Importance of Safety Signs in the Workplace Safety Signs provide information about any potential hazards at any location – schools, workplaces, roads, malls, just about anywhere. From the most significant “danger” sign at a construction site to the most mundane “wet floor” caution signs at a mall, these safety signs are imperative tools of communication to just about anybody present in that specific location. The requirement for such safety signs is crucial in places of work, like factories, construction sites and industries using toxic or harmful chemicals, or even in hospitals. These safety signs alert the employees or public about the risks to watch out for at that location. Hence it is important to make these signs easily understandable and eye-catching, so they are not missed. The use of words and the graphics in these caution signs must be carefully chosen, so as to ensure that the message comes through at just a glance. The wording must be kept as concise as possible and the fonts need be at optimum sizes to ensure high noticeability and visibility. Such caution signs are usually taken for granted and its significance is rather underrated; which is why there are regulatory bodies specific to every country, which lays down rules and norms, on standardizing the size, shape and colours used at different locations for specific purposes. For example, safety signs in NZ follow Standards as per Standard NZS/AS 1319:1994, where it makes it mandatory in workplaces to have safety signs to cater to the three requirements as below: 1. To regulate public safety behaviour 2. To warn of a possible hazardous environment 3. To provide emergency information In accordance with the above, the safety signs in NZ must also conform to the shapes, colours, text formats and graphics/icons as defined by NZS/AS 1319. COLOURS: • • • •
Red: Signs in red are meant to notify of an unsafe environment and thereby an action to be taken. Like Danger or Keep Out signs Yellow: Caution signs are in yellow, warning of a certain precaution to be taken. E.g., Warning or Beware signs. Blue: Blue signs provide information on a certain protection measure to be taken, like Wear Safety Gear signs. Green: Signs in green are usually directional signs, to instruct on the location of first aid or safety equipment.
SHAPES: •
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Circle: Circular safety signs are used to instruct of a certain mandatory action. Hence they are usually in red or use red font, like the Stop or Danger sign Also, circular signs with a diagonal red line across indicate a forbidden action. Rectangle: Rectangular signs are usually instructional signs and so are usually in Green or Blue Triangle: Triangular signs are warning or caution signs indicating a potential danger. They are usually in red or yellow.
Choosing the right safety signs and placing them at the right location after careful assessment of possible risks or hazards in your work premises can avoid injuries and ensure a safe work environment.