Workplace safety is of paramount importance because an accident can cause grievous injury or even death with far-reaching consequences on the victims and the employer. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor, Federal law entitles workers to a safe workplace. By putting up safety signs, not only can you demonstrate your commitment to their health and wellbeing but also benefit from lesser compensation payouts and improved employee morale.
Where Should Safety Signs Be Located
One of the simplest but most effective ways of warning people of the presence of danger and risk to health is a safety sign. Signs are also used to indicate the way, point out non-functional equipment, and provide instructions on what to do in case of an emergency. Typically, you should display safety signs at places that present a risk of serious injury, areas where people need to wear PPE, where hazards may not be readily apparent to workers or visitors, in areas where vehicles move, and places where toxic, inflammable materials are stored. You can also use employee digital signage to improve the health and safety of your office.
How to Increase the Efficacy of Safety Signs?
The language used should be short, simple, and free of ambiguities. Remember to use icons, symbols, and diagrams that are easily understood even by people not familiar with English. To ensure better visibility of an out of order sign, for example, make use of bright colors and large text so that it can be seen and understood from a distance. Make sure that enough safety signs are placed in the proximity of the hazard so that anyone approaching it can be warned.
What Are the Benefits of Safety Signs?
While there are several benefits of using safety signs in the workplace, the most obvious one is that they serve to alert people to potential hazards to their health and wellbeing. Additionally, they can also remind people about following rules like speed limits, not smoking, or wearing appropriate PPE. Safety signs are also a good way of overcoming literacy and language barriers because they usually incorporate self-explanatory icons and symbols to communicate vital safety information clearly and simply.
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What Can Reduce the Effectiveness of Safety Signs?
As effective as safety signs have the potential to be, their efficacy can be limited if workers get used to them and stop noticing them. Becoming careless or complacent about the safety hazards can prove to be costly. Sometimes, even when the worker knows about the hazard, he may choose to disregard the warning because it is more convenient. This makes it important for other control mechanisms to be used along with safety signage for effectively preventing accidents.
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Conclusion
Safety signage needs to be an integral feature of your workplace, and you can increase their efficacy by training your workers regarding their meaning and importance. It is also necessary to educate and train them on what to do after they see specific types of safety signs. Putting up adequate safety signs can help to prevent excessive liability for negligence.