According to the International Labor Organization, about 2.3 million people worldwide experience workplace accidents every year.
These accidents can cost companies millions in lost wages, insurance payouts, and lower employee morale.
One of the easiest and simplest things a business owner can do to help improve workplace safety is communicating safety guidelines clearly to all employees. Safety signage is a great way to get this message across.
Keep reading to find out all the ways that using safety signage can benefit your workplace.
High Visibility
Putting signs in high-traffic areas ensures that employees will see the message. Appropriate signage should also be installed near equipment, chemicals, or other hazards.
Putting safety signage in places where employees gather makes it easy to ensure your message is reaching everyone. Signs can range from printed posters to weatherproof signs.
For signage that needs to stand out, consider engraved signs.
Easy to Read
Safety signs are usually coded by color, and very often use pictograms instead of words. They are designed to be easy to understand and to convey their message quickly.
This can be especially helpful if your workforce doesn’t all share the same native language. It also gets the message across various levels of experience in the workplace.
Signs also stand out in an environment where employees are bombarded with emails and electronic information.
A sign can get a safety message across to even the busiest of professionals.
Provide Consistency with Safety Signage
Signage is one of the most consistent ways to share your messages about safety.
They are generally standardized, and they are seen by your employees every day at the places where safety matters most (for example, signs on the side of machinery).
This consistency in the message of employee safety also lets them know that you take workplace safety seriously, impacting employee morale in a positive manner.
Keeping Your Workplace in Compliance
Aside from keeping your employees safe from harm, the other most important thing your safety signage can achieve is to keep your business in compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
In fact, the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (often referred to as OSHA) has very specific safety signage standards.
There are three types of signs to consider, depending on your workplace: warning, danger, and caution signs.
Not displaying the proper safety signage could result in heavy fines for your business and open it up to liability if an accident were to occur.
A Safe and Happy Workplace
Workplace safety is obviously an important issue for any employer. Safety signage is an easy, cost-effective, and reliable way to increase the safety of your workplace.
To learn more about how to manage your business, check out other articles on our website. Be sure to check out our other information, too. We cover topics from tech to travel and SEO to sports.
