Understanding Hazards – Safety Signs
Safety signs play an important part in communicating safety and health information to everyone. Signs need to be provided whenever there’s a hazard that hasn’t been fully controlled in other ways. Make sure your team understands the meaning of the signs.
If you are unsure about what a signs means you should speak with your supervisors or manager.
Red signs – these are prohibition signs. This means you’re not allowed to do something (such as smoking). Other common prohibition signs are those showing that there’s no access for pedestrians or no access for vehicles. Red signs are also used for firefighting equipment.
Blue signs – these are mandatory signs. This means that you must do something (such as wear ear defenders). Other common mandatory signs are ‘head protection must be warn’ and ‘face protection must be worn’.
Yellow or amber signs – these are used to warn about hazards such as forklift trucks , electricity, radioactive material and biological risks.
Green signs – these signs are for emergency escape routes and first aid provision, such as first aid posts and emergency showers.