We’ve previously discussed safety signs on several occasions, but given the ever changing nature of safety and OSHA regulations, we thought we would cover this essential requirement again. OSHA Standard 1910.145 governs safety signs. It discusses the specifics of the signs you utilize in your workplace. This standard regulates the color, dimensions, and design of most signs you are required to use.

But what this standard does not cover is when to use these signs or where to place them. Those regulations are determined in different standards, specific to your business and business practices. So, in order to properly place the signage, you need to cross reference this standard with each standard that applies to your business, which can be quite a demanding task. For startups or businesses going through large expansions, this task can be far more difficult than it sounds.

While confined spaces, lockout tagout, and many other procedures are often more discussed and planned for by safety teams, it is often something small, like a signage issue, which can devastate your business in an OSHA audit. Standards are constantly changing, updating with the latest safety advances. And while it is easy to plan for and notice a major change to a standard, a small change in verbiage regarding a sign can often go overlooked. Even well established, safety minded companies are often out of compliance on a few small signs when they have their third party safety audits.

If you are unsure if your signage is up to date, please contact us. If you have anything to add to the conversation about safety signs, please leave a comment.