Signs in the workplace are one of the best ways to warn of potential hazards and provide useful information to employees and customers. They can help to improve safety and efficiency, and many types of signs are actually mandatory for employers to display.
If you’re interested to know the different types of signs used in the workplace and what you mean, you can find out in this article. We’ll look at the most commonly used workplace signs and how they help prevent accidents and cultivate a safer working environment.
Prohibition Signs
Prohibition means to forbid or outlaw something, and this is essentially what prohibition signs do. They’re used to show when something isn’t permitted for safety purposes and display do not commands. For example, if smoking is forbidden, a no smoking sign can be used to clearly display this. Click here to learn more about prohibition signs and to see some good examples of them.
A lot of prohibition signs will clearly show an example of the forbidden behaviour inside a red circle with a red diagonal line going through it. The background within the red circle is typically white, while the imagery used to show the behaviour is normally solid black.
Aside from banning certain behaviours, prohibition signs can also be used to deny access to unauthorised personnel. This is especially useful if the workplace has dangerous areas that might otherwise be accessed by customers or those who aren’t properly trained to be there.
Warning Signs
Warning signs are perhaps one of the most common types of signs used in the workplace. These are used simply to denote a specific hazard or risk that’s present in the immediate area. For example, they might be used to warn people of high voltage or of a wet floor. Certain warning signs are required by law, especially when hazardous substances are involved, so it’s important to understand the rules on these if you’re managing a workplace.
In all cases, warning signs use the clear and obvious colours of black and yellow. These colours are used in nature to display when something is dangerous as they’re very easy to see. Typically, a triangle shape will be used, and an image will be provided as well as the text that describes the nature of the hazard. The idea of these signs is to alert people of possible hazards so they take the necessary precautions in the area.
Mandatory Signs
Mandatory signs inform people about a certain action that must be taken to comply with safety protocols. For example, this sign could be used to show that safety glasses need to be worn in this area or for the door to be kept closed. These signs are displayed in the area where the action is required.
For mandatory signs, a blue and white colour scheme is used. Typically, they use text underneath a blue circle that shows the image of what is required. However, not all mandatory signs display images, and in these cases, a rectangle is used instead of a circle.
Emergency Signs
Emergency signs are another type of sign that is required by law in all workplaces. These signs are used to denote emergency exits or provide information about first aid kits or other escape routes. Essentially, they’re what you should look for when there’s an emergency, as they’ll allow you to find help or escape if necessary.
All emergency signs use the same colour scheme, with a green background and white text and images. They’re extremely easy to see, and emergency exit signs are typically backlit too. This means they can be found even in low light conditions, allowing people to escape in an emergency if the power has gone out.
