Complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA is an important part of running a business. There are regulations for almost anything in a work environment. One item that needs to be addressed in the manufacturing, warehouse and construction industries is the need for OSHA-compliant safety signs. What makes an OSHA sign an OSHA sign?
The Header
OSHA signs always have a block header at the top with a signal word. Various signal words are DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, NOTICE, or SAFETY FIRST/THINK and their purpose is to simply warn the viewer of a safety situation. Each header word and its color indicate the severity of the hazard.
DANGER indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, will result in serious injury or death.
WARNING indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could result in serious injury or death.
CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.
NOTICE indicates information considered important but not hazard-related.
SAFETY FIRST/THINK/BE CAREFUL indicates specific safety related instructions or procedures that are related to safe work practices.
Safety Hazard Explained
There should always be somewhere on the sign where the particular danger is defined. In addition there should be a suggested solution to avoiding this hazard.
Graphics
If there is a graphic or symbol on your sign, it should be one that is universally recognized. This is so anyone can understand it, no matter what language they speak.
For more information on safety signs and to watch information videos click here.
Contributed by Elizabeth Cotnoir, Merchandising Associate at Seton.