Safety Signs & Tag Guides

Safety signs and tags are an effective way to keep your employees aware of workplace safety. Signs and tags hanging in appropriately places throughout the workplace greet employees each day and guide their daily activities so that they're performed safely. Bright colors and bold text ensure high visibility in the workplace and increase proper use of tools, equipment and safety protection.

Origin of Safety Signage

• For nearly 100 years, safety signs have recognized as a workplace safety tool. Though used before 1914, it was in that year a pamphlet called "Safety Signs and Slogans" was published. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) incorporated that into their Z.35.1 standard in 1941. A revision of that standard in 1967 became the foundation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.145 covering the standards for safety signage in the workplace. Rules, laws and guides govern size, colors and text used to communicate the safety message.

Safety Sign Characteristics

• You want to choose the right sign color for the message you intend to deliver regarding potential hazards.

  When you want to communicate the existence of an immediate danger to prompt employees to take specific action to prevent an accident or injury from occurring, use "Danger" signs. The danger sign conveys a high likelihood of a negative outcome for the employee if precautions are not taken. The colors red, black and white are those used for "Danger" signs.

  When you want to communicate to employees that a potential hazard may exist or warn them against performing an unsafe act, use "Caution" signs. Employees are still prompted to take safety precautions. The colors yellow and black are standard for use as "Caution" signs, with black lettering on a yellow background or yellow lettering on a black panel.

  When you want to convey to employees general instructions or precautionary measures, use safety instruction signs. Safety instructions signs are generally white with a green background and use white lettering. Use black lettering when any writing is done on the white portions of the sign.

  The writing on safety signs should be clear and concise. Be sure they deliver the message in as few words as possible.

Safety Tag Characteristics

• Use safety tags when there exists a potential hazard that is temporary in nature. Once the hazard has been removed or corrective action completed, tags may be removed. Unlike safety signs, safety tags deliver a more specific message relevant to the hazardous condition posed. You protect the employees from hazards that are not as obvious as those which may be covered by safety signs.

  Safety signs are characterized by an attention-getting word, such as "DANGER" or "CAUTION" or "WARNING." The existing hazard can be shown with an appropriate picture, pictograph and text alone or in combination. Danger tags and caution tags are used for the same types of conditions as detailed in the Safety Sign Characteristics section.

  Deploy safety tags as close as safely possible to the hazardous area or condition. This is done because tags tend to be used with situations where a hazardous condition is not as obvious to employees. They must be readable from a distance of 5 feet.