We may not often think about it, but signs play an important part in keeping us safe in our day-to-day lives. They tell us when to stop at an intersection, if there is construction work ahead, or when it’s safe to cross the street. They also give information and direction in a work environment.
The same goes for workplaces. Signs play a huge role in telling workers what hazards are present and how to avoid them. To be effective, these signs must be understandable so that workers know what to do to stay safe in different work environments.
Signs that are well-positioned can be very effective in communicating a hazard and serving as a reminder when no one else is around.
These three steps can help you ensure that signs in your facility help employees understand the risks present in different environments.
● Speak the Language of Safety
Signage needs to easily and effectively communicate its message to everyone on the job site. Without a clear understanding of the hazards present in different working environments, workers don’t have the knowledge necessary to operate safely.
“The purpose of a safety sign is to give people the information they need to act safely, and to provide that information when and where it’s needed,” says Brian McFadden, compliance specialist at Graphic Products. “If you keep that goal in mind, the regulations and standards for signage become how-to guides and help you improve workplace communication in the name of safety.”
With regard to regulations, the ANSI/NEMA Z535 series of standards establishes requirements for the design, application, and use of safety signage. This includes colour coding, sign size, text size, and viewing distance.
For instance, the standard states that minor or moderate hazards are indicated by yellow signs, more serious hazards are indicated by orange signage, and the most serious hazards are indicated by red signage.
By using these as the foundation for safety signage, employees learn to understand and recognize the various types of hazards associated with different types of machinery and settings.
It’s important to know that literacy rates vary from worker to worker and that not all workers speak the same language. Signs should thus be easily understood in whatever language(s) are spoken at work.
Location
A sign is only truly effective if it is appropriately placed on a worksite. This includes both the location of signage on machinery as well as ensuring that signage is placed outside of a hazardous work area well enough in advance for workers to be aware and take proper precautions.
“Signage should be positioned close enough to a hazard so that it is relevant, but not so close that employees enter a potentially dangerous area before seeing the sign,” says Stegall. “Ask yourself, “Is the sign positioned close enough to the hazard that it is relevant, but not so close that the employee is entering a potentially dangerous area before they will see the sign?”
Avoid Mixed Messages
Although signage is a crucial component of workplace safety culture, Stegall notes that there is such a thing as too much signage, so safety professionals must be aware of it in their workplaces.
You don’t want to have so many signs that the warnings blend. Having one safety sign after another or signs that contradict each other since they warn of different hazards can create confusion among your workers.
McFadden encourages employers to focus on consistency across the job site. This means that if similar signage is required in multiple locations, the messaging on those signs should be similar. This helps workers quickly understand the context of any given sign.
“It’s easy to go overboard with signage,” says McFadden. “Before posting any new sign, think about its purpose.” “What information, specifically, needs to be provided? “If you post a new sign in a given location, will its message be relevant, timely, and actionable when an employee reads it?”
Green Safety Limited sells and installs safety signage to help keep your workplace safe at all times by informing and guiding employees to safe and unsafe locations while also ensuring the smooth operation of your business. To order yours visit our website www.greensafetyltdservices.com.ng or call +234 701 218 8424
Email; Greensafety@ymail.com