Thursday, 28 July 2011

What are Safety Signs?



One of the most effective forms of communication is through pictures; this is because our brains see messages in pictures and remember these far better than words. So, exactly what are safety signs, then? Safety signs are a way of communicating important information that can be understood by all races, by literate and illiterate people, by all age groups and by all people, locally or globally.  That is the key to why they are so effective.

Safety signs are vital in all our workplaces to ensure the safety of our workers. One area of business that has always made good use of such signage is health and safety which uses them to explain important safety procedures that help keep workers safe. Whether the signs are placed in dangerous machinery or simply outline company policies, safety signs are integral to all businesses.  That is why the use of safety signs is still so important today. 

An important consideration when purchasing safety signs will be to determine exactly what are the legally required safety signs you will need for your business? You should discuss your need with your supplier as they should know what is required by law. The price of safety signs will depend on the type of signs you need to purchase as well as the material it is manufactured from. Depending on where you need to display it, you might decide on a poster, an illuminated sign, a sign post or even a sticker format. 

So, we have addressed what safety signs are and the importance of displaying them in the workplace, but what about the colors used in these signs? Apart from the safety sign itself, specific colors are used to communicate the degree of danger. For example, red spells danger. It is used for fire equipment to indicate the location of this important equipment in cases where danger prevails. Amber or yellow is a warning sign to indicate that special care or precautionary measures should be taken. Blue indicates that certain mandatory behavior is required in this area, for example the wearing of hard hats on a building site or the wearing of protective clothing when working. The color green means here is no immediate threat and is used as a sign for an escape route or first aid equipment that are available in cases of an emergency.

It is also advisable to follow good practice when using safety signs and signals; for example it is advisable to display a sign when a wet floor might be slippery, especially when cleaning floors in a public place such as a hospital or a reception area. Always make sure that safe emergency exists are indicated and last but not least, arrange a training to ensure that all your workers understand and adhere to the safety signs posted in their working environment.

About the author

This article on what are safety signs was compiled by Label Source Online, who supplies Safety Signs online to customers in the UK. Find out more from our website: http://www.labelsourceonline.co.uk/