We’ve previously discussed safety signs on several occasions, but given the ever changing nature of safety and OSHA regulations, we thought we would cover this essential requirement again. OSHA Standard 1910.145 governs safety signs. It discusses the specifics of the signs you utilize in your workplace. This standard regulates the color, dimensions, and design of most signs you are required to use.

But what this standard does not cover is when to use these signs or where to place them. Those regulations are determined in different standards, specific to your business and business practices. So, in order to properly place the signage, you need to cross reference this standard with each standard that applies to your business, which can be quite a demanding task. For startups or businesses going through large expansions, this task can be far more difficult than it sounds.

While confined spaces, lockout tagout, and many other procedures are often more discussed and planned for by safety teams, it is often something small, like a signage issue, which can devastate your business in an OSHA audit. Standards are constantly changing, updating with the latest safety advances. And while it is easy to plan for and notice a major change to a standard, a small change in verbiage regarding a sign can often go overlooked. Even well established, safety minded companies are often out of compliance on a few small signs when they have their third party safety audits.

If you are unsure if your signage is up to date, please contact us. If you have anything to add to the conversation about safety signs, please leave a comment.

Safety signs are important in just about every facet of your business. Whether you own a factory with 500 employees or an automotive shop with 3 mechanics, there is certain signage required by OSHA. And without this signage, you can incur hefty fines. In addition to the fines, you can also put your employees severely at risk by not properly notifying them of safety hazards.

What is important to remember about signage is that it is not for you, it is for your employees. It might be obvious to you not to smoke near your propane tanks, but that doesn’t mean it is to a new hire who works in your accounting department. Likewise, you certainly know which machinery requires proper personal protective equipment to use, but that doesn’t mean everyone in your shop does. In order to ensure the safety of everyone working for you, you cannot assume any base level of knowledge about your equipment. So, while it is tedious to keep track of what OSHA signage requirements pertain to your facility, it is important to remember why those requirements were established.

If you have any questions about which safety signs are required where, you can consult OSHA directly and read through the relevant standards, or you can contact a company who specializes in OSHA standards and compliance. And, if you need to order new safety signs, wouldn’t it make sense to purchase them through that company, whose employees live to understand compliance? If you do have any needs pertaining to your safety signage, please contact us so that we can help you. And, should you have anything you think could benefit others reading this, please leave a comment.