ADVICE & OPINION
COMPLIANCE
THINK SAFE, ACT SAFE, BE SAFE.
WHY SAFETY SIGNS MATTER
In our daily lives we see signs, they tell us
to stop at junctions, they provide us with
directions and tell us if there is construction work
happening. But do they really matter? The simple
answer is yes.
Although safety signs are o en low on the
hierarchy for many employers, signs play a huge
role in telling employees and visitors at workplaces
what hazards are present and how to avoid these
dangers.
Safety signs
Inform Warn Guide
Latest HSE statistics show that in 2019/20, there
were 111 workers killed, with a further 693,000
workers sustaining non-fatal injuries. Meanwhile, an
estimated 38.8 million working days were lost due
to work-related illness and workplace injury at a
cost of £16.2 billion to the economy, while fines from
convictions totalled £35.8 million.
The human and financial cost of accidents
and ill health at work are clearly extremely high.
Businesses found in breach of health & safety
regulations may su er significant damage to their
reputation, and in some cases, bosses may even face
a prison sentence. Organisations must therefore
pay close attention to health & safety and regularly
review their approach to identify opportunities for
improvement.
THINK SAFE! – FIVE BENEFITS OF SAFETY SIGNS
Health and safety signs deliver enormous benefits to
organisations:
14 AUGUST 2021
1. Decreases accidents in the workplace
2. Boosts safety conscious employees
3. Reduces employers’ responsibility
4. Highlights necessary information
5. Reduces workplace costs
SPECIFYING HEALTH & SAFETY SIGNS -
MISTAKES TO AVOID
Recognising the importance of health & safety signs
is the first step towards implementing an e ective
safety signage plan, but it’s important to be aware
that not all safety signage is created equal. Beware
of the following issues which can occur where safety
signs are bought from vendors who don’t have the
appropriate level of expertise.
The signage uses the right colours for mandatory,
prohibition, hazard
The right symbols have been used to ensure
compliance legislation
The use of appropriate fonts
The right size of sign for viewing distances
Clear and concise messaging
The right material is used
Best practice for safety sign usage
ACT SAFE – TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
Once a business has selected compliant safety
signage, they have a responsibility to keep
notices clearly displayed, unobstructed and
well maintained, as failure to do so could pose a
significant danger if an emergency arises.
If you think there could be room for improvement
in your safety signage plan, the best way to review
your safety signs is to walk through your site and
take a look.
Safety professionals and site managers also
need to be mindful that too much signage can be
confusing and hard to understand. It is very easy to
go overboard with signage. Having a group of safety
signs all in one place warning of di erent hazards
can create confusion among your workers. The best
way to approach this is to look at what signs can be
merged into one main sign, Site Safety Notices are
a great way and commonly used on construction
sites to alert individuals of many hazards in a
clear and concise way. An experienced safety sign
manufacturer can help your organisation with this
issue and come up with the best solution for your
business.
Our tips:
Think about the purpose of the sign
What information needs to be provided
Is that message relevant to that area
Is the message easily actionable when a worker
reads it
Regulations establish that certain requirements
are to be applied on safety signs, such as colour,
icons etc. For example, yellow is incorporated on
hazard signs. It’s essential that all members of sta
understand what signs mean. Including safety sign
training into health and safety or site inductions
helps employees begin to understand and recognise
the types of hazards associated with the di erent
environments. It’s also important to consider that
not all employees may speak the same language
and therefore signs should be easily understood by
all parties.
BE SAFE
Health & safety signs play a far more important role
in promoting e ective health & safety management
than many people realise. Not only can health &
safety signs help to reduce accidents and workrelated
ill health but they can also provide an
opportunity to promote and celebrate a strong
health & safety culture and leave a positive lasting
impression. Clear and compliant safety signage
signals that health and safety is a high priority
within your organisation, but it is only one piece of
the overall safety puzzle.
Peter Clayton Head of Sales for Spectrum Industrial on the importance
of safety signs following the launch of the ‘Think Safe, Act Safe, Be
Safe’ campaign
In association with