If you want to make others aware of a potential hazard, then you’ll want to be using safety signage. However, it’s important to make sure you use the signage right. If you don’t, then the usefulness of the signage can be lost. That’s why you always want to ensure you use your signage effectively…
Safety Signage: Using It Effectively
Less can be more
OSHA has pretty specific requirements for safety signage and their formatting. However, some people get a little too trigger happy with sign posting. While they may think they’re doing the right thing, using too many signs could be detrimental to keeping others safe.
Too many signs in one area can cause several different issues. For starters, someone might see all those signs, and simple ignore them because it’s too much to take in. Or, they could miss an important warning because it’s buried under all the other signs. As a result, it’s always best to put up the right amount of signs for the hazard at hand.
Clear messages are crucial
Safety signage should also be very easy to read and understand. If a sign has too much information, it can be confusing and hard to follow. This can be especially apparent if someone has vision problems, or doesn’t usually speak the language the sign is in.
Still, a sign shouldn’t be lacking in information as well. Vague signs might not properly communicate what kind of hazard is present and where it could come from. Therefore, signage needs to be clear and concise, giving workers the proper warning that they need to stay safe.
Placement is key
Safety signage isn’t useful if a worker can’t see it. That’s why it’s important for them to be placed properly in relation to the hazard. For example, if you place them too far from a hazard, then a worker might ignore them because they don’t see the hazard. However, if you place them too close, then you might not give workers enough time to register the hazard.
Mae sure the signs are easy to see as well. Placing them too high or low could prevent workers from being able to easily see them. Also, make sure the lighting is good enough so signs can be properly seen.