Construction sites constitute a significant portion of workplace injuries, classing construction as one of the most accident-prone sectors. That’s not surprising! Working on a construction site comes side by side with handling dangerous machinery and products, operating at heights, and being surrounded by a ton of moving parts. Falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, vehicle collisions and getting caught in between accidents form the majority of fatal events.
Construction site safety signages, hence, are designed to mainly address these ‘fatal 5,’ so they have become a vital element in the safety and wellbeing of employees. Not only is it a moral ‘best practice, but it is also mandatory. Construction sites are regulated by strict rules and regulations when it comes to signage.
Let’s check out the specific reasons to have safety signages on constructions sites:
Get Your Project Off the Ground
Construction site safety signs are inherent to the process of getting your project approved and moving. The design of safety solutions is a vital component in the preliminary consultations between the person commissioning the project, the designer, and the principal contractor. Once the project is in the works, the principal contractor has the legal responsibility for the on-site signage.
Preventing Injuries and Fatalities
Yes, Signage is not a substitute for well-trained staff. It is even true that a trained staff is fully aware of what signs to follow, when and where!
Certain construction site safety signs act like reminders of necessary precautions to take, any potential dangers, obligations, and prohibitions. Others provide critical information concerning emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits, to mention a few.
Notwithstanding, they help keep both the workforce and visitors aware and informed, so that all involved persons, can perform to the best of their ability, and the project can move smoothly.
The standard site signage includes the following:
Obligations
These signages describe actions which must happen in specific areas of your site. They are normally blue on a white background.
Some obligation signs are as follows:
- Mandatory headgear
- Mandatory high-visibility vest
- Mandatory hearing protection
- Mandatory eye protection
Prohibitions
Prohibition signs describe actions that should not happen in certain areas of the site, or on the site as a whole. These signs are put in plain words as ‘do not’ or ‘stop if you are’ and are often red against a white background.
Prohibition site safety signages are the following:
- No entry.
- No smoking.
- No cameras.
- Do not touch.
- No mobile phones.
Warnings
Warning signs are yellow and black that indicate non-life-threatening hazards. These hazards could cause minor to moderate injuries if not avoided.
Warning signs are as follows:
- Uneven surfaces.
- High voltage.
- Hot surfaces.
- Vehicles operating in this area.
Safety Instructions
These green and white signs depict safety associated instructions that improve protection around the site. They could be related to emergency exits or first aid kits, instructions in the event of emergency or injury; including instructions for handling materials and machinery, to name a few.
Conclusion
Now, you may have understood why construction sites should have safety signages.