A Comprehensive Guide on Promoting Safety in the Workplace Using Industrial Safety Signs
The workplace is like a second home to most of the actively working people in the world. The majority of their entire day is usually dedicated to working in the workplace. Taking necessary steps to ensure absolute safety is crucial and is one of the biggest reasons for employees to either settle in or leave for good. It is important to stay compliant with the laws dictating workplace safety measures. While removing every possible form of danger from a storehouse or factory is not realistic, it is certainly worthwhile to take measures to minimize the hazards and dangers.
Using safety signs is the ideal method to mark workplace dangers and make the employees in the vicinity of these hazards aware of them. Identifying these hazards is legally binding and needs to be ensured by the people in charge of the premises. These signs greatly reduce injuries and bring the workplace up to a standard that motivates workers. Various safety signs exist depending on the type of work involved. Read this article for a comprehensive guide on industrial safety signs and the ideal steps to promote safety in the workplace.
How to Place Industrial Safety Signs
Before delving into the various types of industrial safety signs, it is essential to know how and where to place them. A safety sign would have no meaning or value if misplaced. A “No Trespassing” sign serves no real purpose if attached to, say, a fire extinguisher!
Make sure the sign is made of strong material — preferably metal or steel — in order to ensure maximum durability. It needs to be strongly secured and completely foolproof. As per professional recommendations, use vinyl tape to firmly attach the sign. This keeps the message clean as the tape can completely be kept hidden underneath the sign. Also, make sure the note is visible from a considerable distance.
Why Are Industrial Safety Signs Needed?
As mentioned above, the use of industrial safety signs mainly reduces the risk of unwanted workplace accidents and injuries by making the workers aware of the dangers involved with certain tasks. There is a wide variety of safety signs that are used around the world. The benefits are manifold.
For an employer or owner, these safety signs can provide more than just precautions. Having necessary signs in the correct places decreases liability and avoids any legal problems. Certain hazards are not easy to discern due to their nature. For instance, a drum full of an alkaline solution might seem harmless to the naked eye, seeing a transparent liquid in there. However, this can be extremely dangerous if physically handled and can cause permanent tissue damage. Placing a “chemical hazard” sign beside the container can help you avoid such a tragic incident. In the case when an accident does occur, the affected workers can not wreak much havoc if the signs are present. Although this is unfortunate for the employees, it does sustain workplace standards and save the company from going down due to irregularities. Furthermore, workers are usually protected by various insurances and compensation packages.
Certain directional signs are mandatory in factories and construction sites. These places contain various heavy machinery and equipment that might need frequent relocation. Safety signs encouraging hygiene among the workers are essential in industries like food and medicine. Placing clear wayfinding signs can save a lot of trouble and make any activities in the workplace smooth. Having a clear “Exit” sign in any enclosed workplace is mandatory in many places of the world. On the other hand, placing a “No Exit” sign can also be beneficial when a certain path is temporarily blocked.
What Are the Most Used Industrial Safety Signs?
Below is a list of the most common industrial safety signs that are used in most parts of the world. The overall design and color code might slightly vary between regions; however, the intended message remains constant everywhere.
Caution Sign
This indicates minor risks involved in the associated activity. The word “CAUTION” is displayed in large, bold letters, making the sign easy to read even from a distance. The way the message is placed on it is consistent with all other safety signs. Caution signs indicate the least severe form of potential danger and are the most common in workplaces.
Danger Sign
These are serious signs that indicate danger leading to severe injury or even loss of life. The color is important in danger signs. Red is generally used to label massively perilous conditions, while a lighter shade of red, like orange, is implemented in less severe situations.
Instructional Sign
Particular steps in a factory production line or industrial manufacturing procedure require informative guidelines along the way. Certain safety instruction signs are used in workplaces that have many processes and policies, which form crucial parts of the workflow. Various forms of instructional signs exist, ranging from hygiene instructions to guides on operating complex machinery. Make sure these signs do not emanate an aura of danger by coloring them green and white.
Warning Sign
This is similar to a danger sign but usually represents lesser danger levels that might not lead to death but surely can cause major harm to the workers. Please note that these signs are more strict compared to caution signs.
No Trespassing Sign
These signs are common in places where only existing members of the organization or relevant professionals can enter. Even residential homes put these signs up near the fencing to prevent trespassers from entering the property.
Biohazard Sign
The presence of biological hazards in the workplace is a serious health concern. Biohazard signs encourage employees to tread with caution when around these substances. It is mandatory to take this seriously as some factory equipment is used to manage these hazardous products, making them unsafe to handle afterward if kept unclean.
Fire Safety Sign
These are some of the easiest signs to spot due to their contrasting design and are usually attached to fire hoses or extinguishers. It is essential to keep these in plain view in order to rapidly deal with any unfortunate arson incident.
Conclusion
Ensuring workplace safety is fundamental to a business’s success. A place like a construction site is unimaginable without multiple safety messages spread all around. Enter an industrial zone, and you will surely come across numerous safety signs to manage heavy traffic along the way. The utility is profound. Hence, it is mandatory to have proper knowledge about industrial safety signs.
