8/14/2019 The Basics of Signage

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2009

RobVajko

1/12/2009

The Basics of Signage

Thenature

of

signage

is,

at

the

most

basiclevel,designedtoletthese

employeesknowthenatureofthe

dangerandwhattheyneedtodoto

avoidinjury

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The Basics of Signage

Inthebestofallpossibleworlds,therearenohazardstowarnagainst.Intherealworld,however,there

arenumerousdangersandpossiblehazardsthatemployeesneedtopayattentionto.Thenatureof

signageis,atthemostbasiclevel,designedtolettheseemployeesknowthenatureofthedangerand

whattheyneedtodotoavoidinjury.Effectivesignagewillidentifyandlabeleveryandallpossible

hazardstheworkersneedtoprotectagainst.

Propersignageshouldbedesignedtohelptheemployeeidentifyevenataquickglance,thenatureand

emergencyofthehazard.Notallsignsaresignsthatneedtobereadimmediately.Thenatureofthe

hazardmaynotbeonethatisurgent.Thepersonlookingatthesignneedstobeabletosee

immediatelywhichsignsareurgentandwhatthenatureoftheurgencyis.

Therearevariouswaysthatsignshavetriedtohelpresolvethisproblem.Colors,Wording,Symbolsand

thesizeofthefontorsymbolusedareusuallyusedinvariouscombinationstohelpidentifythehazards.

ColorsThereare5basiccolorsthatareused,usuallyinconjunctionwithsomekeywordsofwarning.

REDisusedtoidentifydangersthatareimmediateandhazardsthathavethepotentialforseriousinjuryordeath.ThiscolorisusuallyusedwithDANGER,FIREorSTOP.Thisisusuallyusedtolabelflammable

liquids,

emergency

switches

as

well

as

fire

issues.

ORANGEmeans(andisusedwiththeword)warning.Thehazardisseriousbutnotnecessarilyimmediate.Itwarnsthereadertobecarefulbecausethereisthepotentialforseriousinjuryoreven

death.Exampleswouldincludepinchpoints,machineryandmovingparts.

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YELLOWisusedtoidentifyahazardthatmightresultininjurythat,whilenotnecessarilylife

threatening,couldstillbesomewhatserious.ItisusedmostoftenwithCaution.Slips,tripsandfalls

would

fall

in

this

category

as

would

certain

storage

cabinets

(corrosives,

flammables,

etc).

GREENdenotessafetyandisusuallyusedtoidentifysafetymateriallikeMSDSsheets.Thereisno

immediatedangerpresent.ItisusuallyassociatedwiththewordSafetyorThink.

BLUEismostoftenusedwithNOTICEtoidentifysafetyregulationsandprocedures.

OSHACFR1910.144mandatesonlytheuseofRedandYellow:

RedRedshallbethebasiccolorfortheidentificationof:

Fireprotectionequipmentandapparatus. Danger.Safetycansorotherportablecontainersofflammableliquidshavingaflash

pointatorbelow80F,tablecontainersofflammableliquids(opencuptester),

excludingshippingcontainers,shallbepaintedredwithsomeadditionalclearlyvisible

identificationeitherintheformofayellowbandaroundthecanorthenameofthe

contentsconspicuouslystenciledorpaintedonthecaninyellow.Redlightsshallbe

providedatbarricadesandattemporaryobstructions.Dangersignsshallbepaintedred.

Stop.Emergencystopbarsonhazardousmachinessuchasrubbermills,wireblocks,flatworkironers,etc.,shallbered.Stopbuttonsorelectricalswitcheswhichlettersorother

markingsappear,usedforemergencystoppingofmachineryshallbered.

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YellowYellowshallbethebasiccolorfordesignatingcautionandformarkingphysicalhazardssuchas:

Strikingagainst,

stumbling,

falling,

tripping,

and

"caught

in

between."

Usingtheothercolors,whilenotmandated,isagoodideatoconformtowhatmostpeopleareusedto.

ShapesInadditiontocolors,shapesareassociatedwithcertaintypesofsigns.

TrianglesandDiamondsareusedforhazardousmaterialsandNFPAlabels.

Circlesareusedformandatoryactionsthatworkersarecalledtoperformsuchasdonningacertaintype

of

Personal

Protective

Equipment

or

extinguishing

cigarettes.

SquaresandRectanglesareusedmostgenericallyformostothertypesofinformation.

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BilingualSignsBecausemoreandmoreworkersdonotnecessarilyspeakorreadEnglish,itisusuallyagoodideato

makesurethatyoursignsarebilingualinordertomakesurethatyourSpanishspeakingemployeesare

safeaswell.

ANSIZ535.2-1998vs.ANSIZ535.2-2002

ThenewANSIZ535.22002specifiesthenewstandardforsafetysigns.ANSIZ535.22002signsaremade

upofthreedistinctpanels:

1.The

header

panel

which

contains

the

DANGER,

WARNING

or

CAUTION

along

with

the

graphic

symbol .

a. Thisheaderdenotesahazardthatisseriousenoughtopotentiallycauseseriousinjuryordeath.

b. ThisheaderdenotesahazardthatissimilartotheDANGERabovebutwithalesserdegreeofrisk.

c. Thisheaderdenotesahazardthathasthepotentialformoderateinjury.

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d. Thisheader(noticetheabsenceofthesafetyalerttriangle)istobeusedtodenotehazardsthathavethepotentialfordamagetopropertyasopposed

topersonal

injury.

e. Thisheaderdenotesastatementofcompanypolicy.ItisNEVERtobeusedifthereisahazardthatcouldresultinpersonalinjury.

2. Thepictorialpanelthatdescribesthetypeofhazard,thepossibleconsequenceofthehazardortheactiontobetakentoavoidthehazard.Therearetwodifferentclassificationsofpictorials:

a. HazardAlertingPictorials apicturethatshowswhatthehazardisandwhattheconsequencesareiftheworkerfailstofollowtheinstructions.

b. HazardAvoidancePictorialsPicturesthatillustratetheactiontobetakentoavoidthehazard.

3. Themessagepanel.ANSIrecommendsacombinationofUPPERCASEandlowercasesansseriftext.

a. Uppercasetextshouldbeusedtocalltoaction,aconsequencestatement,emergencyinformationortodescribethehazardthatispresent.

b. Lowercasetextshouldbeusedtogiveinstructionsabouthowtoavoidthehazard,tooutlinetheconsequencesmoreindetail,toexplaintheactionstatementoroutline

safetymeasurestobetaken.

Visibility

ANSIZ5352002specifiesaratioof25feetperinchoftextforfavorablereadingconditions(theairisclearofsmoke,debris,dust,lightingisgood,etc)and12feetperinchoftextforunfavorablereadingconditions(visibilityissomewhathampered).

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Asanexampleifvisibilityislimitedandasignneedstobereadfrom50feetaway,thelettersonthe

signwouldneedtobefiveinchestall.Ifvisibilityisgood,theletterwouldneedtobetwoinchestall.

Puttingtogetheracompletesafetysignageprogram1. Signageneedstocoverallofyourcompaniesproperty.Thismeansthatyouneedtomakesure

thatallhazardsarelabeledcorrectly,notonlyintheproductionfacilitiesorwarehouse,butalso

onallthegroundsoutsidethebuildingaswellasoffices,hallwaysandlunchrooms.

2. Themoreeyesthebetter.Consideraskingyourlocalsafetysuppliertocomeoutanddoawalkthroughwithyou.Attheveryleast,haveseveralpeopleidentifyallthepossiblehazards.You

alonewillinvariablymissthings.Askemployeeswherethehazardsareandmakesurethatthey

areadequately

labeled

for

protection.

3. Dontjustlook,listen,smellandfeelaswell.Aretherehotpipesorexhausts?Arethereareasthatareloudandrequirehearingprotection?Arefumespresent?Allofthesearepotential

hazardsandshouldbeproperlyidentified.

4. Standardizeandcommunicatewhatthatstandardis.Ifthesamecolorisusedtoidentifythesamehazardthroughoutthefacility,ifacertainsymbolisusedoverandoveragain,then

employees,oncetheyhavebeentaught,willbeabletoidentifyhazardsquicklyandaccurately.

Standardsand

where

to

get

more

information:

OSHA29CFR1910(http://www.osha.gov/ )

ANSIZ535(http://www.ansi.org/)