Health and safety signs at work are a complementary measure in prevention that must follow a series of uniform and homogeneous criteria in order to allow common information, regardless of the workplace and / or its activity, and thus guarantee its correct interpretation by workers.
It is Necessary when it is Required:
- Call the attention of workers to the existence of certain risks, prohibitions or obligations.
- Alert workers when a certain emergency situation occurs that requires urgent protection or evacuation measures.
- Facilitate workers to locate and identify certain means or facilities for protection, evacuation, emergency or first aid.
- Guide or guide workers who carry out certain dangerous maneuvers.
- Now, signage by itself never eliminates risk.
Do you Know the Different Kinds of Safety Signs?
Safety signs are understood to be all those signs that, when referring to a specific activity, situation or object, are providing an indication regarding safety or health in the workplace. Therefore, proper workplace safety signs, in addition to being necessary and following current regulations, is essential to guarantee the safety of workers and the proper functioning of their tasks.
For this it is important to train workers and ensure that they follow the guidelines properly. In general, if the signs are placed at the entrance to the work area, they must be followed from the moment the facilities are accessed. However, if they are directly on a machine, the signal dictates for the use of that particular machine must be complied with, you can also take training from safety maps experts.
4 Basic Types of Safety Signs
There are several types of safety signs and in different formats: they can be in the form of a panel, a light signal or an acoustic signal, as appropriate. Below we summarize the 4 types of safety signage that should not be missing in your facilities.
Prohibition Signs for your Company
In the case of prohibition signs, they prohibit actions that may put the health or safety of workers and their own at risk, such as smoking or lighting fires near volatile or flammable substances. They are characterized by the colors red and white. It is essential to place them to avoid behaviors that could endanger your employees.
Mandatory Signs for the Safety of your Workers
Mandatory signs indicate the mandatory and necessary protections that workers must wear to avoid on the premises and when carrying out their tasks. As can be seen in the images, this type of safety signs is circular in shape, with a blue background and white symbols. If your workers are in contact with toxic substances, it is necessary that they follow the guidelines and wear the mandatory safety equipment at all times. It is important to place them in a visible way and, as we have commented previously, right at the entrance of the facilities or on the machine or material with which you are going to work,
Warning Signs in your Facilities
This type of safety signage aims to warn personnel of possible risks that can be carried out in the workplace, or when using, depending on which machinery or tools. These signs are yellow and triangular in shape. They are necessary in construction areas, in installations with uneven levels or in rooms with materials that produce high voltage.
Distress Signals Needed in the Workplace
The distress signals are essential to provide information on emergency equipment, evacuation routes, safety and rescue. In this case, they are green and rectangular. If your company’s facilities are large and with several levels, it will be important to highlight the emergency exits so that they are easily identifiable. Also, if your employees work with toxic or abrasive materials on a daily basis, it is important to mark where they can find showers or other cleaning aids in the event of an accident.
Other Types of Safety Signage that you should Consider
Light signs: These are necessary in areas with poor lighting or during work carried out at night. They help to identify elements that pose a risk clearly and directly. They are interesting to highlight high voltage areas or to facilitate reading in warehouses and basements, especially if dangerous goods are stored there. Fire equipment signs.
It is essential to properly mark where the firefighting equipment is located, such as extinguishers and hoses in case of fire, both to facilitate the work of the fire services, and so that your workers can act if the case arises.
