Industrial environments are among the most dangerous workplaces around, with workers at risk of falls, collisions, injuries from lifting heavy loads, and much more. That’s why, when organizing an industrial environment, it’s important to put an array of safeguards into place to help guide workers through operations with minimal incidents – and one way to do this is through safety signs.
Scale It Up
One major challenge involved in guiding operations in a warehouse environment is that the space is so large, it can be hard for workers to see ordinary signs. To solve this issue, we’ve seen an increase in the use of oversized, long-range signs and labels. These include everything from basic lane markers for forklifts to massive barcodes for guiding order placements, and they make it much easier for workers to navigate large spaces without getting distracted by the navigational process.
Explain Equipment Markings
Forklifts are among the most common types of equipment used in manufacturing, warehouse, and other industrial settings. That’s because forklifts are generally easy to maintain, good for worker safety since they minimize the need to carry excessively heavy loads, and support efficient operations. Unfortunately, they can also be dangerous if workers don’t properly understand how to operate and maintain them.
Anyone who regularly uses a forklift should have read all of the safety warnings and know where the equipment ID plate is located, which lists all of the technical specifications for that particular piece of equipment. Learning to read these informational elements on any piece of equipment is an important part of proper operations.
Prevent Dangerous Incursions
If you operate a closed factory setting, you don’t have to worry much about trespassers since standard locks and keycards will go a long way in protecting your environment. When managing a construction site, however, you have to contend with much greater environmental safety concerns. By placing fence signs around the property, you can warn off potential passerby curious about the work going on or, at the very least, provide a degree of legal cover. You can also use that signage as an advertising tool by making sure that it is clearly branded with your company’s name.
Ensure Durability
As a facility operator, it’s important to remember that worker safety is your responsibility, and one factor that can get in the way of clear communication on this topic is simple wear and tear. Yes, when you choose paper or other low-quality materials for communicating important safety information, it tends to break down quickly, ripping or wearing away so that workers can no longer read it. When creating labels, be sure to choose durable materials and consult OSHA guidelines regarding what information needs to be included. Common choices include metal or plastic signs and polyester or vinyl fade-resistant labels.
Though we are seeing a variety of innovations in industrial safety labeling, at the end of the day, it’s most important that your markings be consistent with sector standards, whether that’s ISO, ANSI/ASME, or another system. These systems exist to ensure widespread comprehension and to elevate safety in the face of substantial occupational risk, and they should not be ignored.