Millions of people get injured while on the job every year. Though work safety has improved in recent years, employers need to take further action to ensure employees continue operations in a workplace free from hazards. That’s why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had established a hazard communication guideline, requiring workplaces to post safety signs complying with the regulations from the American National Standard Institute (ANSI).
The most efficient way to indicate dangers or warnings to employees and visitors is through safety signs that insta graphic systems provide the highest quality possible, providing clear and evident signs for everyone’s safety.
Here are the common OSHA signs and regulations you need to implement throughout your facilities to remain compliant to reduce accidents and injuries and promote safe behavior among employees.
Notice Sign
Notice signs usually show information about machines, building areas, and equipment. These typically indicate procedures, maintenance details, rules, and directions unrelated to safety. For instance, no smoking signs fit into this category when the act is prohibited. However, there’s a ‘no smoking’ sign due to nearby flammable liquids—then they are considered warning signs.
A notice sign is usually blue signs with white text and commonly placed where there’s no necessary hazard present. They need to be placed in restricted areas throughout the facility.
Caution Sign
Caution signs indicate hazards that may result in minor to moderate injuries when not avoided. They usually warn workers against unsafe practices, such as tripping, which often comes as ‘slippery when wet’ signages. These often come in black texts with yellow backgrounds, making them more noticeable and clear to workers. Additionally, they come with the safety alert symbol.
The OSHA requires you to place caution signs in potentially hazardous areas throughout the facilities, and you may also use them to caution against doing unsafe practices.
Warning Signs
Warning signs often describe hazards that may result in severe injuries or even fatalities when not careful. These are one severity down from danger signs and usually have orange backgrounds with bold black texts to emphasize its message, indicating hazards present that may severely hurt or kill employees. Moreover, they come with a safety alert symbol alongside the ‘WARNING’ signal word in all caps lock.
The OSHA requires all facilities to place warning signs in a visible or prominent location or a place with high-foot traffic at least at an eye-level and shouldn’t be obscured. Keeping these signages on full display should be a significant consideration when placing other items or equipment in the area.
Danger Signs
Danger signs often signal the most severe hazards. Employees need to make unique or special precautions before doing specific tasks in the area, warning them that these activities or locations may cause irreversible damage or even death when they don’t stay wary and actively avoid the hazards. These signs often feature bright red backgrounds with white text and should only be strictly used in a facility’s most dangerous places.
Moreover, the sign comes with a ‘DANGER’ signal word in all caps alongside the standard safety alert symbol, which looks like a triangle with an exclamation point inside. The OSHA requires establishments to place danger signs in all areas where a hazard can pose an immediate danger to employees and visitors.
Safety Instructions
Safety instructions signs usually indicate general safety-related messages related to health, medical equipment, first aid, housekeeping, and sanitation. These often come with green backgrounds and white texts and are informational but still related to safety. Although it may indicate several things, first aid is the most common one, alongside eyewash or safety shower signs and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) signs.
Keep in mind to place safety instruction signs wherever general instructions and safety suggestions may help employees do their tasks safely, so ensure to have a couple of signs near their work areas.
It can be challenging to know when and where putting signs in your facility is appropriate. However, OSHA’s rule indicates that signages need to be used to prevent accidental injuries and diseases to workers exposed to hazardous conditions, malfunctioning, and equipment. Signs need to be used until the identified hazards or dangers are gone.
Every day, millions of workers service and use high-powered and massive equipment, build and fix roads, and manufacture products, putting them at high risk of getting injured. That’s why the OSHA advocates the vital role of signs in enforcing a safe workplace—and the five sign regulations mentioned are an excellent basis on how to implore proper visual communications among employees.
