Top Safety Signs Every Business Needs

It may not sound glamorous to keep employees informed about workplace hazards and safe practices, but it’s your job as an employer to place suitable safety signage in the building.

Many workplace accidents and injuries can be avoided with the proper signage and practices, so finding the correct ones for your workplace is key. Here are the top safety signs that every business should have displayed.

Emergency Fire Exits

If a fire breaks out, employees must get out as soon as possible. During a fire, many people may panic, in which case you need to allocate a safety officer, whose sole responsibility is to make sure everyone gets out of the building on time.

Without clear signage above the emergency exits, people won’t be able to see where they are going. These signs should be bright and vivid, and you should have multiple signs all around the building illustrating every exit. Time is crucial in a fire, so the less time people waste trying to navigate the building, the better.

First-Aid

First-aid supplies must be easily accessible and in a place that all employees can see. Identifying the designated first-aid areas should be a top priority no matter what industry you work in. For manufacturing and construction plants, first-aid will be used more often than in an office environment. You still need to have clear signs leading employees to the first-aid station.

If you are unsure of what signage your business needs consult the experts at Label Source. They provide a wide range of signage services including the recommended safety signs and are authorised by the UK and EU’s international safety legislation.

Indemnity Signs

A notice sign that informs employees and customers of potential hazards in the building is important. This not only protects the business by placing responsibility on the individual, but it informs the public that they need to be aware of certain dangers.

Your building may be situated in a high-crime area, in which case you will need to let the people who walk into your building know to be extra careful. These signs are normally a blue and white colour with a thick black border, but as long as the sign is visible to everyone who enters the property it can be any range of colours.

Warning of Dangerous Substances

Harmful substances and chemicals can be found in a variety of different buildings, and it’s the business's responsibility to ensure that everyone is aware of them. Whether you work with manufacturing chemicals that are dangerous to inhale, or you work in the food industry and there is hot oil around, you need to have the proper signage to warn people.

It’s equally important to put up information as to how to deal with exposure to those dangerous substances in the event someone is injured. You will need to get them to the first-aid station or possibly the hospital as soon as possible.

Safety signs are crucial as they warn us about dangers, possible hazards, and safety precautions. Every business should conduct a risk assessment to identify where potential hazards exist and whether their signage is clear enough to protect employees and the public from harm.