People who enter a construction site as guests or passersby may need to be made aware of all the warnings and hazards that exist. That’s why it’s essential to have safety signs in place.
These visual communications alert individuals to risks by showing them where dangers are located, what hazards they’re dealing with, and more.
Safety Warnings
While accidents are often unavoidable, there are steps that construction companies can take to mitigate the risks. One meaningful way is through signage. Signs can communicate safety protocols, identify hazards, and indicate if an area is safe or not.
Signs can alert workers to potential dangers, such as explosive atmospheres or electric hazards. They can also warn employees of hazardous conditions that require them to take extra precautions, like wearing protective equipment or staying away from machinery.
Construction sites are dangerous places filled with heavy machinery and building materials. To help ensure everyone stays safe, construction signs Washington can be used to limit the number of people allowed in specific areas. For example, a hard hat place can be marked so that visitors must go through a single entrance and wear appropriate eye protection. Other ways to prevent injuries include logging the names of all visitors, having cameras, and using a security guard.
Traffic Control
There are several different types of safety signs to keep in mind when designing and installing your construction site. Mandatory signs are specific activities in certain worksite areas, such as “headgear must be worn in this area” or “masks must be used.” These signs often feature a white pictogram in a blue circle with text.
Danger signs are more specific warnings about dangerous goods or actions that could be life-threatening. These types of safety signs are usually red, which is the color that indicates immediate danger.
Caution signs are a step down from danger, indicating that dangerous conditions may exist. They also have black text on a yellow background. These types of construction safety signs help to warn workers of possible dangers, as well as trespassers and visitors. Correctly posting these types of safety signs can prevent accidents and injuries, as well as protect contractors from fines for negligence.
Work Zones
Many accidents occur in work zones, most of which could be prevented. One of the most common causes of work zone accidents is driver inattention, which can be due to eating, drinking, talking on phones, or other activities that distract drivers.
Other causes of accidents in work zones include lane changes and merging, uneven road surfaces, and debris. These can all be dangerous for both workers and drivers. In addition, construction vehicles and equipment often have blind spots that can be problematic for drivers.
To prevent these types of accidents, drivers must pay attention to signs in work zones and follow instructions from flaggers on the road. Additionally, drivers should always leave extra space between their vehicle and the car in front of them, especially in stop-and-go traffic. Also, they should avoid driving too quickly or following the vehicle in front of them closely – both behaviors increase the risk of rear-end collisions.
Emergency Procedures
Often, passersby don’t know about construction site hazards. Using fences to establish boundaries and posting safety signs can help keep people out of harm’s way. Depending on the type of sign, it might tell unauthorized people to stay away or warn them to wear specific PPE, such as hard hats.
Using pictographs on work safety signs enables instant understanding, regardless of literacy rates or language barriers. It also allows for clarity among workers who might use different languages at the same time. Workers can quickly and efficiently communicate changes in the work environment, closed areas, or temporary risks without impeding productivity.
Danger signs indicate the highest threat level and require immediate action to prevent injury. They must be visible from five feet or more, and the signal word should match the danger level. Warning signs indicate a moderate risk level and are sometimes used as replacements for danger signs. They are typically accompanied by the same graphics as danger signs and should be placed as close to the hazard.