The Basics of Signage
Transcript of 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/)