OSHA Guidelines: Essential Construction Safety Signs
OSHA Guidelines: Essential Construction Safety Signs
Discover essential construction safety signs per OSHA guidelines. Ensure your site meets all safety regulations. Click to learn more now!
In 2022, almost 20% of all workplace deaths in the United States took place in the construction industry. It’s easy to think this must be down to the dangerous machinery and tools workers use on a daily basis. But in fact, the single biggest cause of death was falls.
This begs the question, could some of these have been prevented with better use of construction safety signs? While signage is just one part of the overall safety protocols needed on a work site, it must not be overlooked. When used correctly, in accordance with OSHA 1910.145, workplace safety signs can sometimes make the difference between life and death.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into everything you need to know about construction safety signs. We will look at how to get OSHA compliance signage that will help you keep accidents to a minimum on the job.
OSHA Compliance for Construction Safety Signs
The Occupational Safety and Health Standards include regulations for accident prevention signs and tags. OSHA 1910.145 states that the purpose of these signs is to define specific hazards that could lead to accidental injury to workers or the public if they were not pointed out. These regulations only cover safety signs – bulletins and safety posters have different regulations.
OSHA has three main categories of signs that impact construction sites:
- Danger or warning signs
- Caution signs
- Safety instruction signs
Danger Signs
Signage must be consistent for OSHA compliance. Consistency helps workers and the public become familiar with the signs and heed them without even stopping to read them. However, if you start playing around with the colors and fonts, you could get yourself in trouble and become non-compliant.
For example, danger signs – which indicate hazards that pose a significant risk of death, serious injury, or illness – must use specific shades of red, white, and black. Typically, they have “DANGER” in large white letters at the top on a red background, set in a black frame. This striking design is unambiguous and lets people know exactly where they stand.
Danger signs are typically used on construction sites for the following purposes:
- Keep out notices
- Authorized personnel only
- No trespassing
They send out a clear message and keep you compliant with OSHA standards. If someone chooses to ignore them, they cannot claim it was because of negligence on your part.
Caution Signs
Caution is the next level down from danger. You could still injure yourself, but the message is slightly milder in tone.
These signs also use a different color scheme. They feature a yellow background with a black panel. Then, bold, yellow lettering set against the black background spells out the message.
Under the “Caution” heading, some messages may include:
- Construction in progress
- Men working above
- Construction area, no trespassing
Fall hazard signs are particularly important, especially as falls are the leading cause of death. Robust risk assessments will help you identify fall risks from height and on the same level. Proper signage, along with other precautions, can reduce risks.
Safety Instructions Signs
Safety instruction signs play an essential role on construction sites. They usually feature a white background with a green panel with white writing. They convey important information about workplace safety rules.
This can include reminders about PPE and ladder safety, which are vital to keeping people safe on the job.
Fulfilling OSHA Safety Sign Requirements
There is much more involved in job site safety than buying some construction safety signs and putting them up in strategic locations around the work site. Consider the following best practices to keep workers and visitors away from danger.
Hazard Assessment
Each new construction site needs a detailed hazard assessment before the first hammer is swung. Your initial assessment will help you to decide what signs you need and where you will position them.
Throughout the project, risks can change. Bad weather, updated plans, and unexpected challenges may pose significant additional safety risks. Therefore, hazard assessments need to be dynamic documents that are regularly updated. You may need to purchase additional signage or even order custom signage for unique situations.
Getting Workers Onboard
Safety is a team effort – it only takes one person who is negligent about safety to put the whole team at risk. So, get your team involved in safety planning and help them to take ownership of safe working practices. This could include evaluating risk and deciding which signage is needed in different locations.
Maintain Signage
Construction sites are dirty places, with lots of debris flying around at times. It doesn’t take a lot for a sign to get so badly damaged that it can’t do its job anymore. Designate a person who is responsible for maintaining workplace safety signs, but also promote a culture where safety is everybody’s responsibility.
Prioritize Training
Training is essential for construction worker safety. It’s easy to assume that new starters understand the meaning of construction safety signs. You don’t want to find out the hard way that they never did.
Regular safety meetings can help reinforce these messages.
Practice Open Communication
OSHA compliance is about more than ticking boxes. It’s a mindset that protects every worker and allows them to be safe and productive. Knowing everyone has got your back allows you to concentrate more fully on the job at hand.
Also, encourage your team members to be open about safety concerns. This could include signage that is missing, damaged, or needs to be updated. Keeping your signage in good shape could save a life one day.
Choose Durable Safety Signs for All Your Needs
Construction safety signs need to be consistent, durable, and highly readable. They can make the difference between life and death, so it’s worth finding a supplier you can trust. For construction zone signs, that means purchasing from Durable Safety Signs.
With 60 years of experience, we have been trusted by the construction industry for decades. Our OSHA-compliant signage with help keep unauthorized people out and workers safe at all times.
Check out our range of OSHA-compliant signage and place your order today!
