May 20, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Pride Neon Sign Solutions.

It’s easy to overlook them, but their role in the workplace is a critical one: Safety signs might need to be added or updated in more areas of your business than you realize.

“Nearly any business can benefit from at least a few safety-related signs, and in some industries, these are essential to your compliance and in providing the best experience for your employees and customers,” said Mathew deRiso, the design lead at Pride Neon Sign Solutions.

There’s a lot to consider with safety signs, from which areas of the workplace or job site require them to how large they should be, fonts and colors and placement.

“We handle all of those things,” deRiso said. “We’re incredibly familiar with industry requirements and best practices and can walk you through every step of a custom safety sign program.”

Here are some industries that could especially benefit from a second look at safety signs.

Construction sites

It’s construction season, and signage is a key element to any job site.

“In many cases, we’re looking at signs that should be larger than normal and placed visible to anyone on site or the public who could be entering the site,” deRiso said.

“Think about reminders for personal protective equipment – areas where your architect or subcontractor might be on the job, and we want to make sure they’re equipped with hard hats and safety glasses.”

Signs also are critical to preventing falls, he said.

“Falls are the greatest number of fatalities on construction sites,” deRiso said. “We do a lot of ‘danger’ signs for fall prevention.”

When contractors need to work within roadways or parking lots, there’s signage for that too.

“Some of the roadwork you’ll see in Sioux Falls this summer will have our custom skid and direction signs to guide drivers away from hazards, including in parking lots.”

Warehouses and manufacturing

The big thing to consider in warehouses and manufacturing facilities is heavy machinery.

“You’ll want to look at caution signs in relation to forklifts, motorized trucks, platform lifts,” deRiso said.

“You’ll also see a lot of signage signaling danger with words like ‘warning’ or ‘caution’ that could indicate things like hazardous chemicals being stored there. And you can use signage to identify safety zones around areas such as heavy electrical.”

Identifying high voltage areas and fire hazards and using signs to identify exits is important too.

“In a warehouse or manufacturing facility, we need signage that is visible and placed where everyone can see it,” deRiso said.

In all applicable industries, it’s important to follow OSHA and industry-specific standards and guidelines, he added.

“We can go assess your site, or the client can come visit about any questions or concerns.”

Health care facilities

Hospitals see a lot of people going through them, which requires a lot of signage.

“You’ll see caution signs for preventing slips and falls, notice signs that restrict access to certain areas, and COVID has created additional demand for safety awareness,” deRiso said.

Signs for biological and biohazards safety need to be designed to stand out, he added.

“That can run the gamut, including identifying equipment, containers, rooms, materials, everything from pathogens to preventing the public from getting into places they don’t belong. Hospitals are huge undertakings, but we’ve done quite a few,” he said.

Any medical office should consider safety signage, he added.

“There are plenty of hazards in medical buildings outside of hospitals,” he said.

Hotels and restaurants

You might not be thinking about safety when you check into a hotel, but hotel operators should be placing signage to communicate hazards to guests, deRiso said.

“Often, we see that in places like the pool area, where chlorine might be stored,’’ he said.

“If you have a breakfast at your hotel, you need signs up for employees and for the public to identify hot surfaces and how to handle tools. If you have a waffle maker, there should be a sign warning it’s hot. These are things people can overlook, but they’re everywhere.”

Pride Neon works with clients to identify those kinds of hazards and come up with a signage plan.

“This includes the restaurant industry,” deRiso added. “We’re seeing a lot of demand for safety signs related to food preparation, reminding people to wash their hands, which sink to use for dishes, so any business that serves food should be evaluating this.”

All workplaces

As you work through a pandemic environment, safety signage can apply to any business.

Many organizations have worked with Pride Neon to create signs for physical distancing, aisle traffic directions, masking and other health-related reminders.

“We can make them custom and even fun and branded to the business,” deRiso said. “If it’s important to you, it’s important to us. So we use a process that allows us to deliver your signs tailored to your needs and in an efficient amount of time.”

Pro tips

No matter what your industry, there are some considerations to keep in mind:

A lot of safety signs are outdated.

“You might have them in place, but make sure you’re looking at them from the perspective of others, including clients and employees,” derRiso said. “Make sure they’re updated and effective and meet any OSHA requirements if they apply.”

Many safety signs are improperly placed.

“So it’s a really good idea to consult with a sign professional and come up with a plan for the best visibility to make sure you’re protecting people,” deRiso said.

Look into damaged or missing signage.

Especially in warehouses and on construction sites, signs can be damaged quickly and easily or disappear.

“So it’s just practical that a sign should be there and be readable to be effective and that it shouldn’t be looking rough,” deRiso said. “Even a safety sign can be a reflection of your business.”

Ready to take a closer look at your approach to safety signage? Reach out to Bret Menke, vice president of sales, anytime at [email protected].