The purpose of having a safety sign at the workplace is to identify and warn workers who may be exposed to various hazards. Keeping workers safe is an employer’s obligation. Having a visual communication strategy i.e. safety signs is a key.
Safety signs assist in the communication of important instructions, reinforce safety messages and provide instructions for emergency situations. These signs and their standards cover DANGER, WARNING, and CAUTION signs.
There are several safety signs which have different purposes. While many signs are mandatory for a workplace, adding other types of informational signs can greatly contribute to workers’ safety. Let’s see the types of signs that should be included in the workplace.
REGULATORY SIGNS
There are several types of safety signs available and out of which few are mandatory. Regulatory Signs are subdivided as:
PROHIBITION SIGNS
Prohibition signs indicate an action or behavior that is not permitted in the workplace. The signs are shown as a red circle with a red slash over a black icon of the action. The text is black on a white background.
MANDATORY SIGNS
Mandatory signs provide specific instructions that MUST be carried out. The icons are in white reversed out of a blue circle. The text is black on a white background.
DANGER SIGNS
Danger signs communicate a hazard, condition or situation that is likely to be life-threatening. The sign is shown as the word Danger on a red oval or a black rectangle. The text is black on a white background.
WARNING SIGNS
Warning signs warn of hazards or conditions that are not likely life-threatening. These safety signs consist of a black triangle and icon on a yellow background with support black text.
FIRE SAFETY SIGNS
Fire safety signs advise the location of fire alarms and firefighting equipment. They contain white symbols or text on a red background.
EMERGENCY SIGNS
Emergency signs indicate the location or directions to emergency facilities. These signs feature a white symbol or text on a green background.
GENERAL INFORMATION SIGNS
These signs communicate information which is general in nature and often refers to housekeeping, company practices or logistics.
These are some important safety signs that must be placed in the workplace to ensure the safety of workers.