained in the hazards to be faced and must wear the appropriate protective clothing. The area is also constantly monitored for air quality. Before entering a confined space area, one has to receive a “Confined Space Permit.” To help the process along, a series of signs and tags have been created. They contain proper procedures to follow, Caution and Danger announcements as well as directions for those both entering the area or assisting in the operation.

Welding can injure both the welder and others working nearby. Welding fumes, vapors, particulates and high intensity light all pose a threat to people that are exposed to them. Temporary or permanent damage to the eyes can result from welding depending on the length and type of exposure. Welding generates metal fumes, chemical gases and vapors. These chemicals can cause irritation of the outer layer of the eye and the cornea.

Thousands of people are yearly blinded from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye protection. Eye injuries alone cost more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses, and worker compensation. Eye and face protection is addressed in specific standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, long shoring, and the construction industry.

The most guaranteed method of preventing occupational deafness is by reducing noise at the source by engineering methods. However, in certain workplace conditions, there is very little or nothing one can do to reduce noise at the source. In such workplaces, workers wear hearing protectors to reduce the amount of noise reaching the ears.

Hand shields or helmets provide eye protection by using an assembly of components such as a helmet shell. This helmet must be opaque to light and resistant to impact, heat and electricity. Outer cover plate made of polycarbonate plastic which protects from UV radiation, impact and scratches. This helmet also includes filter lens made of glass containing a filler which reduces the amount of light passing through to the eyes.

Danger: Respirator Must Be Worn At This Operation 
 Wearing a respiratory protection device does not mean that you are safe. The atmosphere that surrounds you at work still remains dangerous. The air that we breathe in is never "100% clean". For example, your lungs can attacked by cooking smells, carpet deodorizers, chlorine in bleach, cigarette smoke or dead skin cells from animals in your own home. In your yard or on the street, car exhaust, household and industrial smoke, smell of freshly cut grass, tree resin, fungus dust, flower pollens and dust taken by wind, are omnipresent. Moreover, some types of work generate substantial amounts of atmospheric contaminants. For example, spraying with pesticides, washing with solvents, grinding metal, transferring wheat on a feeder, painting with a spray gun or arc welding belong to this group.

 

The modern democratic world is highly bureaucratic and organized when it comes to safety sign requirements in the commercial arena. It is virtually canonical for insurance companies in developed countries to require the presence of industry-specific and/or general safety signs in work areas as part of their insurance policies.
This is especially applicable to the food industry, which on top of containing specific potential dangers to employees, additional care has to be taken to avoid food contamination, which can harm customers and thus result in a number of different lawsuits.

 

In simple terms, safety signs are signs that include a range of messages with the intent of keeping people from physical harm. Other signs are preventive in nature, instructing people for or against taking certain actions. A third type of safety signs are those categorized as informational and simply alert people to certain information, such as the whereabouts of a fire extinguisher. These signs are found in a range of different locations: factories, offices, educational institutions, and just about in any place where large amounts of people congregate.