5 Types of Signs and How They Improve Workplace Safety

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.

Why Safety Sign Regulations and Customization Exist

As important as regulations and standardization are for safety signs,

customization is also critical. Customization of safety signs is often needed

for facilities to comply with state and local laws, such as those that regulate

smoking and firearms. In these cases, wording on signs must be specific, so

sign makers must be prepared to customize signs for their clients.

Customization also allows individual companies to tailor their safety messages

based on specific hazards in their facilities. If a facility has unique

features that need to be called out on safety signs, this can be done, as can

the addition of company brand colors and logos to give signage a consistent

look throughout a facility.

safety.

Electrical Signs

In addition to lighting, office equipment, and other electrical appliances in

the workplace, many workplaces have on-site transformers and other electrical

products that require careful attention to safety practices. Over 30,000 workers have been injured in workplace electrical

accidents over the past decade. Whether they alert workers to high voltage or

inform them of lock-out tag-out requirements, electrical signs have a

significant role in workplace safety.

Operational Signs

Operational signs warn of a variety of workplace safety hazards, from hot

surfaces to valves that shouldn't be operated to pinch points to places where

hands must be kept back. It's possible that you have a unique safety hazard in

your facility and require a customized operational sign. Those can be made too,

so your workers are clearly informed about specific hazards relevant to their

actions.

Hazardous Materials Signs

Hazardous materials signs inform workers about the presence of acids, corrosive

substances, asbestos, and many other dangerous materials and materials around

which caution must be used. These safety signs can also inform people about

requirements for wearing gloves and safety goggles, and can be customized to

reflect the exact hazardous materials present in your workplace.

>Fire-Fighting Signs

There's a reason workplaces hold fire drills, and that's because, while

prevention of fires is best, facilities must be quickly evacuated should a fire

occur. Preventing fires may be a simple matter of warning workers about fire

hazards, or where they cannot use an open flame. Explosive materials, gas, and

liquid oxygen are all fire hazards and must be clearly identified, along with

the appropriate precautions that must be taken.

No Smoking Signs

The smoke-free workplace makes sense, and most people know not to light up

indoors. However, depending on state and local laws and the type facility you

operate, no-smoking zones surrounding buildings and facilities are sometimes

mandated as well. Though OSHA doesn't have specific regulations about smoking

in the workplace, it does limit exposure to carbon monoxide, nicotine, and

other chemicals in cigarette smoke, so no-smoking signs are appropriate in many

places on your work campus.

Safety signs may be simple, but they work and have worked for over a century in

improving workplace safety. They reduce accidents and save lives by providing

early warnings and alerts to workplace hazards. While safety signs must

meet OSHA specifications, they

can also be customized to your facility. If your safety identification system

hasn't been updated recently, perhaps a third-party audit of your safety signs

is in order. With the help of an expert, you can reduce visual clutter so

safety messages get through more clearly, and create consistency of design

throughout your facility, improving regulatory compliance and making your

workplace safer. If you would like to learn more, we invite you to contact us at any time, or explore safety signs

further on our blog.